I am sure the people who first wrote have already made the decision to have a washer and dryer installed by now. But for all others =
If you have any doubt as to whether you need to have a washer and dryer in your motorhome or travel trailer, just call launder mats in your area and ask them what the cost is to do one load is - wash and dry and how many minutes the dryer runs for that amount.
If that does not convince you, take my word for it, you will save money - plus you are doing your clothes in your own machine and not public machines that you do not know what was in them before you used them. I do not to wash or dry my clothes in machines that were used to wash greasy or dyed materials in it that could possibly transfer to my clothing or ones used to wash pet beds and such and get the hairs on my clothing. I have used launder mats and always waited to use machines that I saw what the people took out of them.
Before I got my Motorhome, I dry camped in tents and friends motorhomes who did not have a washer and dryer. Last June 2007 - I stayed in an expensive campground that had over 300 sites and they only had one washer and dryer on the premises and it was $3.00 for each wash and $1.00 for each 10 minutes in the dryer. Even if I had wanted to wait till 1 am for the next opening, I would not pay those costs.
After that I went to launder mats in various towns I visited and found most prices were outrageously high and most of the launder mats were in areas I would not want to be in. Then when I got back home, I went to the launder mat closest to me and it was $1.50 per wash and 75 cents for 10 minutes in the dryer. The loads I do take 30 minutes to dry and longer for towels and wash rags, etc. So the cheapest I could get buy with would be $ 3.75 per load.
That is $18.75 for 5 loads and I do that much a week on the road. So taking the cost of $1,000.00 divided by 18.75 = 53.3 weeks. So in basically a year, if I am full time Rving I would have paid for my washer-dryer combo.
But, you have to take other things in consideration = My safety and life is worth more than one thousand dollars = And consider the gas and time it takes to go to and from the launder mat = and of course the time you have to stay there to do your laundry. For me, I would much rather spend that time doing laundry in my own motorhome and when I wanted to do it. Plus not have to wonder who used the machines before me or what was put into them is a big deal to me.
Google to find and get opinions from others - put in = should I buy a washer dryer for my motorhome = or whatever words you want to use and see what comes up. I got some wild ones typing in the above sentence. And some I considered down right ridiculous, but I guess that depends on how and where you were raised. Tying a 5 gallon bucket on to your motorhome and letting the movement of driving down the road wash your clothes, then stop and dump that water and rinse the same way is not my cup of tea. I am not going to be doing my laundry in my bath tub or sink and throwing my clothes and bedding on the bushes to dry either. I am not going to be looking like the Beverly Hillbillys going down the road or in a campground = But that is my opinion.
So YES, I am going to have an all in one unit installed in my motorhome before I head out. There are several good ones on the market now and they get better every year. I have read where people complain that they take too long to wash and dry. But mainly that is because they are front loaders. I have a front loader, Made in Italy - which makes the best ones by the way, that costs $1,200.00 plus and I got it for $95.00 (yes less than one hundred dollars) at a local scratch and dent appliance store. And they were barely scratched and all brand new. My dad, sister and her friend all bought ones too. Anyway, being high efficiency they take 45 minutes to do each load of clothes on regular wash. But they are very gentle washing and use very little water and detergent. It took awhile for all of us to get use to; but the difference in the job they do is well worth it. I will never use anything but a front loader from now on. And only those manufactured by this company in Italy. It is small enough to fit in my motorhome and has a huge capacity tub; but I would have to use more room for the separate dryer and I just do not want to do that. I plan on being on the road for over a year and will need all the space I can get. So I am getting the all in one unit.
