Laundry on the Road: Your Guide to Clean Clothes While Camping

There's nothing quite like a South African camping holiday. Whether you're spending December at a coastal campsite, exploring the Drakensberg, or road-tripping through the Karoo, getting away from it all is exactly what the holidays are about.

Until day three, when everyone's out of clean clothes and someone's knocked a plate of pap and wors down their shirt.

Let's be honest: laundry is probably the last thing you want to think about when you're on holiday. But a little planning goes a long way in keeping your trip comfortable without turning your campsite into a makeshift laundromat.

Before You Leave: Pack Smart

The best laundry strategy for camping is to need less of it in the first place.

Choose your fabrics wisely. Merino wool and technical fabrics can be worn multiple times between washes. They resist odours far better than cotton, which is crucial when you're spending your days hiking or sitting around the braai. Save the cotton T-shirts for day trips where you know you'll have access to proper washing facilities.

Go dark. Light colours show every speck of dust and every drop of gravy. Dark clothes hide minor marks and can be worn longer before they desperately need washing.

Pack a small laundry kit. Throw in a travel-sized bottle of concentrated biodegradable detergent or a few laundry sheets, a universal sink plug (many campsite ablution blocks don't have plugs), and about two meters of thin rope or paracord. You'll be grateful you did.

The Reality of Washing Clothes at Camp

Most established campsites have some kind of washing facilities, from basic concrete tubs to coin-operated machines. But they're often busy, sometimes out of order, and occasionally located on the other side of the campsite from your pitch.

Hand Washing That Actually Works

If you're hand washing (and you probably will be at some point), here's what works:

Use the bucket method. A collapsible bucket is worth its weight in gold. Fill it with warm water if you can get it, add a small amount of biodegradable detergent, and let your clothes soak for 15-20 minutes. This does most of the work for you. After soaking, give each item a quick scrub, paying attention to collars, cuffs, and underarms. Rinse twice to get all the soap out.

Don't overload your bucket. Washing two shirts properly is better than washing five badly. Clothes need room to move around in the water.

DIY Washing Machine Hack. For a budget-friendly solution, use a large sealable bag or bucket with laundry sheets (lightweight and TSA-friendly). Add water, soap, and clothes, then agitate by shaking or rolling. This mimics a machine wash without power. Rinse in a stream or campsite tap, but always check local water quality to avoid contamination.

Roll, don't wring. Twisting clothes damages the fabric. Instead, lay each item flat on a towel, roll it up tightly, and press down to squeeze out excess water. The towel absorbs a surprising amount of moisture. Or use a salad spinner hack for excess water removal.

The Drying Challenge

This is where camping laundry gets tricky. You don't have your reliable SA Washline at home, and you're working with whatever space and setup your campsite offers.

Makeshift lines work, but barely. String some paracord between trees or use your car's roof rack. Just know that clothes will take ages to dry without proper airflow, especially if you're camping in humid coastal areas.

Watch the weather. That afternoon thunderstorm in the Lowveld isn't a suggestion. If rain is forecast, plan accordingly. Nothing's worse than rewashing clothes that got caught in a downpour.

Respect campsite rules. Some places don't allow washing lines strung between trees or hanging clothes on fences. Check the regulations before you set up your makeshift drying system.

Speed up drying time. Hang clothes in direct sunlight and spread them out as much as possible. Turn them periodically. If you're near the coast, the breeze helps, but watch for blowing sand.

Loadshedding and Campsite Laundry

If your campsite has washing machines, be aware that load shedding can affect their availability. Many campsites now have backup power, but not always for laundry facilities. Check the Eskom schedule for your area and plan your laundry around it. There's nothing more frustrating than finding the machines mid-cycle when the power goes out.

What About Caravanning?

Caravanning gives you slightly more options. Some caravans have small washing machines built in, though they use a lot of water and power. More commonly, you'll still be relying on campsite facilities or hand washing.

The advantage of a caravan is having more storage space and usually better drying options. You can string a line inside the caravan overnight (just watch for dampness), or many caravanners attach a small retractable line to the exterior for daytime drying.

The Things Nobody Tells You

Bring extra pegs. Cheap plastic pegs break constantly. At home, you probably use quality pegs that last for years. On holiday, you're working with whatever you brought or borrowed, and they snap in the wind or go missing. Pack more than you think you need.

Braai smoke clings to everything. If you're camping, you're braaing, and that smell gets into your clothes fast. Either embrace it as part of the experience or keep a set of clean clothes sealed in a plastic bag for the journey home.

Sand is your enemy. Coastal camping means sand in everything. Shake out clothes thoroughly before washing them, or you'll just be redistributing grit. Let sandy items dry completely before shaking, it's easier.

Towels are the worst. They're bulky, take forever to dry, and you need them daily. Some campers swear by quick-dry travel towels for this reason. Others just accept that their regular towels will spend most of the trip slightly damp.

When You Get Home

After a week or two of hand washing in buckets and draping clothes over every available surface, you'll have a new appreciation for your washing line at home.

There's something satisfying about coming back to your own setup: a proper washing machine, unlimited hot water, and a sturdy washing line that can handle a full load without sagging or needing readjustment every few hours.

If your washing line has seen better days, or if you've been making do with a makeshift setup, the holidays are actually a perfect time to sort it out. You'll have the time, and you'll definitely have the motivation after dealing with camping laundry.

The Bottom Line

Camping and caravanning holidays are about disconnecting and enjoying the outdoors, not spending hours doing laundry. Pack smart, wash only what's necessary, and accept that everyone's going to be a bit grubbier than usual. That's part of the adventure.

But when you do need clean clothes, knowing how to handle it efficiently means more time for what matters: exploring, relaxing, and making memories with family and friends.

And when you get home? That first proper load of washing, hung on your own washing line, in your own garden, with your sturdy pegs that don't break? That's going to feel like luxury.

Planning to upgrade your washing line before the holidays? We can help with that. At SA Washline we supply and install T-pole, rotary, wall-mounted foldaway, and retractable washing lines across South Africa. We also repair and reline old washing lines and supply durable no-rust pegs that actually last. Contact us to get your laundry setup sorted before the holiday rush.

Stainless Steel Laundry Pegs

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