laundry on the playa?

[mooserider]

Greetings, all.

I was just wondering how the long-term folks (DPW, ESD, etc.) handle laundry issues. If one is only there for a week, you can bring a week's worth of clothes with you and haul the dirty stuff out upon departure, but my regional is looking at sending me on early entry. So, can clothing be cleaned on the playa (or bussed into a laundromat in Gerlach)? For drying, would an indoor clothesline and a window fan work almost as well as a swamp cooler for an RV? Or is the whole idea of cleaning clothes on the playa just silly? (as in, just bring more clean clothes and a bigger dirty-laundry sack)

[ygmir]

Greetings, all.

I was just wondering how the long-term folks (DPW, ESD, etc.) handle laundry issues. If one is only there for a week, you can bring a week's worth of clothes with you and haul the dirty stuff out upon departure, but my regional is looking at sending me on early entry. So, can clothing be cleaned on the playa (or bussed into a laundromat in Gerlach)? For drying, would an indoor clothesline and a window fan work almost as well as a swamp cooler for an RV? Or is the whole idea of cleaning clothes on the playa just silly? (as in, just bring more clean clothes and a bigger dirty-laundry sack)

silly.

[TT120]

No reason to wash any clothes out there. The dust is just too much. Bring 2 weeks worth of socks and underwear and just wear everything else over and over. You can turn your underwear inside out to get a few more days out of them.

[VultureChow]

My mother taught me a fun little trick for long trips, which was to bring panty liners for my underwear. That way you don't need 20 pairs of panties.

[FIGJAM]

IMHO nobody NEEDS 20 pairs of panty's!!!!!!!

[VultureChow]

IMHO nobody NEEDS 2̶0̶ ̶p̶a̶i̶r̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ panty's!!!!!!!

[LowePro]

Not necessary. Become one with the dust. Bring enough clean undies and you'll be fine. Jeans and jackets can be worn several times, you'll probably find you wear less and less as the week goes on, and clothes don't get terribly smelly b/c it's so dry. If you're worried, bring a spray bottle of febreeze.

[Doctor VonBacon]

Socks. Lots and lots of socks.

Putting on a pair of fresh and clean socks can be close to life-changing.

[Sham]

I tend to bring enough underwear for the entire week. Plan on two pair of socks a day.
You can bring a large, plastic salad bowl and rinse out your underwear if you are running short.
As said before, all your other clothing can be worn over and over until they disintegrate.

Also, bring lots of baby wipes with you so you can freshen up all your sticky, sweaty bits and parts. You can also bring several cheap washcloths and use the same plastic salad bowl to wash yourself up.

There is no laundry service in Gerlach. This is a tiny, rural town who's only real industry is a phone booth.

[Captain Goddammit]

You could go old school and bring two big rocks to beat your clothes between.

[Molotov]

Just bring enough underwear and socks for your trip and barring a rain/mud event, just shake out your outer clothes real well to get rid of most of the dust.

[theCryptofishist]

Just donate your dirty clothes to a costume camp and select some new ones. This is also good for having something to wear as you drive home.

[Eric]

Ditto again to what everyone else is saying: bring changes of socks & underwear to cover the time you'll be up there, everything else can be reworn (or fabreez'd and reworn). The playa dust kills most bacteria, and when you do actually get smells in your clothes either fabreeze or putting them in a plastic bag with some dryer sheets & sealing the bag for a day.

Everything & everyone is dirty out there, you will actually get judged more if your clothes are too clean than you will if they're too dirty ("daytripper", "weekender", "sparklepony" - all insults)

[Zubeneschamali]

I am surprised not one person has piped in about going commando yet.

[maladroit]

I wouldn't recommend it. Either pack underwear or do without clothes altogether. You can't beat a skidmark off your pants.

[MrBeardy]

The only clean clothes should be the sealed up ones you have saved for after the burn.

[Zubeneschamali]

C'mon there's gotta be some Vikings out there who scoff at undergarments. Utilikilt wearin' whiskey swiggin' freeballers? fluffy costumed emo dust nymphs? Time to speak up and tell us why its better....

[Drawingablank]

C'mon there's gotta be some Vikings out there who scoff at undergarments. Utilikilt wearin' whiskey swiggin' freeballers? fluffy costumed emo dust nymphs? Time to speak up and tell us why its better....

Well it is better, but heat rashes and thigh chafing are tough to deal with there.

[Drawingablank]

I also want to point out that body odor is pretty much from bacteria that live off your sweat. Since sweat evaporates so fast out there it is not much of an issue with even a minimum amount of personal hygiene (baby wipe baths for example).

[Savannah]

Greetings, all.

I was just wondering how the long-term folks (DPW, ESD, etc.) handle laundry issues. If one is only there for a week, you can bring a week's worth of clothes with you and haul the dirty stuff out upon departure, but my regional is looking at sending me on early entry. So, can clothing be cleaned on the playa (or bussed into a laundromat in Gerlach)? For drying, would an indoor clothesline and a window fan work almost as well as a swamp cooler for an RV? Or is the whole idea of cleaning clothes on the playa just silly? (as in, just bring more clean clothes and a bigger dirty-laundry sack)

I don't know anyone who washes clothes out there, although I've brought clothespins & spring clamps (they are useful for many things) and 4 oz of liquid detergent every time just in case I wanna wash out a single item, here or there. I've never actually done it--but I've come close with a uniform shirt. Airing it out for a day probably would have worked too.

I just bring a lot of clothes, and lots of socks (2 pair per day) and underwear (tons).

asr9754 is right about most people (and their clothes) smelling decent because of the dry heat. (And the wind, and air circulation).

[danibel]

I always end up bringing WAY more clothes than I could even wear in THREE weeks. I do try to bring more warmer temperature clothes because they tend to get sweated on during the day (and could be smellier). My night clothes are usually layered so if they get a stain I just change the layers! LOL

I bring all different kinds of socks! Long ones, thick, thin, every kind. Like most people say - a fresh pair of socks makes a whole world of difference!

Keep an outfit clean and in a ziplock for the ride home! Including clean undies!

[Sham]

I went commando one year and had an unfortunate and painful mishap while finishing in the porta potty. It took a few minutes to figure out how to free myself from this excruciating situation. Needless to say, bring plenty of undergarments for the week.

[Jackass]

I went commando one year and had an unfortunate and painful mishap while finishing in the porta potty. It took a few minutes to figure out how to free myself from this excruciating situation. Needless to say, bring plenty of undergarments for the week.

"We've got a bleeder!"

[Token]

As OED wisely said a long time ago.

Shave Your Balls

Pack a fresh supply of merkins and be free.

[Zumaria]

If you're just coming for the week there's no need to wash your clothes. Last year was my first year and I wish I had brought more socks so I could have 2 pairs a day, same amount of undies and less outfits. It was also my first time in the desert so I wasn't sure what to expect. As a result I had a brought an outfit for every day assuming I'd need fresh clothes, but really, I basically rotated the same 3 the whole time lol

You do want to bring one outfit sealed in a giant ziplock for the day you leave - nice to have something fresh back in society!

[maladroit]

You do want to bring one outfit sealed in a giant ziplock for the day you leave - nice to have something fresh back in society!

This is always good advice.

However, there's just something about shuffling into a casino in Reno, strung out and filthy and bleary-eyed, wearing dusty flipflops, cargo shorts, your playa hat, with an equally dusty someone with boots, gold miniskirt and halter top, and scratching out a "Where's the nearest salad bar" to the first waiter you see. Ah, that first year....

[happydragon]

My first year I brought lots of stuff, and wound up wearing the same couple of outfits over and over again because they just worked better. Each year I pack less and less. I still pack enough undies for a day pair and night pair, but I find that most days I wind up commando in a lightweight skirt since that's most comfy for me. Night depends on temperature.

[Zumaria]

You do want to bring one outfit sealed in a giant ziplock for the day you leave - nice to have something fresh back in society!

This is always good advice.

However, there's just something about shuffling into a casino in Reno, strung out and filthy and bleary-eyed, wearing dusty flipflops, cargo shorts, your playa hat, with an equally dusty someone with boots, gold miniskirt and halter top, and scratching out a "Where's the nearest salad bar" to the first waiter you see. Ah, that first year....

Haha Yeah...I didn't even take my own advice last year Tooootally showed up at the sands with my hair plastered back, film of dust on my arms, clothes clinging to me ... lolol

[some seeing eye]

However, there's just something about shuffling into a casino in Reno, strung out and filthy and bleary-eyed, wearing dusty flipflops, cargo shorts, your playa hat, with an equally dusty someone with boots, gold miniskirt and halter top, and scratching out a "Where's the nearest salad bar" to the first waiter you see. Ah, that first year....

This is part of the ritual that is Burning Man!

To the OP, if this your first year you can't really understand the dust. It is very fine but has a gritty texture on fabric (and shoelaces) which is irritating. So all the above advice is good.

[theCryptofishist]

There used to be an "Ancient Chinese Secret" camp but they were sued by Calgon, and beside the evaporation fountain kept jamming.