Here’s How to Do Laundry During Your Ireland Vacation

ByJody Halsted Posted:July 4, 2024September 22, 2024 Updated:September 22, 2024

The trick to packing light for your Ireland vacation is to choose clothes that can be ‘mixed and matched' to create different outfits.

See my Ireland Packing List here.

Across the Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge, County Antrim, Ireland. — When packing for your Ireland vacation think layers!

But if you are staying longer than a week you may find that you need to wash your clothes in something other than a sink.

In Ireland you'll find a few laundry options.

The Best Option for Doing Laundry in Ireland

To avoid losing precious touring time to this chore look for a laundrette. This laundry service will wash, dry, and fold your clothes for an affordable weight-based fee, usually within 24 hours.

Note that some, but not all, dry cleaners may offer this service.

How to Find a Launderette in Ireland

Launderettes are usually found in larger towns so if you know you will be staying someplace for a few days search online with the keywords ‘launderette {town name}‘. You can also inquire with your accommodation to find the closest laundry service.

Note: Revolution Launderette is not a full-service option (see below).

Other Ways to Do Laundry in Ireland

Choose Accommodations with a Washing Machine

If you are renting a self catering or AirBnB accommodation be sure it has a washing machine.

One thing to note is that most accommodations will not have a dryer, or they may have a combo washer/ dryer. Either way, your clothes will not be fully dry and will need to be hung on a clothesline or draped over a drying rack or furniture to dry.

Use a Laundromat

Laundromats are a bit easier to find than launderettes, but they will take your time. Try to find laundromats that are open late so you don't miss too much touring time (though it will cut into your pub evening).

Revolution Laundry

This self-service laundry operator is found in the parking lots of shops and service stations across Ireland.

The cost of your wash includes detergent and drying is also available. You set your wash/ dry cycle on the touch screen. Payment is via bank or credit card and Apple or Google Pay. Very few machines accept cash.

While the machines are running they are locked, ensuring your clothing cannot be stolen. You can choose to be notified by text a few minutes before your wash cycle ends so you can be at the machine when it is finished.

This is a handy option of you need to do a bit of shopping or if there are a few smaller sites to visit nearby.

Have Your Hotel Do Your Laundry

Some hotels will include this service, so it never hurts to ask.

One word of warning (based on personal experience) – ask if the items will be laundered or dry cleaned. I had a hotel do my laundry last fall (while I relaxed in the spa) and it was returned with a €118 bill. It had all been dry cleaned. I hadn't thought to ask how it would be cleaned – I just asked for it to be laundered.

Traveling in Ireland Podcast episode 218

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Author
Recent Posts

Follow Along

Jody Halsted

Jody Halsted is the charismatic host behind the popular Traveling in Ireland Podcast and the Ireland Family Vacations website. With a deep passion for Ireland and an infectious enthusiasm for sharing its wonders, Jody has become a trusted voice in the realm of Irish travel.

Follow Along

Encounters with Irish Mythology – Amazing Irish Experiences

Irish mythology is rich with stories that have been passed down through generations, featuring a mix of heroic tales, tragic love stories, and epic battles. These stories are deeply rooted in Irish culture and have influenced literature, art, and even modern popular culture. They are celebrated for their richness, complexity, and the way they reflect…

Jeanie_Johnston_tall_ship_Samuel_Beckett_Bridge_Dublin_Ireland

The Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship in Dublin

Step aboard the Jeanie Johnston in Dublin’s Docklands & hear stories of those who left Ireland for a better life across the ocean.
David Cleary, Head of Sales at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum and The Jeanie Johnston, an Irish Famine Story, shares the experience of visiting the Jeanie Johnston as well as his top tips for visiting Dublin.

Use Kayak to find the best prices on your Ireland airfare

Ireland Travel Tip: Save Money on Flights From Other Airports

Can traveling to another airport help you save money on flights? It’s a question I ask myself every time I book airline tickets. Our home airport is small, and I’ll admit that I love it. Waits at baggage check and security are short, terminals aren’t horribly crowded, and it’s easy to arrive in and depart…

Tips for Booking Your Flight to Ireland

Before you book airfare be sure to check these flight tips for an Ireland vacation. Finding the best prices – no flight hacking required!

Traditional Afternoon Tea with Vintage Tea Tours Dublin

Afternoon Tea in Ireland – Amazing Ireland Experiences

One of the first things you’ll notice in Ireland is that there is always a hot water kettle available for a cup of tea. Every hotel, and most B&Bs, provide a kettle, tea bags and instant coffee, and often a biscuit, for an easy afternoon pick-me-up or evening refresher. As a tea drinker I much prefer this…

Signal station at the end of Sheeps's Head Peninsula, County Cork. Ireland vacation tips. IrelandFamilyVacations.com

Using a Smart Phone in Ireland

If you’re anything like me, your smart phone is your main mode of communication, the camera you use most often, and your entertainment center. So when you travel you want to use it just like you do at home. There’s only one problem – the cost. It’s not cheap to use your smart phone in…

2 Comments

Wolf Hobbs says:

July 11, 2024 at 2:32 pm

I wish my wife and I had heard this episode before we went to Ireland last spring for 18 days!

I wanted to add a few comments and suggestions for other travelers.

First, if you are lucky enough to rent a home that has a washing machine and dryer on-site, be sure to check the water drawer/tank before drying. Many homes will have a “condenser” tumble dryer that extracts water into a container as there is no dryer vent to the outside. Trying to dry clothes when that is full will probably make your clothes wetter than when they went into the dryer!

Secondly, if you do use one of the Revolution laundromats, don’t try to cheap out and dry all your clothes at once if you’re used to drying huge loads of clothes in your American dryer. That one big load will take forever to actually dry, and sometimes those Revolution dryers aren’t so great. My wife decided to use one for a weeks worth of clothes (we way overpacked btw, even for 18 days in Ireland), and after 90min of drying, our clothes were still slightly damp. So we wound up driving to the Rock of Cashel with damp clothes laid out all over the inside of our rental car. We got to the parking lot there at Cashel and hoped maybe the clothes would dry in the sun through the windows while we went sight seeing. When we came back almost 2hrs later, the windows of the car were so fogged up, you’d have thought it was inhabited by teenagers on prom night! Luckily the B&B we stayed at that evening had a dryer we could use to finish drying our clothes fully, and they were kind enough to let us use it.

Thanks Jody for doing such a wonderful podcast series! It was very helpful for us planning our first trip last year and we will definitely be listening to episodes in prep for a trip to County Donegal in the next year or two.

Reply
1. Jody Halsted says:
  
  July 11, 2024 at 4:55 pm
  
  Thanks so much for your additional tips, Wolf! I definitely should have mentioned the water drawer in the dryers!
  And I had to laugh at the steamed windows!
  
  You will love Donegal! Please let me know if I can help 🙂
  
  Reply