Airing Your Laundry Out

I’ve just wrapped up a 28 day trip to Australia for business.  I only took one medium sized suitcase and decided that I would do laundry.  There were plenty of dry cleaning options, but I had a hard time finding a laundry mat anywhere nearby my hotel.   I also could not find travel-sized detergent (note to self, don’t forget the detergent next time.).

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, everything is expensive in Australia. I sucked it up a few times and did dry clean several items.  I also decided to wash a few things in my room.  The challenge became getting them to dry.  My jeans hung in the bathroom for two days and still were not dry.  So on a hot afternoon I decided to put them outside on the balcony – don’t worry, I didn’t hang them over the rail – they were laid nicely over a chair.

A few hours later there was a knock at my door.  Someone from housekeeping was informing me that I was not allowed to put clothing on the balcony.  I was a little befuddled, and tried to explain that I was just trying to get them dry.   I called the front desk and spoke to a duty manager to ask about this “policy” that I could find documented nowhere.  She explained that they have problems with some guests putting up their own clothing lines and hanging clothes up to dry. She said other guests complain about the appearance and so they’ve instituted this policy.

Okay, I get it, you don’t want a clothing line strung up on the balcony…but 1 item of clothing hung over a chair, surely they could make an exception, right?  I was told that if I was outside with them then it would be okay.  What?  That’s crazy.  I can sit outside with my jeans draped over a chair, but I can’t just leave them out there draped over a chair?  Bizarre.

So, I sat outside for a hour while they soaked up some sun and then I brought my jeans in with me.  I do understand a hotel wanting to maintain it’s appearance and not have things look messy from the outside. I even agree that putting up a clothing line is extreme…but putting something over the back of a chair, surely that should be reasonable, I mean, what’s the difference between sitting outside with the item and just leaving it out there?

What do you think? Should you be able to place something on a balcony over a chair?  On a clothing line?  Or not at all?

3 Comments on "Airing Your Laundry Out"

  1. Stupid policy. As long as you’re not damaging the room/balcony, you should be able to dry your clothes outside.

    The hotel probably came up with this policy and mentioned that guests were complaining, so that they don’t get any flack

  2. I ve done it many times while traveling and doing my own laundry and hung dry without any problems. the irony is most Aussies do hung dry their clouths without the usage of a dryer. I was in Aus many years ago living in the suburbs and adapt to their life style.

  3. “laundry mat”?

    🙂

    -David

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