Laundry

Laundry

If you’re just back in Quito after a week of roughing it in the jungle and your clothes have taken on a life of their own, you are in luck, Quito has a good selection of laundromats and cleaners.

Located primarily in La Mariscal, along Wilson, Pinto and Foch, between Avenida Amazonas and 6 de Deciembre, most laundromats are open Monday through Saturday until about 7pm. All offer quality same-day service and you can expect to pay around USD .60 per kilo. A handful of laundromats even include a free-of-charge laundry collection and delivery service to your hotel in Quito. Student discounts are available at a limited number of locations. The favorite laundromat of EcuadorExplorer.com’s foreign staff is Laundry Vicmar Calama, located on Calama half a block off Reina Victoria heading towards 6 de Deciembre.

Many cleaners, especially those in the touristy areas, will clean your stuff in two or three hours, however, if you are looking for a place that will wash and dry your cloths in an hour or so, it can be done, but plan to do it yourself or pay an exorbitant amount per item. The cheapest way to get your clothes cleaned in a hurry is to head to one of the self-service laundromats (located in the same area denoted above) where you can expect to pay around USD 1.50 per load washed and USD 1.50 per load dried. Free soap is provided, and in an attempt to take the yawns out of do-it-yourself, many places offer books, beer, and TV.

Most of the up-scale hotels offer quick laundry service, although you will pay dearly for it. But a clean pair of socks is a clean pair of socks and after that week in the jungle it may be worth every penny.