Clean clothes while traveling are, lets just say, worth their weight in gold. The truth of the matter at AmaZOOnico was the moment you pull on a clean shirt, it was already surrendered to the elements. Between the humidity, the "liquid gold" (aka papaya juice) from fruits, and the occasional "gift" from a bird overhead while cleaning the enclosures, your wardrobe basically becomes a wearable science experiment, and that is not in a positive way.
At AmaZOOnico, we learned the hard way that laundry isn't just a chore—it’s a battle of wills.
The Lavanderia Chronicles
After a physical and sweaty work day, most afternoons ended at our brand-new lavanderia. Handwashing sounds romantic until you’re staring down a pair of socks that have lived inside rubber boots all day. They were wet, smelly, and practically fused with jungle mud.
We’d scrub the day's emsemble until brown soap oozed, rinsing over and over just to get them "somewhat" clean. Our secret weapon? A desperate splash of leftover fabric softener to mask the lingering scent of "jungle musk."
The Dream Machine
Our other option was dropping laundry off at Nina’s. For $5/lb, she had a washer and dryer that did the heavy lifting. The only problem? That poor machine was fighting for its life against the sheer intensity of volunteer laundry.
Once, we left a bundle before heading out for a few days off, dreaming of fresh cotton. We were met with a heartbreaking message: the power went out. No clean clothes or sheets. No luck. Just the same dirty and damp laundry waiting for us upon our return.
The Quito Strategy
As our time at the rescue center wound down, we entered the "strategy phase." We wore things just a little too long to avoid one last handwash, resulting in a stockpile of clothes so stinky they had to be double-bagged in plastic like hazardous waste to keep the rest of our gear safe.
When we finally landed in our "luxury" $20/night hostel in Quito, we went on a mission. The front desk offered to wash everything for $0.25 an item. A quick look at our mountain of clothes told us that our ice cream money would be decimated, and we certainly weren’t willing to do that!
The Hidden Gem of the Andes
We turned to Google Maps to find a lavanderia. Low and behold one was a seven-minute walk way. We found a very professional sign, but no door. Upon closer inspection, we saw a small buzzer, so we hit it. A moment later we heard the creek of a door a few meters down the street.
A lovely elderly local couple appeared from behind the door, and after some rapid-fire Spanish (cuenta cinquenta centavos cada libre) we cracked the code: $0.50 per pound. Sold!
Returning the next night was like Christmas. For a grand total of $4, we received a stack of clean, dry, and perfectly folded clothes that actually smelled like heaven.
Pro-tip for future travelers: hand washing is rewarding, but if you find a buzzer on a quiet street in Quito, press it. Your nose (and your wallet) will thank you.