Picture this: You’ve got your hands full of your family’s laundry and you head down the steps into the laundry room of your agriturismo… only to be greeted by a washing machine (lavatrice) that looks nothing like yours at home.
And, it doesn’t act like your washing machine at home either! But don’t fret. I’m a mamma of three (messy) boys and we live in Italy. I use Italian washing machines, and I’ve also used washing machines in the US and other places around the world. I’ve also gotten calls from clients about washing machines, and I’ll go through some of the most common problems I see.
The biggest differences between Italian and US washing machines – the size (they’re tiny here) and how long it takes to wash a load (a ‘normal’ cycle here can take over 2 hours, or even longer).
Below I’ll walk you through doing your own laundry in your Italian washing machine.
Let’s take a look at:
- Which laundry soap and products to buy and where to buy them
- Step-by-step instructions for using a washing machine in Italy
- Settings and temperature options
- Helpful vocabulary for using an Italian washing machine
- Tips for using washing machines here
Ready for some clean clothes? Andiamo – let’s go!
Don’t want to do your own laundry? Check out your options for Doing Laundry in Italy – A Traveler’s Guide
Laundry Soap and Products in Italy
Just like in your home country, there are plenty of options for laundry detergents and products.
The best places to buy them are at grocery stores or toiletry and home product shops like Caddy or Tigotà.
When in doubt, you can ask someone:
Dove posso comprare detersivo per il bucato?
Where can I buy laundry detergent?
As far as the products you need to do laundry here, you definitely need detergent, but you can decide if you want additional products.
Detergent
Detersivo / detergente in Italian.
The main brands are:
- ACE
- Bio Presto
- Chanteclair
- Dash
- Dixon
- Perlana
- Omino Bianco
- Napisan
- Winnie’s
I usually buy what’s on sale, but my top picks are Winnie’s (for everyday washes, worked well for my babies’ skin) and Napisan (for soiled clothing or anything that needs to be disinfected). There are also special baby detergents (like the one in the photo on the left – indicato per i capi dei bambini.
Other Products
- Igienizzante – sanitizer
- Disinfettante – disinfectant
- Ammorbidente – fabric softener
- Smacchiatore / scioglimacchia – stain remover
- Candeggina – bleach
Good To Know: You’ll find many combos of the above. For example, sometimes I use a detergente con (with) igienizzante.
Helpful Tip: In the US, I use a general stain remover. Here in Italy, you choose one based on the type of stain. For example, you’d use a different one for olive oil than you’d use for tomato sauce. You may want to just bring your remover from home (like a Tide stick) to keep things simple.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Using a Washing Machine in Italy
1. Go look at your washing machine and talk to the owner (receptionist, agriturismo owner, etc). Important questions:
- How does it work? (write notes on your phone or take a video)
- Where do I pour the detergent, softener, etc?
- Does it only use cold water? (if so, you’ll need to get a special detergent)
- Is it coin operated? (if so, you’ll need to get coins)
- Where can I dry the laundry? (don’t wash many loads if there’s nowhere to hang it all)
- How can I reach you if something goes wrong? (get a phone number)
- Is it a washer/dryer combo?
2. Gather your laundry products. Laundry detergent is essential. You may also want to use a stain remover, fabric softener, etc.
3. Based on the size of the washing machine, break up your laundry into small piles.
4. Put your laundry in.
5. Pour in your detergent and other products. There’s often a 3-compartment drawer for products. Ours has always had the main detergent compartment on the left, but be sure to ask which one you should use.
6. Choose your setting (see translations in the next section). You may need to turn your washing machine on to see the settings (especially if it’s digital). Look for the international power symbol (a ‘0’ with a ‘I’ inside).
7. Make any adjustments to the setting. For example, on our machine, you can adjust the temperature for a setting and the spin speed. So, if I may choose the cotton setting but decide to lower the temperature and spin speed.
8. Start the machine. Press the avvio button. Don’t try to open the door until the laundry cycle has finished. You’ll often hear a click in the minute or so after the cycle has finished – that’s the door unlocking. If you didn’t hear the click, just wait a minute or two and then try opening the door. Otherwise, the door could get stuck.
9. Hang your laundry. We use these folding metal racks (called a stendino, very common in Italian homes and vacation rentals).
Settings on Italian Washing Machines
Choose your cycle:
- Cotone – cotton
- Delicati – delicates
- Sintetici – synthetics
- Prelavaggio – prewash
- Quotidiano – daily/normal load
- Rapido – rapid wash (my favorite)
- Misto – mixed
- Lana – wool
- Seta – silk
- Sport / Outdoor – activewear
- Lavaggio a mano – hand wash
Buttons you’ll need:
- Avvio – start
- Pausa – pause
- Spento – off
Other settings to know:
- centrifuga – spin
- scarico – drain
- eco – uses less electricity
Which Temperature to Choose
I recommend sticking to how you’d wash at home based on your washing preferences and the tags on your clothing. Remember that the temperatures are in Celsius (I’ll note the Fahrenheit equivalents).
Here are the most common temperature settings you’ll see on Italian washing machines (this is what we have one ours at home):
- Freddo (cold)
- 30° C (86° F)
- 40° C (104° F)
- 60° C (140° F)
- 90° C (194° F)
What We Do: I typically use freddo or 30/40 (depending on the clothing), and for towels/linens or something needs to be disinfected, I wash at 60 if the fabric allows.
Using an Italian Washing Machine – Helpful Vocabulary
Lavatrice – washing machine
Detergente, detersivo – detergent
In polvere – powdered
Liquido – liquid
Efficace a freddo – effective in cold water
Sgrassatore – degreaser
Biologico – organic
Ipoallergenico – hypoallergenic
Fare il bucato – do laundry
Lavasciuga – washer/dryer combo
Sacca portabiancheria – laundry bag
Asciugatrice – dryer
Tips for Doing Your Laundry in the Washing Machine in Italy on Vacation
If you have a baby or someone in your group with sensitive skin, bring your laundry detergent (that you know doesn’t irritate his/her skin) from home. ‘Green’ products here in Italy are often better for the environment but not necessarily for humans.
Use the rapido washing cycle if your clothes aren’t super dirty or stained.
Don’t try to open the washing machine door while it’s running.
Some washing machines drain from a tube into an adjacent sink. Leave the little tube alone.
If visiting in the winter, don’t wash everything and expect it to dry overnight without the help of a dryer. Keep at least one outfit for everyone for the next day.
I hope this helps you feel confident doing laundry while you’re here on vacation in Italia!
