Laundry
Short answer: Laundries (maghsala) are easy to find near hotels and charge per item. The hotel’s own laundry service is usually expensive. You can also wash small items and your Ihram in your room with unscented soap.
At a glance
- Nearby laundry: a “maghsala” in the streets around your hotel
- Hotel laundry: convenient but usually expensive
- Ihram: wash with unscented soap or detergent
- Take fewer clothes and wash them more often
Step-by-step guide
- Find a nearby laundry: ask hotel reception for the closest one.
- Agree the rate first: before handing over clothes, ask the price per item and when they’ll be ready.
- Always get a receipt: count your clothes and have the number written on the receipt.
- Empty your pockets: remove money, cards and papers first.
- Collect on time: pick up your clothes at least a day before travelling to Madinah or home.
Do
- Wash Ihram sheets with unscented soap.
- Carry a small line and clips to dry clothes in your room.
- Put an identifying mark on your clothes.
Don’t
- While in Ihram, don’t use scented detergent or fabric fragrance.
- Don’t spread wet clothes on the bed or carpet.
- Don’t hand in laundry on your last day; it may not be back in time.
Common mistakes
- Handing over clothes without asking the rate.
- Not taking a receipt, then finding items missing.
- Having Ihram washed with scented detergent.
Frequently asked questions
Do laundries wash Ihram too? Yes, but tell them to wash it without fragrance. If you are in Ihram, it is better to wash it yourself.
How long does it take? Usually a day, but longer in busy periods. Ask when you hand it in.