In home washers and dryers in Peru are rare. We don’t have either. So we’ve been roughing it and sending our clothes off to a lavandería.
My sister Heather thoughtfully suggested that we wash our clothes by hand! (She did this while she was a Peace Corp volunteer in Botswana.) But, um… 
The lavandería, which charges per kilo, is very inexpensive. And we found one that comes right to your house to pick up and drop off your load for an additional 5 soles ($1.60).
The downside… staples in our clothes! I’m assuming this is the lavandería’s way of sorting different orders. A staple is not a nice thing to find in your pants, ever.
Despite the staple system, you still run the risk of losing your clothes. For example, I now have two extra pairs of socks that aren’t mine. And I’m missing my swimsuit top.
By the way, our laundry room, which has a big sink that would be perfect for hand washing clothes, has been repurposed as my “studio”.
p.s. I updated the Arequipa Services section of Peru Demystified with our lavandería contact information. I have also started a new page for my Peru ABC posts.
yo lavo mi ropa a mano jejejeje, es relajante salvo por el sol
¡Debo lavar mi ropa a mano, peru estoy demasiado perezosa!