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If you’re traveling for more than one or two weeks, it’s inevitable that you’ll have to do laundry on the road, especially if you want to pack light.
Whether you’re going on a one week trekking adventure, two week beach vacation, or 12 month round the world journey there’s usually easy access to clean clothes just around the corner. Find out how to do laundry while traveling with three easy options.
3 Ways To Do Laundry While Traveling
For long trips, you don’t want to have to pack more than you need, but you also don’t want to wear dirty clothing. The best middle ground is to wash your clothing while traveling. You can pack carryon only while still feeling clean and comfy. There are three main options for laundry when traveling.
Laundry Services
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As a long term traveler, I count on the widely available services to do my laundry while traveling. You’d be surprised how readily available and cost effective laundry washing services are around the world.
From busy tourist towns like Cusco, Peru to small camps in Tanzania and backpacker cities like Bangkok; it’s possible to find places that will wash your dirty laundry starting at rates for as low as $1 a kilo.
How your clothing is washed varies from place to place. Many will hand wash your clothes and some use machines. For the most part, your clothing is hung to dry so you can expect about a 24 hour turnaround time.
Inquire about rates and carefully note down what you gave them to avoid problems with missing items. If there’s a special item with specific instructions, let them know or hand wash it yourself.
Use a capsule wardrobe to pack light but create many outfits. Learn more in my guide!
Travel Laundry Liquid Soap |Â Travel Laundry Clothesline Kit
Washing Machines
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Many hostels and hotels have laundry room with coin operates machines making it a breeze to do laundry while traveling.
When traveling the USA, I choose hotels like Holiday Inn Express that have convenient laundry rooms for travelers. In Europe, Australia, and New Zealand the majority if hostels where I’ve stayed also offer basic washing and drying machines for backpackers. You should research your accommodation’s amenities before booking. For hostels, I use HostelWorld.com.
These accommodation options also tend to sell individual packs of laundry detergent and softener so that you don’t have to add extra weight to your bag.
If you’re on a short trip, pack a couple of single use detergent packs like these Sinksuds packs to get you through your travels. For longer travels, always buy as you go.
this is a step by step guide for how to hand wash clothing when traveling
Hand Washing
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A popular choice for budget travelers is hand washing and can be done no matter where you’re staying. This is where the fabrics you choose plays an important role as synthetics dry much quicker than comfortable cotton.
A universal sink plug such as the one from Muzitao is essential so you can wash in any sink around the world.
To hang your clothes, pack a travel clothes line or a simple string can be used to dry your clothing indoors or outdoors. You can either pack your own best travel laundry soap or buy detergent locally. Otherwise shampoo, a bar of soap, or body wash does the job too.
Read about How to Choose the Best Fabrics for Travel.
Perhaps the most popular hand washing option is the Scrubba Wash Bag. It saves you money by allowing you to efficiently and effectively wash your clothes anytime, anywhere. This works especially well for adventurers getting off the beaten path with limited access to laundry facilities or those that would prefer the convenience of doing it themselves.
One reader says, “I have found it extremely useful and always take it with me. You can also use it for wet stuff like swimwear. It has little scrubby things and the best part is you don’t have to get your hands wet. If I am washing white stuff I let it soak in the bag in the sink for a couple of hours. It was such a good investment. I never use laundromats or laundry anywhere after having clothes ruined and lost.”
Another reader adds, “I have it and love it. I use it traveling and camping with my family. It gets my kids’ clothes clean, which says something. Use a strong, concentrated detergent (I prefer Allen’s Naturally liquid detergent). And bring a travel clothesline. I find it SOOO much easier and quicker than washing in the sink or bathtub.”
Just make sure you have the newest version. One reader warns, “I have the old model with the weaker plugs and it finally gave out and leaked after three years. The new one is much improved. I loved mine. It gets the clothes cleaner than I can in a sink and is so much more convenient. I just throw all of my dirty clothes in it to keep them separate and wash them as needed. It’s a great dry bag. It’s good for delicates at home too.”
For travelers with delicate clothing, try the Allurette Scrubba Wash Bag. While the original Scrubba Wash Bag works wonders for regular and technical clothing that needs a serious scrub down to get it clean, the Allurette is better suited for fabrics that require a soft hand wash.
When it comes to doing laundry while traveling, you can get creative when you’re on the road. Some wash their clothes in plastic bags, others in locally purchased buckets, and I personally like washing some items like travel underwear in my dive mask’s plastic case. You’d be surprised how long you can make your clothes last between washes when you’re on the road for a while. You really get to know yourself in a whole new light.
Bring an extra packing cube and dedicate it to your dirty laundry.
What are you tips on how to do laundry while traveling?
For more travel tips, please read:
- Which Packing Organizers Should I Choose?
- The Best Travel Backpack
- Top 20 Suitcase Recommendations
- Travel Experts Reveal the Best Carry-on Bags
- Money Belts and Anti-theft Travel Accessories
- Top 5 Travel Bags for Women
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Double duty: I use giant two gallon zipper bags as packing cubes. Pack an extra zipper bag which can be used for washing clothes. Bonus: squeeze the air out of the zipper bag to create space in luggage. I sit on the bag to get all the air out. 🙂
Great packing hack Meg!
I take my clothing item (s) that needs to be washed in the shower with me: wash, rinse and roll in the towel I used to dry myself off.
Thanks for sharing how you manage to do laundry while you travel Edie! Happy travels!
This is what I do. The last time I went to Italy I brought the Scubba Wash Bag. I ended up leaving it behind because it was so bulky and cumbersome.
These ideas are very helpful! It’s not hard to do laundry along the way, but it can be a challenge to wrap your head around the task when there are already so many moving parts to trip planning. Having the methods laid out like this makes it easier to commit to packing fewer pieces of clothing with confidence! Thank you.
If laundering in my room, I ask for extra towels before doing laundry. When something is a little heavier, like pants or a sweater, I roll the washed item in a clean towel and gently squish it along the roll to get out more water. I then hang the item or use another clean towel on the luggage rack to dry flat. I find this extra step greatly improves drying time.
I will be traveling for 21 days to Venice, Barga, Rome then Greek Isles cruise. I have not been successful with the carryon tips however I am bringing tide travel size laundry detergent to freshen up the clothes once onboard the ship.
I use wool wash soap. It works great on fabrics besides wool and doesn’t require rinsing. The brand Euclan even comes with small single use packets. Another tip to speed up drying after wringing out clothes, wrap them in a towel and stand on the towel to push the water from the clothes into the towel.
Thanks for sharing your travel hack with us Bernie! 🙂
Try a Cetaphil gentle cleanser bar! Best stain remover I’ve ever used, but also does a great job on your face and skin as well. All purpose for certain!
Connie
I time my hotels around laundry needs; ensure they offer coin op machines. I bring detergent sheets that are light and versatile. (e.g. Dizolve) that can be used for hand washing or machines. The hotel shampoos also work well for hand washing.
I use laundry bags as packing cubes so when it comes time to do laundry, I throw my delicates in them.
I love the coloured clothes pegs from the dollar store. When not used to dry clothes, I use them to mark & differentiate each family members’ towels.
Keep in mind that washing machines & dryers in some countries are significantly smaller than ones in North America. And drying times may take 3x to 5x in humid countries.
Some countries are accustomed to hanging clothes outdoors. Your clothes may end up smelling musty, like cigarette smoke, or pollution.
Hi Jessica, thank you for sharing how you like to laundry when you travel and all your great travel tips with us! Happy travels! ?
We tried hand-washing in Costa Rica and the humidity was so high the clothes never dried. Any suggestions?
Yes, humidity can be a huge issue. If there are fans available, try pointing them on your clothing. Otherwise, you may need to splurge for drying. Happy travels!
2 in 1 shampoos (shampoo + conditioner) are AMAZING for washing by hand: it leaves garments really soft and it’s extra gentle on delicates 🙂 get a cheap option and you’re sorted! 😉
OOOH GREAT TIP!!!!
Great tip- never considered this option!🤗
Shampoo is brilliant for getting marks off the inside of shirt/blouse collars.
Good tip!
we bring along travel packets of woolite to do laundry. You can get them on Amazon. And it’s gentle on fabric. Makes me happy to do laundry on our vacation. =)
Good idea! I’m sure the clothing feels and smells more like it’s had a proper laundry bath too 😉
I usually hand wash (mostly because of time constraints + laziness)…and then when I do “splurge” on a washing machine or laundry service, it feels soo luxurious 😉
Yes it’s nice to have a good balance and a “splurge” is always a good idea 🙂
I always wash by hand with a bar of soap. You know, if you place your wet clothes on a towel and then roll the towel up, once you unroll it, the clothes will be almost perfectly dry!
Do you use soap because you find it easier? I find using soap really helps target dirtier areas and makes it easier for me.
I use soap for both your reasons. I bought a bar of Fels brown laundry soap on Amazon and cut off a piece to fit a travel size soapdish. Another option (more expensive) is the washing bar from The Laundress. An added benefit is that the soap works really well to clean make-up brushes and sponges.
We find that doing laundry can be a fun activity on a trip. If you use a local coin-operated place, you get to meet locals. My husband still talks about the fun he had at a laundromat in Ushuia, Argentina.
Love laundry soap, it should be more popular 🙂 Love that regular activities can be extra fun while traveling!