hand wash travel detergent

Best Travel Laundry Detergent for Washing Clothes on the Go

Packing Tips , TOILETRIES

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Doing laundry while traveling is a great way to keep all of your clothes nice and fresh, and while this sounds easy to do, it’s still wise to create the best travel laundry kit, so this task isn’t messy or cumbersome. See these top reader recommendations to know what detergent to bring!

Travel Size Laundry Detergent

Table of contents.

TFG readers definitely know travel, and when it comes to washing clothes, they have some great things to suggest. 

Our readers share their tips, tricks, and products for keeping clothes fresh and clean. Check out these picks for the best travel laundry soap !

Best Travel Detergent

Tide Laundry Detergent Travel Packets

Tide Travel Size Laundry Detergent Packets

Tide travel size laundry detergent packets come in convenient one-load sizes. You can slip them into your luggage without taking up too much space. 

Readers sing the praises of Tide and say it’s excellent for washing clothes on the go. Other TFGs who struggle with where to buy travel size laundry detergent suggest simply pouring larger bottles of this soap into smaller containers. One reader says, “I put Tide into one of my shampoo 3-1-1 bottles.” 

Decanting your detergent into travel size bottles is an awesome and easy travel hack.

SinkSuds Travel Laundry Detergent Liquid Soap

SinkSuds Travel Laundry Detergent Packets

The SinkSuds travel size laundry detergent packets are 0.25 fluid ounces, so it’s TSA friendly and super convenient to add to your toiletries bag . 

If you’re just washing a couple of items in a sink or tub, all you need to do is pour one packet into the water and let everything soak, then rinse and hang dry. It’s effective yet gentle, so you can wash swimwear and delicates as well as any regular clothing. 

One reader says, “Very handy for traveling. I can use one packet to wash a couple of items in my hotel room sink. Packs very easily. If you have to wash items in the sink, but don’t have access to detergent, I recommend these.” 

Find out how to do laundry while traveling with three easy options.

SOAK Scentless Travel Laundry Detergent

SOAK Unscented Travel Laundry Detergent

This no-rinse laundry detergent is another fantastic option for hand washing clothes while traveling because it’s SO convenient. With SOAK, all you need to do is… well, soak your clothes! 

There’s no rinsing necessary, so just ring them out, let them dry, and you’re good to go. And your clothes will feel super fresh and smell great. Because SOAK comes in larger bottles, you’d just have to pour some into a travel size bottle to take it with you. 

One reader says, “I love this product because you don’t have to rinse it out! For dirty stinky stuff, I take it into the shower first to rinse off dust and grime but then soak it in the sink for 15 minutes, and no need to rinse it out again. I roll my clothes in a microfiber travel towel and squeeze them out and then hang dry.” You can also pick up SOAK in handy travel size laundry detergent packets . 

Best Travel Laundry Detergent Sheets

Lazy Coconuts Fragrance Free Laundry Detergent Strips

Lazy Coconuts Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Strips 

The Lazy Coconuts eco-friendly detergent strips make for the easiest handwashing experience while traveling. Just add to a sink full of water (or a washing machine if available) and you’re good to go! Each package has 48 strips that equate to 48 loads, which is an incredible value for the price. 

They weigh virtually nothing and take up very little space, so these are perfect for travel. And they’re made all the better by the fact that they’re carbon negative, cruelty-free , and produce zero waste! 

One user shares, “Great for travel! We went hiking , ziplining, and whitewater rafting in Colorado. Washed laundry in the hotel washer using these sheets. The laundry came out smelling clean and fresh. No heavy detergent smell.”

If your accommodation doesn’t have a dryer, take a look at these portable travel clothes lines that are all very packable!

Finzy Laundry Soap Sheets

FINZY Travel Laundry Soap Sheets

Washing on the go has never been easier than with these FINZY travel detergent sheets . This package contains 32 loads, and you can take what you need along with you on your trip. 

These detergent sheets clean your clothes quickly and efficiently, and what’s really cool is you can use them to wash your hands as well!

One traveler raves, “These literally saved me from overpacking for a three-week trip to Italy because I knew these handy, lightweight sheets were packed in my suitcase taking up no room. A true lifesaver for travel!” 

Breezeo Laundry Detergent Strips

Breezeo Travel Detergent Sheets

Breezeo laundry detergent strips have come highly recommended in the TFG Community. They’re super easy to pack and use, and they dissolve completely in both hot and cold water.

One reader reports, “Breezeo is my solution. They work great in my opinion, and leave absolutely no mess or possibility of a mess. I guarantee they can ‘fit’ in any compact luggage and adheres to TSA guidelines. I travel with them everywhere. I use one sheet for smaller loads (or hand washing) and two sheets for larger loads or more heavily soiled clothes. Economical too.”

Here are the best ways to clean dirty packing cubes .

Earth Breeze Fresh Scent Laundry Detergent Sheets

Earth Breeze Laundry Detergent Sheets

Earth Breeze detergent sheets are another fantastic and eco-friendly option for travel. These sheets are major space savers, while also offering a deep clean, so they come highly rated by travelers. They’re perfect for sensitive skin, too. 

They have both “fresh scent” and unscented travel laundry detergent options for you to choose from. Use anything from half a sheet to two sheets depending on your load, and you’ll have fresh and clean clothing for the rest of your trip!  

One user says, “I purchased these laundry sheets for a two-week trip and it was the best purchase ever! Not only is it good for the environment but it fits easily in a suitcase. I was amazed that the sheet just dissolves in the water! No bulky plastic bottles to carry! I would use this again!! I might even use it at home!”

WashEZE 3-in-1 Laundry Detergent Sheets

WashEZE Laundry Sheets

WashEZE 3-in-1 laundry sheets are great. They provide detergent, softener, and static control all in one handy little soap sheet. Travelers say that these are super easy and effective when handwashing. If you have access to a washer and dryer, you can use the same sheet in both machines to get all the great benefits. 

One reader shares, “I was finishing a three-week tour of the Outer Hebrides Islands, in the United Kingdom , so there was a was a lot of mud on my trip. I used WashEZE detergent sheets and they did a GREAT job for hand washing or machine washing. Hint: cut the sheets into quarters and strips to make it easy when you’re on the road. I found a half sheet was fine for the smaller washers that are in most homes in the UK, and about half of a quarter panel was plenty to hand wash a shirt in the sink.”

Tru Earth Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent Sheets

TruEarth Natural Laundry Detergent Sheets

TruEarth laundry sheets are ultra-gentle and suitable for sensitive skin, yet are praised for their effectiveness and stain-removing capabilities! These little strips both restore colors and brighten whites with a powerful formula that’s hypoallergenic, vegan, and paraben-free!

You can use a whole strip or half a strip depending on the size of your laundry load, and they work equally well in both washing machines and sinks. Plus, users say that a little goes a long way, so you’ll likely only need a few sheets for your entire trip.

One traveler says, “I travel a lot and these are a game changer! No more worries about an unexpected liquid mess in my suitcase! These worked great on my cruise. They dissolve so easily. I would highly recommend them for everyday use but especially for travel.” 

Travelon Laundry Soap Toiletry Sheets

Travelon Laundry Soap Sheets

Travelon soap sheets were made specifically for travel, as they’re super compact and come in a lightweight container, and is small enough to throw in any bag. Travelers say these are amazing for hand-washing in the sink or tub and always get the job done. 

One happy user reports, “This came in handy during my two-week vacation to Europe ! I was making lots of different stops to places with different types of weather, so packing was going to be difficult. Rather than overpack, I brought layers, and with these laundry soap sheets were able to wash clothes in the sink so that I had the right clothes for each climate.” 

Find out how to handle your dirty clothes when you’re traveling.

Best Travel Laundry Soap Bar

Fels Naptha Laundry Soap Bar

Fels Naptha Travel Soap Bars

The Fels Naptha soap bar is a great alternative for laundry detergent while traveling, and is noted by the TFG Community to be incredibly effective! This soap is said to have amazing stain removal capabilities and is ideal for super active trips where your clothes will need a deeper wash. 

You can take only a piece of this laundry bar if you don’t need a lot, and because it’s solid, you can pack it in a carry-on bag with no TSA concerns. One reader shares, “I use Fels Naptha for travel washing. It’s very good for removing stains and particularly adept at removing sweat from clothing—ideal for workout, hiking, biking clothing.”

Ethique Eco-Friendly Laundry Bar

Ethique Eco-Friendly Laundry Stain Stick

This laundry stick from Ethique is a standout option for not just washing clothes of all colors and fibers, but also works as dish soap and hand soap! It has so many incredible capabilities! 

It’s sustainably made with natural ingredients, smells deliciously of lavender, peppermint, and coconut, and comes in waste-free packaging! 

One reader shares, “I bought this for a 19-day trip and absolutely love it! It cleans beautifully and smells great and lasts forever. It’s small and I still have half a bar left!” 

Sea to Summit Pocket Soap

Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash Pocket Soap

The Sea to Summit travel laundry soap sheets come in a handy case filled with 50 leaves that travelers adore. These are especially useful for outdoor excursions such as hiking and camping because it can be used for many different purposes besides laundry, such as hand washing, body washing, and dishwashing. All you have to do is add water! 

One of our readers says, “I like Sea to Summit. They say one sheet per sink load is enough. If I’m washing a couple of things, I add about three. They clean very well and come in a tiny handy dispenser.”

Sard Wonder Soap with Eucalyptus

SARD Wonder Travel Laundry Soap Bar

SARD’s Wonder soap is excellent for removing stains and works well for those trips when your clothes might get a little messy.  When traveling, you can simply bring a piece of this soap with you and lather up your clothes for a thorough clean. 

One reader shares, “I use a small chunk of Sard soap. It’s not a detergent sheet, but it’s still good for sink washing.” 

Zote Laundry Soap Bar

Zote Pink Travel Laundry Soap

Many of our readers love to bring this Zote Pink soap bar with them on their travels because it’s gentle and easy to pack. Users love this because it can be used on any normal clothing, as well as delicates, swimwear , and even things like makeup brushes. 

One TFG reader says, “I really like Zote solid laundry soap bars. I cut a sliver off of the bar and keep it in a bag just in case I need it. it has a little bit of lemongrass or citronella scent, which makes everything smell fresh (even if it’s really not!!).” 

Chek out the best travel containers , where to get them, and how to use them!

Top Accessory Readers Use in Their Travel Laundry Kits

Scrubba Portable Wash Bag

Scrubba Bag

Th e Scrubba portable washing bag i s a revolutionary travel item that our readers rave about. It’s essentially the world’s smallest washing machine that you can bring with you absolutely anywhere! 

Whether you’re camping in the wilderness or staying in a hotel in a fun city, the Scrubba washing bag will seriously come in handy. It’s so easy to use too—just add clothes with some detergent into the Scrubba, close it securely, press down and deflate, rub the bag with clothes inside, and then rinse the clothes, and hang dry.

A traveler shares their experience, “This is one of the best items I’ve ever purchased for travel. Taking this meant that we could bring carry on bags instead of having to check our suitcases and just wash a few things halfway through our trip. using this just twice has more than paid for itself in baggage fees. It’s very easy to use and really got our clothes clean, despite mud, sweat, and sand. Pairing this with a travel clothesline and travel detergent means I can always pack light!”

Here is a step by step guide on how to hand wash your clothes while traveling! 

Travel Laundry Detergent Comparison Chart

What do you think is the best travel size laundry detergent ? Share with us in the comments!

For more tips on travel laundry and clothes care, please read:

• How to Pack Dirty Laundry While Traveling
• What Is the Best Travel Steamer? See Our Top Picks!
• How to do Laundry while Traveling – 3 Options!

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54 comments.

new products to try

Also like Clean People Ultra Concentrated Laundry Detergent Strips. They come in both scented and unscented. For stains, I bring along a small slice of Basin’s Fabric Stain Remover Soap.

Thank you for this helpful post. Before reading it, I didn’t even know that laundry strips were a thing. But I got some Lazy Coconut strips for a recent trip to France. They were awesome, and helped me with sink laundry so I could pack light and travel with just a backpack and carryon.

This is incredibly helpful! With so many to choose from and never using them before I’ve had a hard time deciding. Thank you so much!

I used the Ethique laundry bar to wash clothing in the hotel room sink on our 3-week Scandinavia trip in August. It worked great!

I use “eco-friendly” Kind brand unscented laundry sheets. You can easily tear off a piece for smaller washes. For stains, I slice off a piece of The Soap Works Stain-Remover Laundry Bar (from a Canadian company) and pack it in a small plastic bag.

I love my powder (citrus for easy rinse out) Forever New . Carry in a small zip lock bag and use for sink wash out. roll in towel, squeeze and hang to dry.

I travel with the Scrubba washing bag and, typically, use the hotel shower gel or shampoo. The Earth laundry papers are good too.

Thanks for sharing so many helpful options! I’m looking forward to trying some of the eco laundry strips on my next trip as they seem very compact and easy to adjust based on the amount of items I need to wash.

These Travelon Laundry Soap Sheets were a game changer on our last few trips to Italy. So portable, not a liquid and get the job done!

Thank you for all of the travel laundry suggestions! Going to Ireland and Germany in 2013 and these items will rally help!!

We are FINALLY leaving for London THIS WEEK!! I purchased Breezeo. I am looking forward to trying it. I have been a follower for years and enjoy your travel content and recommendations.

We are leaving for London THIS WEEK!!!! I purchased Breezeo. Excited to try it. Love the travel content and recommendations. Been following for years.

Thank you for your info on laundry detergent sheets. I didn’t even know that they were a thing until I logged into TFL. I have a medical condition that results in the need to do laundry often. You have made me feel confident that I can now travel again without worrying about laundry.

I have used Tide sheets and they worked wonderfully! So thin to pack and weigh next to nothing – they are a must fir any trip longer than a weekend!

I usually just used shampoos provided by the hotel to do laundry. But eh pods or the sheets would dona better job. Thanks for sharing so many options for us.

I always take the Travelon Detergent sheets. Work great!

I used the Travelon laundry sheets on our family trip to the Betheelands in June and they worked great! We all traveled with carryons only!

Netherlands not Betheelands!!

For years I used the hotel shampoo to wash my clothes but on my last trip I switched to TruEarth laundry sheets. They were a game changer I cut several full size load sheet into fourths, just the right size for a sink wash. And they are eco friendly for a win win.

For the way I travel, I like to bring powdered soap, it’s lighter weight and less messy than liquid. I usually just bring some of the Charlies laundry soap powder I use at home. I’m sensitive to fragrances so it works great for me.

After reading this post, for Australian readers, I found an Australian brand Strip Clean that makes detergent strips that are free from phosphorus, parabens and harsh chemicals. Took them on our recent trip to The Red Centre in Australia. Great product

I often travel with Dr. Bronner’s for washing, but I use Soak at home–& I’m eager to try sheets! So many options for my next trip.

Thank you for all the wonderful research… it makes packing so much easier!

I just ordered Lazy Coconuts detergent strips for our trip to Italy. Love that they are fragrance free and super compact. Thanks for all of the helpful options. I’ve used Sink Suds too and love them also.

This was super helpful! Wish I had seen this sooner!

I love using Soak for my knitting projects! I never thought about it for travel. I will definitely try this fall when in Switzerland

I was shopping the Breezio strips last weekend and realized I already own a Fels Naptha bar that I can carve some off to take to the UK in a couple of weeks. Glad I kept reading! Thanks for all the hints! They’re spot on!

I’m bringing the Sink Suds on a cruise soon, they seem like the perfect way to wash some of my unmentionables mid-trip! 🙂

Love the laundry sheets; a small bit is usually ample for travel sink laundry.

The Fels-Naptha idea is brilliant! I always spill something on myself that needs a little extra cleaning power. Since I use this at home, it is always on hand to pack.

My travel buddy brought the Earth Breeze laundry sheets on our trip to Italy and I loved them so much I use them at home now too!

Thanks for sharing other readers’ comments and reviews of these products. Very helpful! I use The Laundress wash and stain bar when traveling. It comes as a palm sized bar of soap, but I cut it in 1/4 pieces so it’s more compact and takes up less room.

Great article will be traveling to Italy for the first time in October and this group has been a great help fora first time traveler. Than you

I love that you’ve included some eco-friendly options. I have a trip coming up and plan to try out the laundry sheets.

I love using Soak, but now I’m excited to try out some of these other options. I especially like the idea of the solid detergents, that don’t have to take up room in my quart bag!

I brought a pack of Breezo detergent sheets on a work trip to Europe and I became everyone’s best friend! The sheet of strips made for easy sharing with my fellow travelers and they were very thankful (especially when the learned of the price for the hotel laundry service!). Bonus – my luggage smelled great from the pack itself!

I love detergent sheets, and use rhem at home as well! Grove Collective has great ones that travel perfectly, for machines. For sinks, I like the Travelon ones.

I’ve been looking for this info and of course you’ve got it. Thanks!!

Great options! Way better than my usual M.O. (using shower gel or shampoo in a pinch, lol!). I think I will try a couple at home before my next trip. Thanks TFG!

I love these tips!

I always look forward to these posts!! Either a method I didn’t know I was looking for or a reminder about a diy for an upcoming trip, thank you for helping me build a travel arsenal of info!

After reading this post I went with the Breezeo laundry sheets. Not only were they easy to pact and took up NO space, they had a fresh scent that permeated my suitcase!

I’m beginning to plan a lifelong dream of going to the UK and I know I’m going to need to use some of these suggestions for washing my clothes.

Funny, I have never brought laundry soap on my trips. I usually just use my bar soap. 🤔

I had no idea that there were so many choices either. I would love to have some samples of some of these options to try at home before our next travel date.

Thanks for all of the different choices! I had no idea there was such a thing as washer sheets, what a great invention! Timely for a trip to Europe this Fall.

We actually bought the Scrubba bag this year for our trip to Europe & it worked amazingly well! Saved us a ton of money & time from having to find somewhere to do our laundry. Thanks for the recommendation on travel laundry soap!

Wow I didn’t know there are so many laundry soap options❣️ I am going to France for a month traveling with a carryon luggage and personal item only backpack. I have been following Travel Fashion Girl website since 2016. I love all the helpful information and the links to items shared for purchase❣️

I subscribed to the Earth Breeze laundry sheets over a year ago – no more big plastic jugs!! Stuffed several into a ziploc for 3 weeks in Ireland and tore some in half or used a whole sheet, depending on how much I sink washed at various stops. Next trip: 2 weeks in Spain in Feb – already committed my brain to using the 10 piece Essential wardrobe!!

This was a great article that introduced me to a lot of options for sink washing that I was not aware of. I’ve used Woolite packets and Travelon sheets for years, but I’m going to give SOAK a try. The rinsing is always the worst part of hand washing, so I’m intrigued by the idea of no rinse needed. I’m going to try it at home first just to see how it works. Thanks for all the information you’ve shared through the years. It’s been so helpful when packing for a trip!

Great options. I wish more were unscented.

Oh my gosh, too many choices. I had no idea there were this many to choose from

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The Best Detergent for Hand Washing Clothes

By Leigh Krietsch Boerner

After spending 35 hours on research, squooshing more than 40 fabric swatches through 22 different detergents, talking to two fabric and detergent experts, and petting and sniffing freshly washed wool until we almost had a contact high, we found that Soak is the best detergent for delicates. It’s more than good enough to unseat the old guard, Woolite, which requires rinsing, feels slimy, and costs much more per wash than our pick.

Everything we recommend

The best delicates detergent

A no-rinse whiz kid, Soak gently cleans with a minimum of handling and has an all-purpose formula that’s ideal for hand washing all your delicate garments.

Buying Options

Eucalan Fine Fabric Wash

A detergent for woolens only.

This no-rinse detergent has lanolin, which softens and protects your wool and cashmere garments and smells great doing it.

Tide Plus Bleach Alternative HE Liquid

A budget all-purpose delicates detergent.

A cleaning powerhouse but a gentle giant, this is a great alternative if you don’t want a no-rinse detergent or don’t have to wash wool or silk. It costs only pennies per hand-washing load.

In our tests, cleaning power was roughly equal among the detergents we tried. Our pick stood apart as one of only three no-rinse formulas generally available in the US, which means less work, less water use, and a lower likelihood that you’ll damage your dainty duds with too much handling. Unlike the competition, Soak uses an all-purpose formula that’s great for all fabrics, including wool, cashmere, and silk. It’s also fairly cheap at about a quarter per wash, and its five scents smell good.

Eucalan is a no-rinse detergent that contains lanolin, a natural oil that sheep produce to help waterproof their fleece coats; it also makes woolen garments softer and a touch more hardwearing. Eucalan cleans a bit better than Soak with the same minimum of handling, costs less than Soak at around 16 cents per wash, and also comes in five good scents. The major reason we made Soak our pick instead of Eucalan is Soak’s versatility: You wouldn’t want to use Eucalan on non-woolens, as lanolin tends to attract dirt and grime on other fabrics.

You can also use Tide . Really. You don’t actually need a dedicated delicates detergent; many garments can go in your washer on the delicate cycle with regular detergent, so you have no need to spend more money on fancy detergents if you don’t want to. But there is a caveat here: Tide contains protease, an enzyme that might break down protein-based fibers such as silk and wool. Tide is gentle enough for other delicate fabrics, and if you’re hand washing in the sink, it costs only about five cents per wash. The main reasons it isn’t our top pick are that you can’t use it on all fibers and you must rinse it out—that’s more work, more water, and more risk of damage, all things our top pick helps you avoid. Tide also doesn’t smell as nice as either Soak or Eucalan, but it does come in an unscented variety that we tested as well (Tide Free and Gentle).

The research

Why you should trust us, who should get this, how we picked and tested, flaws but not dealbreakers, our pick for woolens, our budget and all-purpose pick, but can i wash it, what’s in the bottle, ingredients of concern, the competition.

There aren’t many places that review (or even talk about) delicates detergent. The few that are out there don’t do side-by-side reviews or use superstition instead of science. 1 So we sought out some experts, such as Sean Cormier , assistant professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology and head of their textile testing lab, and Jacqueline Sava, founder of Soak . We also delved deep into the literature about the protective coatings on wool, whether you can really wash silk (spoiler: yes!), and my specialty, what’s really in the bottle.

I’m a longtime knitter with a PhD in chemistry, so the chemistry of fibers is something that makes my heart go pitter pat. Way back when the earth was young, I also worked as a preparator in the Textiles Department of the Art Institute of Chicago. So I would say that I’m fairly fluent in fibers. I also speak soap, having written both the Wirecutter laundry detergent and dish soap guides.

If you have a lot of fine-fabric pieces, a no-rinse detergent designed to squeeze out and evaporate off fabric could save you a lot of time and effort in hand washing them. It may also help your garments in the long run: rough handling and wringing, especially when wet, can ruin a wool sweater or silk bra. Water destabilizes the chemical structure of protein fibers (wool, silk, cashmere, alpaca, and angora, to name a few) because it interrupts hydrogen bonds that help hold them together. Not having to rinse detergent out of your garments helps protect delicate fibers.

Wool doesn’t like agitation or heat because it’s covered in teeny tiny scales that get can tangled together. The act is called felting or fulling. Ever shrunk a wool sweater to the approximate size of a teddy bear by accidentally throwing it in the dryer? You felted it. This is a one-way street, by the way. Your loss is your teddy bear’s gain.

If you dry-clean your clothes, you may want to consider hand washing instead. Depending what solvent they use, dry cleaning is often somewhere between not-great and horrible for the environment. Here’s a pretty extensive list (pdf) of the solvents that dry cleaners use. The most common is probably perchloroethylene (aka tetrachlorothethylene, or “perc”). According to the EPA , it’s used by around 28,000 dry cleaners in the US, and it is the only toxic compound emitted into the air from the dry cleaning process. It’s also classified as a probably a human carcinogen; it’s not very nice for anyone and even prohibited in some places and situations . There are some more environmentally-friendly options, but they tend to be a) hard to find; 2 and b) expensive. So do yourself a favor and skip dry cleaning whenever possible.

However, no one needs delicates detergent. Though you can potentially ruin any delicate garment by tossing it pell-mell into the washer, it may come out fine . Regular detergent was once way too harsh for delicate fibers, but it isn't anymore ( we checked ). It does often contain a protein-digesting enzyme called protease, so it’s a risky choice for protein fibers  such as 100 percent wool or silk. But if you’re just hand washing delicate pieces, including lingerie, or washing machine-safe things on the delicates cycle, a non-specialty detergent—such as the Tide that won in our best laundry detergent guide and appears as our budget pick here—will work great.

There just aren’t that many delicates detergents out there, so rather than winnow them down, we evaluated and tested all 22 that we could find, including all three no-rinse detergents available in the US.

A good delicates detergent has to get your stuff clean without damaging delicate fibers. The reason you’re pulling your garments out of the regular laundry cycle in the first place is so they don’t get messed up. (For info on what a delicate is, see the “But can I wash it?” section below.) Besides rough handling, what is most likely to damage your delicates is a detergent with a high pH.

Basically, pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is. 3 The lower the number, the more acidic something is, with the neutral midpoint, aka water, falling at 7. Historically, soaps and detergents used to be made with lye (aka sodium hydroxide) so they had high pHs, meaning that they were very basic. Tide used to have a pH of around 13, which can cause irreversible damage to not only wool, but spandex and silk as well.

Because of this, one of the first things we did was take the pH of the detergent in some water. And guess what? Except for one very harsh detergent (Forever New granular), every detergent we tested was pH-neutral.

As an eagle-eyed commenter pointed out to us, protein-digesting enzymes called proteases also have the potential to damage protein fibers such as wool and silk. Granted, in  much  of the research  on this topic, scientists used relatively high concentrations of protease to see this damage. Most regular laundry detergents have protease (to get out gravy stains, say), but I couldn’t determine how much. Tide spokesperson Anne Candido told me that the amount of protease in Tide Plus Bleach Alternative HE Liquid was proprietary, which is business-speak for “we’re never going to tell you.” She did say that the company recommends washing garments marked “Dry Clean Only” or “Dry Clean or Hand Wash” in the version of Tide without protease. (It’s called Tide Simply Clean & Fresh if you’re interested, though we haven’t tested the stuff.) We say to use Soak for 100 percent wool or silk, since it’s protease-free.

Other than that, the things that are most likely to damage your delicates are things you can control yourself. “You’ve got agitation, you’ve got the spin cycle, which would cause abrasion and color loss,” said Sean Cormier, assistant professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Skipping these things by doing a gentle hand wash is really the key to keep your delicates in tip top shape. And when you wash a delicate, you’re not trying to get grass stains out of it, he says. “You’re working on trying to get the odor out, which is really the germs that have built up on that product.” This is why two of our picks are no-rinse detergents: the less you handle your delicates, the better.

Price varies quite a bit for delicates detergent. costing anywhere from 5¢ to 63¢ per wash, and from $6 to $35 for a bottle, depending on how big it is. You don’t want to be washing undies in solutions of gold flakes, but since you only use a delicates detergent probably twice a month at most (and wash your woolens sparingly), that cost spreads itself out quite a bit. What you usually get for more money is a fancier bottle (as with Tocca) or “gourmet” scents.

Cleaning power is not the most important thing in a delicates detergent, since you’re generally trying to get out small amounts of oil and odor from daily wear, not trying to remove chocolate or grass stains. But we tested this anyway, just to make sure there were no wide variations. Most delicates are either protein-based (like silk) or synthetic (like nylon). We hand washed both silk and nylon sebum -stained fabrics from Test Fabrics Inc., following the directions on the bottle for how much to use. 4 Some detergents, including no-rinse versions, called for only a teaspoon. Most used around three teaspoons, but Ivory Snow and Woolite suggested using as much as two tablespoons.

The swatches we washed with Tide Plus Bleach Alternative HE Liquid, Tide Free and Gentle, Woolite, and Ivory Snow came out a bit lighter, but the cleaning difference across them wasn’t big enough for us to make disqualifications on that alone. All were gentle on our swatches (and we didn’t see any immediate damage with the protease-containing ones on the silk swatches). Instead, we eliminated most of them because they weren’t as easy to use as the no-rinse formulas, with one exception: Tide Plus Bleach Alternative HE Liquid . Our top pick for best laundry detergent, it is basically the placeholder for whatever detergent you use for the rest of your laundry. A breakdown of what we thought of each product is down in The competition .

For silk, the washed swatches were a little lighter than the non-washed control, but there was zero difference in the different detergents. None. Zip. So we concentrated on the nylon swatches instead.

Soak is the best detergent for saving time and effort when you're hand washing delicate fabrics, wool and silk included. The fact that it cleaned fabric as well as the competition, combined with the no-rinse convenience, affordable price, and range of scents, makes it a standout.

A small amount of detergent stays on the garment, but it does not affect the feel. I’ve used both Soak and Eucalan for years, and I’ve never had a problem with stuff I washed in it feeling stiff or crunchy. According to Jacqueline Sava, the founder of Soak, the company has their detergents tested at a textile lab in Japan, who found that “once Soak is squeezed out and evaporates, less than 5 percent is left over in the fibers (5% of 0.031625%). This is approximately 0.00000158125 mL of surface acting agent.” So while there is a bit of surfactant left over on your clothes, it’s a really small amount.

Not having to rinse out Soak is about half of what made it our pick. Hand washing with a regular detergent means that after a bubble bath, you need to take the garment out of the sink, drain, rinse the suds out of the sink, refill the sink, squish all the water out of the garment, then stick it back in the clean water. And if all the soap isn’t out of the garment, you need to repeat the rinse. With Soak, you skip all this extra handling. All you need to do is add the recommended dose of five milliliters in four liters of water (about a teaspoon in a big sink), let your garment soak, then gently press out the water and lay it flat to dry. Done.

The other major detail that set Soak apart was its versatility, because it can clean more types of fabrics than other no-rinse detergents we tried. Soak was not the cheapest or the best cleaner—Eucalan was. But Eucalan contains lanolin, which is great for wooly garments but can attract dirt on your silk undies. Soak’s cleaning performance was close enough to the best detergents we found, and it’s affordable. (Around 25¢ per wash, Soak’s cost, is in the lower middle of the price range of 5¢ to 63¢ per wash.) Plus it comes in a pretty bottle.

Smell is an important part of any delicates detergent, and Soak’s scent names are...a bit hard to figure out. But fear not! We did smell tests too. Yuzu is a citrusy scent, with a background of ginger or eucalyptus. Lacey smells of delicate jolly ranchers, mostly watermelon and apple. They call the smell of Celebration “inspired by the essence of red rooibos tea”  on the website , but we thought it smelled more like a mix of champagne and a clean, linen-y scent. Fig smelled of figs a bit, but more like peaches. Soak also sells an assorted travel pack with two single-use packets of each flavor if you want to test drive a scent before you buy, plus travel sizes of each scent. We thought all of them smelled very good.

It’s unlikely that you can get Soak in a grocery or big-box store, and you definitely can’t find it in your neighborhood bodega. It is pretty available online from Amazon or Soakwash.com . And if you really want to walk into a store and put your mitts on a bottle, you can find it at most local yarn stores. Here’s a handy tool to find yours.

Jacqueline Sava from Soak told me that their fig scent mixture contains phthalates, a type of compound known to cause reproductive harm in animals at high doses, but the FDA says they don’t pose a risk to people in amounts currently used in most products. (Read more in Ingredients of concern below.) The amount you might be exposed to in the fig Soak is vanishingly small (remember, the dose makes the poison), and Sava says that they’re testing a phthalate-free fig formula in their labs right now. Other scents don’t contain phthalates, so if you’re worried, get a different scent. We’ll post an update when Soak finishes their new formula.

If you are washing wool, we like Eucalan . This detergent cleans as well as the rest, plus it is inexpensive, no-rinse, and has lanolin in it to protect woolen fibers.

Sheep naturally have greasy, waterproofing lanolin in their wool. Washing wooly things in a detergent with lanolin helps soften them and strengthens their fibers against wear and tear.

But it does help attract dirt to other fibers, making Eucalan a less versatile detergent than Soak; that’s ultimately why Eucalan didn’t win our top prize.

I did a side-by-side wash with Soak and Eucalan on a wool and silk scarf to literally get a feel for which made the fabric softer. Once my scarf was all laid out and dried, the half washed in Eucalan was a tiny bit softer, and the silk was a smidge shinier. It also cleaned just a titch better than Soak, plus was cheaper per wash at 16¢ versus 25¢. It comes in five scents (and you can actually tell what they are by their names!): jasmine, lavender, grapefruit, eucalyptus, and unscented. It’s also mostly absent from grocery stores and the like, but you can find it in the same places as Soak: online and in yarn stores .

One thing to note: Eucalan does contain methylchloroisothiazolinone , a preservative that causes an allergic rash in about five percent of the population. It’s also a sensitizer, which means if you’re exposed to it over and over, you may develop an allergy to it over time. See our the section Ingredients of concern for more.

Our delicates detergent for general use turns out to be the same as our laundry detergent pick. Tide Plus Bleach Alternative HE Liquid is the best at cleaning jeans and towels, and it’s a good choice for cleaning spandex and bras, too. Although stains aren’t as much of an issue, Tide will still get your delicates cleaner according to our sebum wash test than any other delicate detergent we tested. It has the same acidity as water, which means it’s relatively gentle and still between half to a tenth of the cost of detergents made specifically for delicates.

But remember that you shouldn’t use Tide for your 100 percent wool or silk garments, since it contains protease. This limitation on its versatility, plus the fact that other detergents are simply easier to use, kept Tide out of our top spot. Unlike our other picks, Tide detergent must be fully rinsed out with water. It’s not meant to sit on clothes. The detergent also had a slightly slimy feel when I used it for hand washing. It was about a half-second of “ew?” before I got over it, so unless you’re very sensitive to that kind of thing, it shouldn’t bother you. And personally, I don’t love the smell. But some people do. C’est la vie.

I’m not crazy about the fact that it’s blue. Dyes in detergents are totally unnecessary; they don’t add anything to how well they clean. (One Procter and Gamble PR person told me they “test well” once.) If either the scent or the dye bothers you, Tide Free and Gentle also cleaned quite well in our tests.

Here are things you should not hand wash: suit jackets or anything with that kind of structure; very delicate beaded or sequined garments; leather. Other than that, go for it.

Personally, I have hand washed even “dry clean only” silk, and it’s come out just fine. But check the label first. If it’s 100 percent silk or wool, be sure to wash it in a detergent without protease. Ditto if it says “Dry Clean Only” or “Hand Wash Only.” And proceed at your own risk there. At least if you take it to the cleaners and they screw it up, you can make them pay for it. You’ll get no such promise in your bathroom sink. Silk does tend to have problems with dyes bleeding, though. If you have a white silk blouse with bright red designs on it, be prepared for it to change to a pink blouse with pink designs after a sink bath. You can always color-test your silk by washing a discreet corner. If it runs, you must succumb; take it to a pro. But if it doesn’t, be smug about the money you just saved.

Detergents made specifically for delicates have pretty much the same ingredients as regular laundry detergent , with a few exceptions. Soak’s are listed here , Eucalan’s are here , and Tide’s are here (pdf).

Things they generally do have:

Water— All the parts of detergent have to be dissolved in something. Life on our planet is water-based, so water it is. (This is known as a solvent in some circles.)

Surfactants— Short for surface active agents, these do the cleaning. A few of the popular ones: sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, lauryl glucoside, lauramine oxide, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium methyl 2-sulfolaurate, decyl glucoside, etc., etc. Most detergents use more than one surfactant. Here’s a primer on how these work to clean stuff .

This is the end of the “all have it” list. Some detergents have the following:

Enzymes— These are biological-based molecules that help to get certain stains off your clothes. The most common ones in laundry detergent are amylase, which is found in our mouths and breaks down starches; lipases, which break down grease; and proteases, which break down protein (and protein fibers such as wool or silk, to some extent).

Water softeners, or salts— These work by running interference with dissolved minerals in water, which can keep surfactants from cleaning well. Some examples are sodium carbonate, sodium aluminosilicate, and calcium chloride. Basically, if you see something in the ingredient list that’s mineral-based, it’s probably a water softener. Sometimes these can double as “viscosity agents,” which means that they help the detergent from clumping.

Anti-foam agents— Especially in the case of the no-rinse detergents, you don’t want your detergent being too sudsy, which would mean more rinsing. These compounds keep the bubbles to a minimum.

Preservatives— These are important, since they keep bacteria and other nasties from growing in water-based detergents. Preservatives can be anything from alcohols to methylisothiazolinone, and a small amount of people can be allergic. More info on that here .

Fragrance— That dark angel. The FDA says that fragrance mixtures are proprietary, so companies don’t have to say what makes their detergent smell pretty. In some cases, this involves phthalates, a class of chemicals which make hard plastics more flexible. There’s some evidence that these can cause reproductive harm, and you can learn more about that here . A lot of detergents boast on the label that they don’t contain phthalates, so read what you buy if you’re worried about it. One scent of our pick, fig-scented Soak, does contain phthalates, but they’ve got a new formula in testing now without it.

Delicates detergents generally don’t have optical brighteners, bleach alternatives, or polymers, although our budget pick does. More on these compounds here .

Methylisothiazolinone is sometimes used along with methylchloroisothiazolinone . They’re known as MI and MCI, respectively, and are used as preservatives in a lot of cleaning and beauty products. Preservatives are a very important ingredient, because they keep mold and bacteria from growing in the products that we use every day. This has the potential to make us very sick.

Either by itself or in conjunction with MCI, MI can cause allergies or irritation. But it’s also a sensitizer, which means that you can become allergic to it after being exposed over and over again. However, this is a very rare allergy, according to dermatologist Erin Warshaw. Only about 5 percent of the population is allergic to MI , although that number has been increasing, about to 1½ to 2½ times the previous rate from 2011 to 2012. Most of the detergents we tested have MI but our pick Soak and budget pick Tide do not. Eucalan does contain MCI.

Some people also worry about SLS and SLES. They stand for sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium lauryl ethyl sulfate (or sodium laureth sulfate ) respectively, and they’re both surfactants. ‘Surfactant’ is short for surface active agent and is something that can make two non-mixable liquids mix. In this case, the surfactant is the cleaning agent, and it grabs the oil, creates a blob around it, and lets it be whisked away by water. (You’ll find a more detailed explanation here .) The concern with these surfactants is not the molecules themselves, but a carcinogenic compound that might be lurking within. It’s called 1,4-dioxane, and it’s a byproduct of making SLS into SLES. In short, there’s such a small amount of it (if any at all) that it’s not a problem unless you wash about 1,000 garments a day , each time with new detergent. And if that’s you, well, you’ve got bigger problems than 1,4-dioxane exposure. For the rest of us, potential exposure is too small to be worrisome.

Phthalates , which you can sometimes find in fragrance mixtures, are also in hundreds of different products. You may have heard about them because there’s been some recent press about getting phthalates phased out of use in children’s toys. How exactly they affect human health, if at all, is not clear. They have caused harm to the reproductive systems of lab animals, but there haven’t been many human studies. CDC researchers have found phthalates (or metabolites) in many people they tested, leading them to say that exposure is “widespread.” The FDA says that they don’t pose a safety risk the way they’re used right now, but they’re keeping an eye on it, as we pointed out in our dish soap guide .

For this guide, we pretty much tested every detergent marketed to “delicates” or “lingerie” that we could find that’s readily available. There aren’t really that many of them. There were a few we didn’t like, but we eliminated the rest because they were either not no-rinse, not as cheap and didn’t clean as well as Tide, or smelled horrible. Per-wash cost figures here are calculated according to instructions on the bottle in order to control for bottle size and detergent consistency and may vary depending on the price of the detergent itself.

• Tide HE Free and Gentle . (6¢/wash) This detergent is made for machine washing but works as a delicate wash anyway. It is unscented and dye-free, and currently it has a 4.5-star average across more than 2,300 reviews on Amazon. This formula has protease, so use caution with pure silk and wool garments.
• Vaska (10¢ per wash) is not marketed as a delicate detergent specifically, but it came highly recommended by Sean Cormier. The bottle I got says unscented but had a light, lavender smell. There were no directions for hand washing, but the machine-wash dose was around 20 mL. I used the equivalent of 10 mL for testing.
• Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Liquid Laundry Detergent (12¢/wash) is not specifically for delicates and has no directions for hand washing, but it is very cheap and comes in tons of scents.
• Forever New Ovacion (19¢/wash) averages 4.7 stars and kind of smells like fruity baby powder, but not in a bad way.
• Baby shampoo, specifically Johnson’s Baby Shampoo (7¢/wash) is sometimes used for delicates. I used the equivalent of about two teaspoons in a sinkful of water.
• Le Blanc Silk and Lingerie Wash (18¢/wash) has a nice light linen-y scent. Amazon reviewers give this five stars, and I couldn’t find anything not to like either.
• Caldrea Sea Salt Neroli Delicate Wash (41¢/wash) is liked by Amazon reviewers. It has a 4.4-star average and a light, pleasant scent.
• Roux Maison Delicate Detergent , (17¢/wash) actually had a light citrusy smell, even though we tested the ‘fragrance-free’ version. It’s a tiny bottle, but you use so little that it’s actually not that expensive.
• Kookaburra Wool Wash (25¢/wash) was the third no-rinse detergent we tested. It has lanolin and cleans as well as the others but has a strong tea tree scent that turned me off.
• Ecover Delicate Wash (10¢/wash) is less liked by reviewers. It has an average rating of 2.7 stars; people mostly complain about the strong floral scent which was reformulated a few years ago. (I used to love it; now I don’t.)
• Molly's Suds All Sport Laundry Wash (14¢/wash) smells citrusy-delicious and has 4.5 stars after almost 300 reviews at Amazon. However, the washing instructions, which tell you to use a capful of detergent for machine washing and “less” for hand washing, are less than helpful. (The label also says it’s the “wise choice for people against toxins.” You’re never going to find a toxin in any detergent, since toxins are naturally produced poisons such as snake venom.) This does contain "enzymes" but doesn’t specify which ones, so use caution with silk and wool.
• The Laundress Delicate Wash (55¢/wash) is pricey, but it gets 4.6 stars on Amazon and has a linen-y scent called "lady." Another one that has "enzymes" but doesn’t specifically say whether it has protease.
• The Laundress Wool and Cashmere Shampoo (51¢/wash) smells like cedar and is cheaper than the Laundress delicate wash, but it does not have enzymes like the Delicate wash does.
• Tocca Laundry Delicate (63¢/wash) was the most expensive detergent we tested, with a light, pleasant smell and a pretty bottle.
• Planet Delicate Laundry Wash (37¢/wash) is unscented, can’t be used in HE machines, and you have to use a ton  for hand washing, about ¼ cup.
• Ivory Snow Ultra Concentrated Liquid Detergent (28¢/wash) averages 4.6 stars and cleans very well. However, you have to use quite a lot per wash, which makes the wash water feel slimy, and the scent is a mix of baby powder and bug repellent. Contains protease.
• Woolite (60¢/wash) is ye olde standarde, has a strong floral scent and was actually the second most expensive detergent on our list, in part because you have to use so much per wash, just over ⅛ cup. The wash water is slimy and gross, too.
• Orvus Quilt Soap (18¢/wash) is the commercial version of the detergent that textile conservators use to clean museum pieces. It’s a solid you have to run under warm water until it softens, then spoon it out of the bottle; it's more trouble to use than it’s worth.
• Forever New Fabric Care Wash Granular , reviewers like this one but we do not because of its abnormally high pH of 10, which might damage your clothes.

A) “Natural” does not mean harmless or gentle. Snake venom is “natural.” So is ebola. B) “natural” isn’t regulated by the FDA or EPA, so anybody can slap it on a bottle. C) All soaps and detergents are man-made; you don’t get more from the detergent mine when you run out.

Carbon dioxide cleaning was an up-and-coming trend a few years back, but it seems to have fallen flat. Cleaners have to buy very expensive proprietary equipment to offer it , and apparently not that many people have. I can’t find too much recent information on availability. Here’s a search , but it did not bring up accurate information for my area.

In super technical terms, pH stands for ‘“power of hydrogen” and is a logarithmic measure of hydrogen ion concentration, given by the equation pH = -log₁₀[H⁺]. So something that has a pH of 3 is an order of magnitude more acidic than something with a pH of 4. For more info, see here .

I filled my 4-L sink with lukewarm water, filled a bowl with 375 mL of water, took the ratio of these two volumes (0.09375), and applied this dilution factor to the suggested amount on the bottle. This came to ½-3 mL, depending on the detergent. I added the dilution to my sink, soaked fabric swatches for 20 minutes, rinsed with cool water (if applicable), and laid them flat to dry.

Sean Cormier, assistant professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology , Interview

Jacqueline Sava, founder of Soak , Interview

Basic Information | Dry Cleaning Emission Standards , EPA

CCI Textile Lab, CCI Notes 13/11: Natural Fibres , Canadian Conservation Institute

Marjory Joseph, Introductory Textile Science

John A. Maclaren and Brian Milligan, Chapter 6: Alkali, Alkylamines, and Cyanide , Wool Science: The Chemical Reactivity of the Wool Fibre

Meet your guide

Leigh Krietsch Boerner

Further reading

Stop Using So Much Laundry Detergent

by Elissa Sanci

Stiff, scratchy laundry can be a sign you’re using too much detergent. Our experts weigh in on how much you should actually use.

Do High-Efficiency Washers Leave More Detergent Residue Behind Than Non-HE Washers?

by Liam McCabe

Because high-efficiency front-loading washers use less water, you might assume that they aren’t as good at rinsing detergent from clothes as non-HE machines. The truth is a little more complicated.

This Hand-Washing Detergent Has Saved Me Thousands on Dry Cleaning Bills. And There’s No Rinsing Required.

by Jennifer Hunter

Just a splash of this magic in a bottle beautifully and safely cleans your delicates with a simple soak.

Cheap and Simple Ways to Make Your Clothes Feel New Again

by Justin Krajeski

While you’re home during lockdown, it’s a great time to take stock of your wardrobe, and repair, spruce up, store, or donate anything that warrants it.

6 Products for Washing Clothes While Traveling

By Bailey Berg

If you’re going on a long trip, be it a summer in Europe or a cross-country road trip, it can be tempting to bring your whole wardrobe. But between baggage fees and weight restrictions, that’s not always possible or practical. One way to avoid overpacking is to wash your clothes while you travel. That’s often easier said than done: Laundromats can be hard to track down or inconveniently located, laundry services at hotels and on ships can be prohibitively expensive, and if you’re spending time in the backcountry, neither are an option.

Taking matters into your own hands isn't as much of a chore as you might think, though: There are plenty of tools that make doing laundry while traveling cheap and simple (and we're not just talking about Tide to Go pens ), without adding too much extra bulk to your luggage. Below, six on-the-road laundry hacks.

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Scrubba Portable Wash Bag

The Scrubba is basically a dry bag with a ribbed interior that functions like a washboard. You put your clothes, some clean water, and detergent in, and rub the garments against the bumps for a few minutes before rinsing everything out. Not counting drying time, the whole process takes about five minutes—and it actually does a good job of cleaning your clothes. It’s fabulous for long-term travelers and for those on days-long camping trips , where packing light is optimal. Plus, it folds down to the size of a deck of cards, so it won’t take up valuable suitcase or backpack real estate.

Nasdom Travel Clothesline

If you’ve ever done laundry in a sink, you’re familiar with the creative exercise in finding enough surfaces to drape your dripping clothes over. This 13-foot clothesline, which comes with built in pins, is easily packable. The hooked ends make it sturdy enough to connect between bed posts, across a balcony, or even from the shower curtain rod to a towel bar in a pinch.

Travelon Laundry Soap Sheets

These laundry soap sheets dissolve in water, so there’s no chance of spillage in your bag (you won't have to worry about the TSA's liquid restrictions either). There are 50 sheets in a box slightly bigger than a raisin container, so you’ll be able to get a lot of mileage out of each pack. Toss one sheet into whatever vessel you’re doing laundry in—a sink, tub, or scrub bag—and it’ll turn into suds. Just be careful to handle the carrying case with dry hands, so you don't accidentally dissolve any of the delicate sheets.

PackTowl Personal Towel

It might not be the most high tech option, but a microfiber towel can dry your sopping wet laundry faster than a clothesline. Start by spreading the towel out on a dry surface. After you wring out as much excess water from your clean clothes as possible, lay a few items on top of the towel. Then tightly roll up the towel with the clothes inside and squeeze. The microfiber fabric will sponge up more of the water (it can actually absorb four times its weight in water). This is a good method for washing heavy garments like jeans or thick sweaters when you need them dry by morning. In addition to its normal functions, this easy-to-pack towel can double as a lightweight blanket on a plane or something to sit on at the beach .

Steph Koyfman

Shannon McMahon

Charlie Hobbs

Mudder Silicone Tub Stopper

For some reason, it always seems that when you actually need a plug for your hotel room or rental's sink, there isn’t one to be found. Use this universal drain cover in any sink or tub: It is heavy duty enough that it won’t move as you soak your clothes, reducing water and soap waste, but light enough that you won't mind tossing it in your suitcase on trips when you know you'll want to do laundry.

Urpower Garment Steamer

Sometimes doing laundry while traveling comes out of necessity; but other times, it just feels good to freshen up your outfits. Some fabrics, like linen, love to wrinkle in transit; use this travel steamer to smooth out delicate outfits. It’s fairly portable, clocking in at just over eight inches tall and two inches wide. We think it’s worth the luggage space to make sure your outfit looks smart, especially if you’re traveling for a destination wedding or business trip .

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Home > Guide To The Best Travel Products > Best Travel Laundry Detergent For Your Next Trip

Best Travel Laundry Detergent For Your Next Trip

Not all detergents work well for handwashing; in that case, you need to find one that doesn’t leave a residue, smells delicious, and is easy to travel with.

Handily, we’ve reviewed some of the best for you. By knowing what to buy beforehand, you won’t have the hassle of looking around in your location and trying to find where to purchase travel laundry detergent!

Skip Ahead To My Advice Here!

Best Travel Laundry Detergent Reviews

Travel Laundry Detergent Packets . Find several brands of small packets and try which one suits you here.

1. Breezeo Laundry Detergent Strips

If you want to save space in your suitcase, detergent strips and an excellent sink laundry detergent option are a great way to go. Breezeo strips are high quality and great for anyone on a budget. This pack has enough for 48 loads of washing, which is undoubtedly more than enough for a regular trip, with just one strip required for one lot of laundry.

The steps contain a concentrated detergent that dissolves when added to either hot or cold water. The detergent also dissolves completely, so you don’t have to worry about granite bits of undissolved detergent sticking to your clothing – there’s nothing worse! You can either use them in a bowl, e.g., handwashing, or you can use them in a machine.

2. FINZY Laundry Detergent Sheets

This detergent product comes in a pack of either one sheet, five, or ten; however, the price is not as budget-worthy as the first product we discussed. Despite that, this is a high-quality option and one of the best travel wash detergent choices that will certainly clean your clothes thoroughly and leave them smelling fresh.

These sheets are dissolvable in either hot or cold water, and you literally just put them into the bowl or the machine with your washing, and they will clean your clothes without any residue left over. They will also leave a rather pleasant scent, which some detergents don’t do! The sheets come in a pack that needs to be cut open, so you can be sure that they’re ultra-fresh at the time of use. This is, therefore, one of the best travel detergents for handwashing products.

3. WashEZE Laundry Sheets

This particular travel laundry detergent comes in a box of either 30 or 40 sheets, which will certainly last you for a long time during your travels . These sheets are also a 3-in-1 product, so they clean your clothes and soften and act as a stain remover.

One sheet is enough for one lot of laundry, whether washing in a machine or a bowl, and they dissolve entirely with hot or cold water, although they do work better with hot water overall. You can also use these sheets in a dryer to ensure that your clothes remain soft and not like cardboard!

4. Tide Sport Travel Sink Packets

This travel washing powder detergent is a packet that you add to your washing, either hot or cold, and the liquid will wash your clothes and ensure that it remains fresh and soft. The detergent includes Febreze to help keep odors away, allowing your clothes to be wearable.

This detergent is also ideal for removing stains, giving you a long-lasting wardrobe while traveling. The only downside is that this particular option isn’t as compact as sheets or strips, but that may not be a problem if you want the added freshness and stain removal option.

5. LG Laundry Detergent Sheets – Lucky Fiji Power Sheet

Brands we use and trust.

This LG product contains a box of 45 travel laundry detergent sheets, so you will have enough detergent to see you through at least a few weeks of travel . You also get the added extra of the big named brand, as LG makes high-quality washing machines and other electrical equipment.

You pop a sheet into your machine or your bowl of hot water and allow the detergent to do its magic. These sheets are the equivalent of 100 ounces of detergent in a regular liquid form, so you can be sure that your clothes will be clean. The sheets are also infused with lemon and lavender, keeping your clothes smelling delicious. You also don’t have to worry about stains, as the detergent contains a plant-based stain remover.

6. Sea to Summit Trek And Travel Liquid Soap

This isn’t a detergent per se, but a travel laundry soap, which could easily be used to quickly wash your clothes while on the go. The product is small enough to be taken as cabin luggage and is also biodegradable and free of added nasties. The bottle is strong, and the lid isn’t going to leak while in your bag.

This particular soap has a green tea fragrance that is light and isn’t overpowering. Of course, you can also use this like a bar of regular soap, so you get two products in one.

7. BerryPLUS Soap Berry Eco-Friendly Natural Laundry Detergent

This is an excellent option for anyone who is eco-aware, as we all should be, as a biodegradable travel clothes wash. Not only does it clean your clothes well, but it’s also eco-friendly and doesn’t contain any added chemicals or other extras.

This natural travel laundry detergent is a packet you do your laundry, made from soapberries. That means your clothes are super-clean and smell delicious at the same time. This detergent is OK to be used with regular washing machines; however, it could also be used in a bowl with hot water for soaking and hand washing.

8. Scrubba Wash Bag

This isn’t a detergent but an entire laundry system, giving your clothes a cleaning experience that will eradicate dirt and stains. Because of the product’s space-saving and effectiveness, it is one of the best travel laundry kit products you can buy .

This is a portable washing machine in a bag, so you add your clothes and the detergent and squash it all together. It’s like the old-fashioned mangle or scrub board, getting rid of dirt easily.

After washing, the bag doubles as a drying bag, making it the ideal option for travel and camping breaks. It weighs just 5oz, so it’s not going to take up space or weight in your case, and you don’t have to think about finding a bowl or a plug for the sink to wash your clothes.

Laundry Travel Tips

Now you know which detergents are best to use, what else do you need to know about washing your clothes on the go? Washing your clothes certainly saves on space because you don’t have to worry about taking a million and one outfits , but it can be a drag on your time if you don’t know how to do it correctly.

Here are a few tips you can bear in mind:

• Try and use free laundry services wherever possible; sometimes, these come at an added cost, so this is something to bear in mind in your planning.
• Search for local laundrettes or laundromats. Again, you’ll pay for these, but they’ll typically be cheaper than hotel laundry services. Make sure you have some change for using these types of laundrette services.
• Try and pack as many synthetic fabrics as possible, as these ordinarily dry faster than natural fabrics, saving you time on drying.
• It’s best to do your washing in the bathtub if your hotel has one, but the sink is just as valuable.
• Pack a travel sink stopper (plug), as many hotels don’t have these!
• Also, pack a travel washing line you can tie up in the bathroom or on the balcony and a few pegs in a small bag.
• A dedicated laundry bag is a good idea, as this will keep your dirty clothes, which need washing, away from your clean clothes while traveling around before you can get to do your laundry.
• When washing, only use a small amount of detergent, as hand washing can mean small pieces of residue stick to your clothes if you use too much.
• Make sure you give your clothes a proper wash by ensuring they’re thoroughly wet first, adding the detergent, allowing it to sud up well, and then kneading it with your hands to ensure everything is clean.
• When rinsing, don’t stop until all soap suds have gone; otherwise, you’ll end up with that residue, and they’ll take forever to dry.
• Wring out all excess water as much as possible before you hang your clothes to dry
• Make use of radiators for drying if your hotel room has one.

We also have a lot of packing and travel product tips, including the following.

• Best Travel Hair Dryer
• Best Compression Socks For Flying
• Travel Cross Body Bag: The Best Cross Body Bags For Travel
• Best Travel Umbrellas To Keep You Dry
• Best Toddler Travel Bed Reviews (aka Travel Crib)
• Best Baby Carrier For Travel Review
• The Best Travel Flat Iron Reviews
• Best Travel Pants For Women
• Best Travel Pants For Men
• The Best Travel Bras
• Best Shoes For Travel
• Ultimate Guide to Buying The Best Travel Wallet
• Ultimate Guide to Buying Packing Cubes
• What to Wear on a Long Haul Flight
• Best Hanging Toiletry Bags
• Best Travel Jewelry Organizers
• Guide To The Best Safari Hats

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Everything You Need to Do Laundry While Traveling, According to Globe-trotters

Expert travelers know that one way to avoid overpacking , especially on longer trips, is washing your clothes while you’re away. Doing laundry mid-trip lets you get more wear out of your outfits, while still packing light. And “a lighter suitcase helps you avoid extra airline fees — and leaves more room for souvenirs during your trip,” according to Judy Perl, president of the Judy Perl Worldwide Travel agency.

Hotel laundry services, however, can be prohibitively expensive, and likely won’t even be an option if you’re camping , backpacking , or staying in hostels or Airbnbs. But with the help of a few handy items, Perl and the three other frequent travelers we spoke with say that it can be just as easy to wash your clothes on your own, allowing you to pack light and save money. As Stephanie Flor, the founder of Around the World Beauty , says, “When you do your own laundry, you’re in control.” Below, our experts recommend their favorite detergents , garment steamers , laundry bags , and more to stash in your carry-on so you can do a load (or two) on your next trip.

An odor-fighting detergent

Flor told us, “When doing my own laundry, I always bring my own detergent because the last thing I want to do is run around looking for a laundry place at midnight.” Most of our experts agreed, offering up a number of different options depending on what you may need to wash. No matter the detergent you choose, Perl notes that “small travel packets of detergent are wonderful because you can stash them in your suitcase without taking up too much space, and you can easily wash your smaller items in the hotel sink [or] bathtub .” For something that cleans well and can tackle odors on any garment, Flor loves these travel-size pouches of Defunkify powder, a detergent specifically designed for laundering sweaty activewear . She adds that Defunkify is made from plant-based, ecofriendly ingredients that won’t pollute local water systems. “In many parts of the world you have to take into consideration what you’re putting into the water-filter system,” she explains. “It’s all about traveling consciously.”

A detergent for delicates

For hand-washing delicates like underwear or bathing suits that need extra attention, travel writer Beth Sandland uses Soak detergent in convenient single-use packets. There’s no need to rinse or scrub, she says, so you won’t risk tearing or pulling your garments. “Just put a teaspoonful in a sink of water and soak,” Sandland explains.

A mess-free detergent

While the above liquid and powder detergents are fairly spill-proof, if you’re very wary of messes, try these soap sheets recommended by Perl. The solid sheets dissolve in water so, as she says, there’s “no risk of them spilling in your bag on trips where your bag is getting tossed or jostled around more frequently.” Plus, the tiny pack of 50 biodegradable sheets will take up minimal room in your luggage . Whichever detergent you use, Perl stresses the importance of bringing a sink stopper in case your hotel’s or other home-away-from-home’s bathroom doesn’t have one (or it isn’t working).

A detergent dupe

Although it’s meant for hair, Sandland calls this shampoo bar her “secret weapon” for washing clothes away from home. “I used it to wash a hand-wash-only dress in the shower in Indonesia, and discovered it works really well for freshening up clothes,” she says. “It only takes a few minutes, smells lovely, and is totally plastic-free.”

A washing add-in

Even if you’re fastidious about separating your dark- and light-colored clothes at home, it’s not always feasible to wash two separate loads while traveling. If you’re planning to do laundry while on the road and don’t want to restrict yourself to a monochrome wardrobe, Perl says these dye-trapping sheets are a “must” because they “prevent dyes from bleeding so you can still wash light and dark colors together.” Simply toss one in the sink or bathtub while you’re washing your clothes to avoid staining whites and other light-colored fabrics.

A mini-steamer

Nail artist and frequent traveler Julie Kandalec , the creator of blog Julie Off Duty , told us she always packs this mini-steamer to give clothes a quick refresh after unpacking. Traveling with the steamer allows her to “bring thinner fabrics that would normally wrinkle like crazy,” she adds. Kandalec says that this one is “compact and super simple to use,” and that it “heats up in 30 seconds and is very, very efficient — even on hard-to-steam fabrics like linen.” Flor also brings a steamer with her on work-related trips when she can’t look rumpled, and Perl says that, in a pinch, you can use your “shower time as an opportunity to de-wrinkle your clothes” by simply hanging wrinkled garments in the bathroom while you shower and letting the hot steam do its work.

An all-in-one washing bag

When she doesn’t have access to a sink or tub, Sandland relies on this innovative washing bag that’s perfect for camping, backpacking, or van-living . Just add water, detergent, and clothing, then give the bag a vigorous rub against a flat surface so that the hundreds of mini nodes inside can scrub away at your dirty gear. When it’s not in use, the washing bag folds down small enough to slip into any pocket of your luggage.

A washing bag for delicates

We’ve previously written about using these mesh bags to protect underwear in the washing machine, and Flor says the same idea applies when you’re hand-washing delicates on the road. To save space, she’ll also pack her undergarments in these bags before putting them in her suitcase.

A laundry bag for dirty clothes

For separating your dirty clothes from clean stuff until you have a chance to wash them, Perl recommends this strong and durable laundry bag from the German brand Reisenthel. She says that the packable mesh sack “fits nicely in a suitcase and is extra functional, with a zipper and a loop to hang it when needed.” Even if you don’t plan on doing laundry during your trip, a bag like this is useful for keeping dirty clothes together so they’re ready to wash once you get home.

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Travel Tips: A Guide to Doing Laundry While Traveling

Last updated: March 4, 2023 - Written by Jessica Norah 98 Comments

Travel is fun but doing laundry while traveling can be a tedious chore. However, washing your clothes during a trip gives you the advantage of being able to pack less, rewear your favorite travel clothing, and return home with less dirty laundry.

If you are going on a trip of more than a week, you’ll probably be thinking of laundry options. It can be difficult to figure out the best way to wash your clothes on a trip, and you don’t want to waste much of your vacation time on laundry. We’ve done trips of 6 months or more at a time, so doing laundry while traveling was essential!

We’ve put together a guide to washing clothing while traveling for all budgets, whether you are a backpacker or luxury traveler. We cover all your options from hotel services to laundromats to hand washing in the hotel sink to camping solutions.

We also list several products that we have found helpful in doing laundry while on the road that you may want to include in your own travel laundry kit. We also provide laundry product suggestions and tips for those traveling in an RV, campervan, or motorhome.

Table of Contents:

How to Do Your Laundry While Traveling

There are a number of options of how to wash your laundry while traveling, and it depends a lot on your budget, where you are going, and your travel style.

Use Hotel Services

Most full-service hotels (and cruise ships) offer laundry services, which generally include washing, drying, ironing, and hanging or folding your clothes. Many also offer dry cleaning services.

There is normally a laundry bag in your room that you can use to place your dirty laundry inside and you then fill out a form to let the hotel know what you need done. The forms normally includes the rates charged for each service. Directions of where to leave your laundry are normally on the laundry bag (e.g., leave it in your room for housekeeping, call front desk).

Normally you need to allow 24 hours to get your clothes returned to you clean although some hotels offer express same-day service. Sometimes the hotel has its own in-house laundry services it will use, and other hotels send out your laundry to an outside service.

This is normally the most expensive way to have your clothes laundered while traveling. Hotel laundry costs in the United States and Western Europe are often around $3 to $5 per shirt, $6 per dress, and $2 to $3 for underwear. Adding these up, you are looking at $30 to $50 for a load of laundry (we’ve seen prices as high as $70!) whereas you can do a full load of laundry at a laundromat for about $6.

The trade-off of course is the convenience as hotel laundry services are easy and convenient. However, they are also your most expensive option. If you are on a budget, we’d recommend another option.

However, in some countries, such as many in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, prices for laundry are very inexpensive. So you may pay only a few dollars for a load of laundry to be washed and dried and this is both a convenient and inexpensive option. However, luxury hotels in these countries often still have fairly high prices.

Note that in some places, this may be your only option. For instance, in a national park in Africa, we had not other options for laundry services outside of our lodging. However, prices are generally much more reasonable in developing countries.

Hand Wash Items in the Hotel Sink or Bath Tub

Another way is to hand wash your dirty clothing in the hotel sink or bath tub. This simply means filling up the sink with water, adding laundry soap, and hand washing your dirty clothing items. Then you can hang them up over the bath tub or shower to dry. If you are new to hand washing, you can skip ahead to read our detailed step-by-step guide to hand washing your clothing .

This is great way to do smaller items like socks, underwear, hosiery, tank tops, tee shirts, etc. However, it may be less effective for larger items and more soiled clothing. It also works best with items made of quick dry fabrics that are able to hang and dry overnight (or at least within 24 hours). Items hung in humid environments, such as tropical countries, are going to take longer to dry.

If you plan to do a lot of hand washing, we recommend packing clothing made of quick dry fabrics. Synthetic fabrics typically dry faster than natural fibers, and quick dry fabrics include polyester, nylon, and other synthetic fabrics. Synthetic blends combine natural fibers with synthetic ones.

Columbia , Ex-Officio ,  prAna , and Adidas are a few well-known brands that produce a lot of quick dry clothing that is well-suited for travel and sports. You can see more examples of quick dry clothing items here .

You’ll need to bring your own laundry soap and any other products you need. We’d also recommend bringing a sink stopper and a travel clothesline . Some motels around the world have a retractable clothesline installed over the bathtub so guests can do hand laundry but the majority do not.

For those who plan to do a lot of hand washing or are traveling for a longer period of time, we also recommend considering a Scrubba  travel washing bag or a mini washboard to get items cleaner.

Note that some hotels strongly discourage guests doing laundry in sinks and hanging it in the rooms, and it may be against the hotel policy. The main reason is that some guests make a wet mess all over the bathroom and cause extra work for the housekeeping staff and possible damage. Other reasons may be related to saving water, the extra humidity that may damage walls, hygiene, and getting lint stuck in drains. Hotels with their own laundry services may also want to encourage you use them instead.

Hand washing laundry is a great way to save money and is common among budget travelers; however, be sure to be a good guest and do it without making a mess or wasting water. Don’t hang wet laundry anywhere where the dripping water may cause damage.

Book Accommodation with a Self-Service Laundry Option

Another option is to book lodging with some sort of self-service laundry option whether it is an apartment, campsite, or hostel. The laundry facilities may be free or require a small fee.

You can book apartments, rooms, vacation homes, or other types of accommodation that come with a washing machine (and possibly a dryer) in the apartment or home. These are typically free to use in apartments and Airbnb properties if they are private, or are coin-operated if shared within the building. Laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and other products may be left to help you do laundry or you may need to bring these with you, so it’s good to check ahead.

Vacation rentals  can be a good option if you are seeking an apartment or room with laundry facilities while traveling. You can also check out our other suggested  apartment booking sites like AirBnB .

Self-service laundry facilities are also often available in hostels, apartment complexes, cruise ships, nicer RV and campsites, resorts, and some motels. These may be free to use, but they usually require a fee (often around $2.00 per load). Typically they work with coins or cash. You will also normally need to bring your own laundry detergent and other products or buy them on-site.

Find a Laundromat

Laundromats, also commonly known as coin laundries, launderettes, and laundrettes, are facilities where people can wash their laundry on their own or with little professional help.

These may just offer self-service washing and drying machines (typically coin-operated), or they may offer additional services such as drop off laundry services where someone else washes, dries, and folds you laundry. They may also offer other services such as dry cleaning or tailoring. Some have an on-site staff member to provide help and to provide change, but some are now totally self-service.

Laundromats are common in some countries but nonexistent in others, so you will want to do your research in advance to see if there will be laundromats along your travels. Also, most laundromats exist in cities and larger towns, but you’re unlikely to find them in small towns or rural areas even in countries like the United States where laundromats are relatively common.

Machines typically work with coins or tokens, so it is a good idea to bring cash. If you have cash but no coins, many coin-operated laundromats have coin machines on-site you can use to get coins or an assistant who can exchange cash for coins. A few newer laundromats have machines you can pay for using a phone app.

It is typically about USD $1.00 to $3.00 per wash and $1.00 to $3.00 per dry if you use the coin-operated machines, and machines will typically hold a large load. You can use multiple machines at once so you can do all your washing at once and then all your drying at once if you have multiple loads. Most laundromats have heavy-duty professional machines which can hold larger loads and wash or dry laundry faster than a typical home machine.

Another option offered by many laundromats is a drop off option where you drop off your laundry and a staff member will wash, dry, and fold your laundry for you. You just need to pick it back up. Although more convenient, this service is normally 3 to 4 times more expensive than doing your laundry yourself.

There is always seating available in laundromats, but there may or may not be any other amenities.  WiFi is fairly common these days. You are wise to bring along a book/magazine, headphones, tablet/laptop, cards, etc. to keep yourself occupied while you wait. We played a few games of UNO (a card game) the last time we were in a laundromat while traveling with my brother. Some newer laundromats offer wide screen TVs, work desks, arcade games, coffee, etc. but these are not typical.

The main advantage is that laundromats are inexpensive and they allow you to do all your laundry at once. It can also be a place to meet other travelers and locals while waiting.

However, the main disadvantage is that it takes time out of your vacation to do the laundry. We recommend planning your trip around your schedule so doing it after you are done sightseeing for the day or when you need a break from the sun in the middle of the afternoon. Or you can consider the drop off/pick up option if you don’t have time to wait at a laundromat.

If you plan to use laundromats, it is a good idea to check on their locations before your trip so you know they are available and you can get an idea of what hours they are open.

Local Laundry services

If you don’t want to pay for hotel laundry services and are in an area without laundromats, you might want to see out local laundry services. These are services where you drop off your laundry and someone does it for you and you either pick it back up or it delivered to you.

In some countries, they may be attached to dry cleaners or tailors, or they may simply be a local family or just a single woman who does laundry from their home or shop. These can be difficult to find, especially if you don’t speak the local language, so you may need to ask around at your lodging and local people. Costs will vary greatly by country for such services, but can be very inexpensive in certain parts of the world.

In our experience, when we’ve needed laundry in places where there are no laundromats or specific laundry services, our hotel or guest house has either suggested someone or offered to do the laundry for us for a small charge. Generally local people know someone locally who is willing to do laundry for a small fee. This has happened to us in both Africa and Asia.

Travel by RV or Campervan

If you are traveling by RV or campervan, you have most of the above options such as stopping at laundromats or hand washing items. One advantage for those who want to hand wash is that RV travelers have more space for laundry supplies than regular travelers, and often have the ability to wash and hang laundry outdoors. Many RV sites and campgrounds have coin-operated laundry facilities you can use along the way.

There are also all kinds of mini movable compact washing units that are designed for compact spaces like RVs and small apartments. Some are run by electricity and others work without electricity.

For those traveling more long-term, some larger RVs, particularly in the United States, even have washing machines and dryers installed in them that tend to be smaller versions of regular home machines.

Hand Wash Outdoors (Camping, Hiking, Backpacking)

If you are going on a camping, long-distance hiking, backpacking, or other type of outdoors holiday, you can do your laundry using natural water resources outdoors. People have been hand washing clothing using water directly from rivers, streams, and lakes for centuries.

Since your waste water will be going directly into the environment, be sure to use biodegradable environmental-friendly laundry soaps such as those offered by Campsuds or Sea to Summit . Many of these laundry soaps are multipurpose and designed to be used for all kinds of cleaning purposes including as a shampoo, dish soap, hand soap, and shaving soap.

One strategy to wash clothes in the outdoors is to use a Scrubba washing bag to help get clothes cleaner. Find relatively clean water, fill up the bag, add clothes and soaps, scrub, and rinse. Or a cheaper option is to use a regular dry bag in a similar fashion.

Of course, if you are staying at campsites during your trip, campsites normally have laundry facilities or at least a sink where you can hand wash laundry.

6 Things We Recommend for Washing Clothes While Traveling 

If you are planning on doing your own laundry on the go, we recommend putting together a lightweight travel bag of all your laundry items. All the things you need can be put together in your dirty laundry bag, dry bag, or in a Ziploc bag so you have them when you need them.

If you plan to use laundromats, you probably just need to bring a pack of detergent and maybe some dryer sheets. But if you plan to hand wash items, you may want to bring along a few more of the laundry items below.

Here are some items you may want to put in your travel laundry kit:

Sink Stopper

A sink stopper or bath stopper will help you plug the drain in the hotel sink or bath tub so you can hand wash your clothes. Although many hotels and apartments of course have a stopper, you might be surprised to know how many do NOT have one.

Here are a couple of options:

• Do it Best Rubber Stopper – This simple 5 inch rubber stopper lies flat and fits most sink and bath tub drains. This is the one we have and it has worked with the vast majority of drains we’ve tried it on.
• Mudder Silicone Stopper – This well-reviewed 6 inch sink stopper lies flat and is made of food grade silicone.

Most options lie flat (such as the suggested options above) and take up very little space. If you have one like we do that just lies flat but doesn’t work with suction, you need to hold it flat until the sink or tub has a bit of water in it first and the stopper is completely submerged. The weight of the water keeps it down.

There is no sink stopper or drain plug that will work on all sinks or tubs, but we recommend getting a good universal one that will cover most drains effectively. We like the ones that lie flat over the drain.

If you are bath lover, this is also a great item to take with you if you enjoy taking baths when you travel . As a bath lover myself, I always have a flat bath stopper at the bottom of my luggage after numerous experiences finding myself with a bathtub but no stopper or convenient way to plug the drain!

Travel Clothesline

A travel clothesline lets you hang up your clothes to dry while you are traveling. You can use it in your hotel bathroom, rented apartment, campsite, or RV/campervan.

You can check out a range of travel clotheslines here but here are a few options:

• Going in Style line – This travel laundry clothesline is made of surgical quality braided rubber tubing and comes with loops as well as ties and a Velcro closure. Stretches up to 7 feet (2.1 meters).
• HAWATour portable clothesline – This travel clothesline is made of plastic and stainless steel and includes attached clothespins. It attaches using hooks. It stretches to about 10 feet (3 meters).
• solotrekk Deluxe Washing Line – This travel clothesline is made of interwoven elastic and has durable metal hooks on the ends. It stretches to about 10 feet (3 meters).
• Coghlan’s Bungee Clothesline – This travel clotheslines is well-reviewed and made of twisted nylon covered elastic with carabiner like hooks on each end. Stretches to 10 feet (3 meters).

We recommend avoiding the travel clotheslines that attach only with suction cups. Although suction cups can work well on some smooth surfaces, they will be more limited than ones that come with hooks, carabiners, or stretchy loops at the ends. So we suggest getting one that has loops or hooks or has both suction cups as well as loops/hooks.

The trickiest part of these clotheslines is getting savvy at how to use them. The first step is to find a place to attach the two ends. This may require hooking it, looping it, or wrapping it around something and attaching it to itself. Depending on where you are this could be a towel rack, shower rod, door handle, tree, RV ladder, etc.

I’d test using the travel laundry line at home before your trip so you understand how to do it. Depending on the line you have, packing a couple extra lightweight carabiners or velcro straps can help so you have more attachment options.

To hang your clothes, for the braided elastic lines, you insert the fabric of the wet laundry between the braided elastic parts when the line is stretched to hang it. So for a shirt, you’d probably want to attach it at both shoulder areas. No clothespins or pegs are needed. For the lines with clothespins attached, you simply attach the clothes to the pegs.

Note that if you plan to wash a lot of clothing or heavier clothing, you might consider packing two lines. Most of the travel lines stretch out to 7 to 15 feet (2 to 3 meters) and can only tolerate so much weight.

Travel Sized Laundry Detergent

If you are going to do laundry, the one thing you definitely need to have is some sort of laundry detergent. Using hotel soap is not always a great idea as it not meant for clothing, can take a long time to rinse out, and can leave clothes feeling scratchy.

One option is to get travel-sized bottles or tubes  and fill them with existing laundry soap you have at home. I’d recommend this is you have a brand you really love. Or you can buy travel-sized laundry detergents.

Most laundry detergents come in liquid form. We generally recommend liquid as it is most effective, but if you want to avoid carrying liquids, laundry detergent sheets, powders, and laundry soap bars are also available. Just note that most non-liquid laundry soaps can only be used for hand washing.

Here are several options:

• Woolite travel packets – Individual packets of pre-measured liquid detergent. They pack well and the detergent is phosphate-free and biodegradable. Work well in any water temperature and on both types of fabric. These have been my go-to for years when doing laundry on the go, but it’s difficult to find travel sized packets, especially outside the U.S.
• Sink Suds – This is a good potential replacement if you are looking for Woolite packets and can’t find them (or they are super expensive online). These are pre-measured liquid detergent packs that work well in any water temperature; detergent is phosphate-free and biodegradable.
• Tide Packets – If you use Tide at home and want to use it on the go, this is a good option. Comes in multiple individual packets. Biodegradable and contains no phosphates.
• Sea to Summit –  The Laundry Wash is concentrated liquid formula that is bio degradable, phosphate-free, and paraben-free. Comes in a 3 fl. oz bottle (and 2 other sizes) and is unscented. They also have a multi-use Wilderness Wash that can be used for washing your body, clothes, dishes, and gear.
• Campsuds – This well-known American camping brand wash liquid is meant to be used as any kind of soap, including as a shampoo, laundry soap, dishwashing soap, and shaving soap. Biodegradable and eco-friendly. Good option for those who have limited space.
• Dr. Beckmann Wash – A concentrated laundry gel option in a 100 ml (3.4 oz) tube. Non-bio formula. Can do up to 20 washes.
• Dry laundry soap sheets – If you are looking for a non-liquid option, you might want to check out laundry detergent sheets that dissolve in water from TravelOn or Sea to Summit . Just be careful to use completely dry hands to use these as any moisture will make all the sheets clump together.
• Laundry bars – Laundry bars can be a good option for those who are looking for a non-liquid option for hand washing, but don’t want to mess with laundry soap sheets. A couple of options are The Laundress Wash & Stain Bar and this one by Aleva (no fragrance).

If you or a fellow traveler have sensitive skin or a skin condition like eczema, I’d test the laundry soap before you travel if it is a brand you don’t normally use. The non-bio, fragrance free, and enzyme-free formulas are best for those with skin conditions.

Note that most travel detergents sold for handwashing are more gentle than the average detergent on the market and may not be great at getting out tough stains. So you may need to wait until you get home, have them laundered in a machine, or use a stain remover.

If you like your clothes to be soft, you might also want to bring along a travel sized bottle of fabric softener as doing laundry by hand often leaves clothes a bit stiffer and scratchier than doing it by machine. You can add in a little fabric softener in the final rinse if hand washing.

If you plan to use specific washing machines during your travels (e.g., at a vacation home), you might want to ask before your trip if there is specific type of laundry detergent that is needed or recommended (e.g., liquid versus powder, high efficiency versus standard).

Remember that if you are flying, you will want to use bottles or tubes that hold 3.4 fluid ounces (100 ml) or less to satisfy TSA rules and airline regulations if they are going in your carry-on luggage. If the container will hold more than 3.4 oz. be sure to put it in your checked luggage.

Travel Washing Bag

Hand washing clothing in the sink does an OK job of cleaning and rinsing your clothing, but it doesn’t really compare to a machine wash. If you plan to hand wash a lot, we’d recommend checking out a hand “washing machine” bag which is more effective than hand washing.

The Scrubba washing bag is billed as the world’s smallest and lightest washing machine. You can wash small loads of clothing in it in 3 minutes. The texture in the bag is similar to an old-fashioned flexible internal washboard which helps scrub your clothes and get them cleaner than just squeezing, swirling, and rinsing them in a sink.

To use the Scrubba, you just follow the directions on the bag. First you fill it with the water, laundry detergent, and clothing. Then roll and clip the bag, and remove the air. Then you rub the clothing for about 3 minutes. Then release dirty water, rinse clothing with clean water within bag, and then remove clothes and hang up to dry.

The Scrubba doesn’t take up too much space and you can use it to store dirty laundry or your laundry supplies when it is not being used. Just be sure not to put in anything that might tear the bag.

We have found that the Scrubba is best for doing smaller items like socks, underwear, shirts, camisoles, hosiery, sportswear, shorts, baby items, etc. Several pieces of clothing can fit in it at once. You wouldn’t want to use it for large or bulky items or for items that have sharp or jagged elements which could puncture or damage the bag.

The Scrubba is basically an innovative dry bag for laundry. Dry bags have been used by campers and outdoor enthusiasts to clean laundry for years, but the design, drain, and internal washboard of the Scrubba make it more ideal for laundry. However, if you on a tight budget or need something that is more dual purpose, a dry bag can also be used.

Dryer Sheets

If you are planning to use dryers during your travels, you might want to pack along a few of your favorite dryer sheets. They take up almost no space and can help keep clothes soft and static-free. As a bonus, they can also help freshen up the scent of your luggage!

Note: Many brands of dryer sheets and fabric softeners contain toxic and carcinogenic substances (can read more about that here ). We recommend choosing a brand that uses non-toxic ingredients or choosing a eco-friendly  reusuable dryer sheet .

Travel Laundry Bag or Cube

When traveling, you will also of course need a place to store your dirty laundry and keep it separate from your clean clothes. You can use a drawstring bag, a packing cube, a special pouch in your backpack, or anything else you might already own that would do the job.

Here are a few travel laundry bag options:

• Wash Me Bag –  This bag has a fun design and is made of a microfiber material and has a drawstring closure. The bag  opens up to 21”L x 22”W size, but when not in use it folds up to about 6 inches and zips shut.  You can see more fun designs of these bags here .
• Map Drawstring Bag – This laundry bag is made of polyester with a map design and a drawstring closure. Capable of holding up to 6.6 pounds of laundry. Folds up small.
• Large Mesh Bag – This simple white bag is made of a strong mesh material and has a drawstring closure. Bag can hold us to 3 washing machine loads of laundry, so a good option for those who need a larger bag! Folds up small when not in use.

Laundry Items for RV / Campervan / Caravan Travelers

If you are traveling by RV or caravan, you have more space than someone traveling with just a suitcase or those traveling by car. Although many of the previous mentioned laundry items and products may be helpful, with an RV you can save money by purchasing larger containers of laundry detergent, consider more effective methods of hand washing laundry, and even consider a portable or permanent washing machine solution.

RV Drying Racks

RVers can take advantage of being able to dry clothes both indoors or outdoors. There are a number of collapsible drying racks designed for RVs and motorhomes, some are free standing while others attach directly to the ladder on the back of the vehicle like this one and this one .

Plastic Basin or Dishpan

Sinks in many RVs are small and some campervans may not have one at all. It can also be difficult to clean and utilize a kitchen or bathroom sink for laundry purposes.

An easy solution for hand washing is to get an inexpensive plastic basin or dishpan like this one . These all-purpose basins come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be used for washing laundry, soaking, dishes, etc.  When not in use, you can store your laundry supplies in them.

If you are planning to do a lot of washing by hand, you might want to pack along an old-fashioned washboard. These can help you get clothes cleaner and help scrub out stains.

The less expensive washboards are made of plastic but there are also ones made of wood. Many come in compact sizes so that they are easy to stow away and store. You can see some washboard options here .

If you don’t have room for a full washboard, there are also these mini handheld scrubbers that fit into the palm of your hand.

Portable Washing Machines

If you want something more convenient and have a bit more space in your RV, you might consider a portable and  compact washing unit . Some of these are essentially mini spin washing machines that work with electricity and some are electricity-free washing machines that are powered by a hand crank.

Washing Machine and Dryer Units for RVs

Larger RVs and motorhomes may have space for compact or full-size washing and dryer machines. A number of washing and dryer units have been designed to work aboard RVs, such as the washer and dryer units by Splendide . You can see a list of models here .

Of course the downsides of installing a washer or dryer is they are expensive, take up a lot of space, and will require maintenance.

Ultrasonic Cleaning Washing Machines

We wanted to make a note about the use of ultrasonic cleaning technology as there have been a recent flood of ultrasonic cleaning products marketed towards cleaning clothes while traveling. The technology of using ultrasound for cleaning is a sound technology and has been used for decades.

Ultrasound is combined with a cleaning solvent or just water to provide cleaning. The technology has been used to effectively clean and sterilize a number of different types of hard-to-clean objects including watches, jewelry, lenses, medical instruments, fountain pens, sports equipment, CDs, eyewear, etc.

So it is not surprising that there has been numerous attempts to try to apply this to washing clothing and laundry solutions. Lately, there have been a number of portable units developed and marketed for travel and quick laundry solutions.

These portable ultrasonic washing machines are usually in the form of a wand or disc attached to small handheld unit that you place in a sink or container of water and leave for a certain amount of time to clean. You can see a good selection of these units here .

There are four main problems so far with these units. First, the technology work best on hard surfaces so the porous and flexible surfaces of clothing is not ideal. Second, the more clothing you try to clean, the more the cleaning ability is dulled. Third, many are too small or don’t have enough power to really work effectively. Lastly, they are rarely dual voltage meaning they only work for 120V or 230V normally so are not ideal for international travel.

Overall, we personally can’t recommend these products. Our experience and the reviews of others so far do not support these as effective laundry solutions for those wanting to wash clothing while traveling. We have had multiple companies contact us about trying to get their product included in our article and we can’t recommend any of them so far.

If you do decide to try one, be sure to read recent reviews and the return policy information carefully before making your purchase. Also be sure the product you are buying will work in the places you want to use it (e.g., a 120V product is not going to work well in Spain without needing a converter).

However, this is a space to watch as being able to have a portable and effective laundry wand that just needs to be added to water would be an ideal travel laundry solution for many people.

If you have used such a product that you believe is effective, do let us know about it. We’d love to find an effective product in this category!

How to Hand Wash Clothes While Traveling

When discussing the topic of laundry with others, we found that some people had never hand washed their clothes before. If you have never hand washed clothing before, or are wondering if you are doing it properly, here is a step-by-step guide. This will work whether you are hand washing some delicates at home or washing your clothing by hand on a trip.

Step 1: Sort your Clothing

Grab your dirty laundry and sort clothes by color (like you would with machine washing) and wash dark and light colors separately.

Check your clothing labels. Lay aside very delicate items to do on their own.

Step 2: Clean the Sink, Tub, or Basin

Always wash out the sink or bath before using it for laundry. Dirt or residues can be in the sink, such as from bleach cleaners, that can stain or discolor clothing.

Step 3: Fill the Sink & Add Detergent

Fill the sink with lukewarm water (don’t use hot water). Add your laundry soap to the running water. Read directions on how much you need to use. For most, you just need to add a few drops of a regular liquid detergent or a capful of travel-sized hand wash laundry soap.

Step 4. Add Clothing

Now place you dirty clothing in the sink. Don’t put all your clothing into the sink at once, wash only a couple of items at a time for best results. Try to use a bath tub or basin if you have a lot of clothing to wash.

Step 4. Swirl, Swish, and Scrub

Swirl, swish, and knead the clothing in the soapy water for about 2 minutes to get them clean. If there are any more soiled areas or stains, you’ll want to spend extra time on the stained area and do some light scrubbing with your hand to try to get the soil off.

If the items are soiled you may want to use a laundry scrubbing brush or washboard. For longer term travels, you may consider getting a small bamboo washboard or one of these mini handheld scrubbers .

If you are using fabric softener you may want to drain the water after the wash, and fill up the sink again and add a couple of drops of the fabric softener to the water.

Note: If you have more than one sink full of clothing, we would recommend doing all your washing first, and then rinse out the sink and rinse all the clothing. This will make things faster and help conserve water.

Step 5. Rinse.

Next rinse the clothing in clean water. If you only have one sink or basin, you’ll need to drain and rinse the sink first and then place the clothing back in to rinse. Be sure to rinse out the soap suds in the sink basic before filling it up again with clean water.

Place clothing back in and swish around until there are no more soap suds coming from them. This may take a couple of rinses, so you may need to fill up the sink a couple of times. Repeat until water runs clear from clothing.

Step 6. Gently Squeeze or Pat Out Water

After all the soap is rinsed out, gently squeeze the water out of the clothing. Be careful not to wring delicate items or items made of certain fabrics (like wool) as it can damage the fibers and cause them to lose their shape.

For delicate fabrics or heavier items, you may want to place them in a thick towel and then roll up to absorb the water before hanging or laying flat to dry. This will help remove excess water and can be used for any clothing item.

Step 7. Hang Clothing or Lay Flat to Dry

Hang your clothing up to dry on a travel clothing line, shower bar, or clothing dryer rack. We generally use a travel clothesline in either the bathroom or outside on a balcony.

Try to hang in a ventilated space for best results (outdoor spaces are great if an option), and make sure that any dripping water will not damage surfaces.

Read care instructions. Some items like a wool sweater should be laid flat to dry to keep it from losing its shape.

Our Traveling Laundry Kit

Sometimes we are asked what we pack. To be honest, this really depends on the destination, type of trip, and length of the trip. If we are going to be in an apartment with a washing machine is going to be different if we plan to hand wash along the way at hotels.

But the one thing we always carry is a sink stopper. I actually own two of these and one I keep in the back of a suitcase and the other lives in our little travel laundry kit bag. I not only use if for laundry, but also it often comes in handy in doing dishes, taking baths, etc. as we have found many sinks and bathtubs are often missing working stoppers.

If planning to use washing machines or laundromats on trip, we’d recommend packing at a sink stopper and some laundry detergent. You might also want to bring optional extras like softener, stain remover, etc. You probably would not need a clothes line as there is usually also either a drying machine or some sort of clothes dryer or line where you can let your clothes air dry.

If planning to handwash your clothing as you, then you probably want to bring a sink stopper, laundry detergent, and a clothing line. Some people may also want extras like a clothing washing bag like Scrubba, mini-washboard, stain remover, etc.

Here is what we currently have in our travel laundry bag (for a trip through Uganda and Rwanda) where we mostly relied on handwashing with a few instances of having access to our clothing being washed as part of a free service offered at a hotel or apartment.

• A Sink Stopper – we specifically have this one which we have found works on about 90% of the drains we have tried it on. But anything with a similar design should work just as well.
• Laundry detergent – we normally use either liquid or gel ones and we have used ones by Sink Suds, Woolite, Sea to Summit, and Dr Beckmann – currently have a couple of bottles of Sea to Summit Laundry Wash in our bag.
• A travel clothesline – we own two of these, but normally just pack one. On trips where we know we will be doing big loads of laundry, we will pack two. We have one that I think was by Magellan’s but is no longer available (purchased back in 2011, still works!) and this very similar bungee stretch one by Coghlan’s.
• Carabiners – We keep a couple of extra carabiners in our laundry kit bag to be able to have more options to attach our clothes line and they can also stretch the length by a few inches if needed. But we pretty much always travel with a few of these anyway as they can be handy for a variety of things like attaching things to day bags or backpacks.
• I sopropyl alcohol – We also currently have a a little bottle of isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol used for disinfectant when washing reusable face masks as well as for tweezers, nail clippers etc. Just note there is often limitation on how much of this can be brought in luggage on planes due to its flammable nature.

I keep any liquid products in a Ziploc bag and then put everything together in a little mesh zipper bag. We have this little mesh bag set that we used to keep small things in such as our laundry kit, medical supplies, journal and pens, extra cash, etc. in when traveling.

Tips for Doing Laundry While Traveling

Below are some tips, advice, and reminders about washing clothes when traveling to help you get your clothes clean while minimizing the headaches and time spent doing laundry.

• Consider where and how you are traveling to determine the best way to do laundry during your trip. What will work at one destination may not work well in another.
• Spend a few minutes thinking and researching how you will do laundry while traveling. Doing it before your trip will keep you from wasting valuable vacation time figuring out how and where to do laundry. For example: Plan may be to stop at laundromats in City X and City X, and you’ve checked that laundromats exist in these cities. Or your plan may be to book an apartment every 6 days that has a washing machine and dryer. Or to pack laundry soap and supplies to hand wash your smaller items every few days.
• Always read the care labels of your clothing before you pack or wash them. Most garments, even silk, wool, and linen, can be handwashed, but they need to be hand washed with a gentle laundry soap. Best to leave delicate, expensive, and “dry clean only” items at home.
• If you or a member of your family has sensitive skin or a skin condition like eczema, be sure to pack a gentle laundry soap that you’ve tested at home. You don’t want an allergic reaction or rash to deal with while traveling.
• If you are planning to air dry your clothing, be sure that you time your washing so there is enough time for your clothes to dry completely before you need to move again. Traveling with damp clothing is not fun, and clothing tends to become smelly and wrinkly when not dried properly. Remember that clothes will dry more slowly in humid climates than in dry climates. Some thicker clothing, like sweaters and winter socks, can take up to 3 days to dry naturally, especially if it is drying in a damper cooler place.
• If you are planning to hand wash your clothing or letting it air dry, pack quick drying clothing when you can. Clothes that dry overnight or within 24 hours will give you much more flexibility in timing and doing laundry. Remember that synthetic fabrics typically dry faster than natural fibers, and quick dry fabrics include polyester, nylon, and other synthetic fabrics.
• If you are going to be doing big loads of laundry, especially if traveling as a family or group, you’ll probably want to bring a couple of clotheslines if you bring travel-sized ones. It can be challenging though to find space to hang huge amounts of laundry so best to do it more often than wait a long time in between loads. Or consider alternating between handwashing and laundromats or hotel services.
• If your plan is to use laundromats, do a little research before your trip to make sure laundromats are available in the places you are traveling. Some countries don’t have them and they can be difficult to find in certain areas even in countries where they are fairly common.
• If you plan to rent places with private laundry facilities (e.g., an apartment, room, or vacation home with washing machine) in a country where this is not that common, it is wise to book such properties in advance. Remember that although most homes in your home country may have washing machines, most families in the world do not have access to a washing machine and have to wash their clothing by hand.
• For Americans traveling aborad, while washing machines are common throughout households in the UK and most of Europe, tumble dryers are not. Washing machines and dryers are also usually smaller. Also be warned that the washer/dryer combo units crammed into small apartments often don’t work as well (especially the dryer) as full-sized separate machines.
• If you have booked places to stay which have private or shared laundry facilities, you can ask in advance of your trip what you should bring. For instance, laundry soap may or may not be provided or available.
• Remember that washing machines and dryers can make a lot of noise. So be sure to be respectful of your neighbors and do your laundry during acceptable hours if staying in a rented apartment or shared housing area!
• If you are packing liquid or gel items and flying, the majoirty of countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union countries, have restrictions on the size of liquid containers you can pack in your carry-on luggage. Be sure that any items in your carry-on are in 3.4  oz. (100ml) or smaller containers and packed in a transparent liter sized bag. If the container is more than 3.4 oz., you will need to pack it in your checked luggage or it will be confiscated by security.

So that’s our guide to doing laundry while traveling! We hope you have found it helpful, and you might want to check out more of our travel tips .

Planning to do laundry during your next trip? PIN this article to Pinterest to read later:

Have you had experience washing clothing while traveling? If so, please tell us about your travel laundry experiences and what you have found helpful. Any special items in your travel laundry kit?  We’re always looking for recommendations!

If you have a question about doing laundry while on the road, just leave us your question in the Comments section below!

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Mohamed Hashi Post author

March 14, 2024 at 5:32 am

Jessica and Laurence, your guide is a treasure trove of practical advice for travelers grappling with laundry challenges on the road. The detailed breakdown of options from hotel services to hand washing in sinks, and the inclusion of innovative solutions like the Scrubba wash bag, provides valuable insights for both novice and seasoned travelers. Your emphasis on eco-friendly practices, especially when washing clothes in natural water sources, is particularly commendable. This guide not only helps travelers pack lighter but also encourages a more sustainable approach to travel. Thanks for sharing these invaluable tips and product recommendations to make travel laundry less of a chore.

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

March 21, 2024 at 10:26 am

Hi Mohamed,

Glad you found our guide to doing laundry on the go practical and helpful. If you have any questions about laundry while traveling, just ask us!

Best, Jessica

Jennifer Post author

September 21, 2023 at 8:35 am

Could you give me an idea of how much we should budget for doing laundry with machines (laundromats) in Italy? I think we’ll need to stop and do it every 5-7 days. Thanks for this great article on laundry when travelling!!

September 21, 2023 at 3:07 pm

Hi Jennifer,

Sure, happy to try to help. So based on our last time using a laundromat in Italy which was fairly recent (Spring 2023), prices ranged from around 4 euros to 8 euros per wash (usually depends on size of washer and part of Italy) and about 1 euros per 10 minutes worth of drying. If you buy laundry detergent/washing powder at the laundromats, it generally costs about 1 euro for a small pack for a wash or two. So I would probably estimate at least 10 euros per wash but you’ll likely pay a little more in some places.

Although Rome has some of the highest prices we’ve seen (10 euros for a big washer) we’ve also seen small no-frills places in Rome that still have 4 euros per wash and 4 euros for a dryer, so reading recent reviews can be useful in places where there are multiple options.

You can save money by packing your own laundry detergent and/or air drying the laundry if that is an option where you are staying. Some travelers like put it in dryer until damp (so not real wet) and then hang it up back in their hotel bathroom or balcony (pack a travel clothesline) or on an apartment drying rack to finish drying.

So we didn’t have any issues finding a laundromat on our last trip but it really depends in what part of Italy you are traveling. So it is good to investigate ahead of time to know where on your trip would be best to do laundry if you are going to multiple cities so you can plan and pack accordingly. To search for a self-service laundromat, I’d put in a search for lavanderia a gettone as that is the Italian term for a laundrette. Plural term is lavanderie.

If you can’t find something, I’d ask your hotel or the owner of the apartment/home you are staying in where the nearest one is located as they should be able to help with local advice as some are not easy to locate online.

Some machines are operated by coins only but many now also take these little cards you load with credit at the laundromat (you can usually pay for these cards by credit card or cash). Some take credit cards directly. Many have change machines if you only have bills but still good idea to have coins just in case. It is a good idea to bring along coins/cash and a credit card, so you know that payment type won’t be an issue. There is normally someone around to help if you are confused by how to pay or work the machines. In big cities instructions are often somewhere in English, but in smaller ones it will probably only be in Italian.

The length of time really depends on the type of machine, your wash cycle, etc. but when Laurence last did laundry it was relatively fast to do a full load to wash and dry. But sometimes the machines can be slower than people are used to back home so best to bring some things to do to kill time while you wait such as a book, puzzles, headphones to listen to music/watch videos, etc.

You’ll definitely save money using a laundromat compared to a hotel service as most Italian hotels that offer the service (generally nicer ones) charge by the article of clothing and is generally pricey.

Anyway, hope that helps and wishing you a wonderful trip to Italy!

Jason Lucas Post author

August 30, 2023 at 12:59 pm

hello! thanks for all this advice. my family and i (wife and two kids) like to go on a lot of shorter trips, a week or less. they generally involve camping or staying at budget motels or hotels. we have the sink stopper thing, a couple of laundry lines, and a bag to store dirty things in now thanks to your advice but wandering thoughts on what i can buy that can be multipurpose for doing hand laundry and other types of cleaning (such as dishes, camp stuff, hands etc.) without having to buy those tiny bottles. also needs to be biodegradable. we rarely fly and those little bottles are too small for us and seems wasteful to keep buying them for our kind of travels

August 30, 2023 at 3:53 pm

Yes, that totally makes sense for wanting something in a bigger container and something more versatile, especially for camping. In reality, most of the travel laundry soaps we recommend could be used in a multipurpose way.

But two brands that I know sell bigger bottles (16 oz or more) are Campsuds and Dr. Bronner’s. Both of them are sold as multipurpose and biogradable, and can be used for a range of things like washing dishes, body soap, hand soap, laundry, washing your dog, etc.

Campsuds is very popular among campers and hikers so you’ve probably used this one before and while it mostly sells in smaller bottles for travel, I know they come in at least 16 oz. size on Amazon .

But if you want an even larger size I’d consider Dr. Bronner’s. I personally have used the Dr. Bronner’s Baby one (unscented) that I have used for dishes, hand soap, hand washing laundry in sink, and general cleaning. I have a 32 oz size bottle at home and find it works really well although it can leave white spots (especially on glassware) if you are working with hard water but never found it a bit deal for the kinds of situations I have used it. Also the unscented is better for sensitive skin and more multipurpose in my opinion (but if you like scent the peppermint is very popular). It comes in a bunch of sizes from small bottles to giant gallon jugs. I’d recommend starting with a mid-sized bottle and test it and see if you like it before getting the largest size. But one of the big ones will last a long time and you can decant it into smaller bottles you already own for your travels. You can find Dr. Bronner’s at lots of stores from Walmart to Whole Foods, but for the largest sizes, you might need to look on Amazon or their website.

Another option is to check out a local bulk store or low waste shop as they often have some kind of laundry or multipurpose soap you can decant into your own containers you bring to the store. The only issue I have with these personally is they typically only stock soaps that include some kind of fragrance or essential oils which sadly irritate my skin.

Anyway, hope that helps give you some options to consider.

Happy travels! Jessica

Jason Post author

August 31, 2023 at 3:46 pm

thanks so much for your helpful reply Jessica – the dr bronners looks perfect for us and already placed an order!

August 31, 2023 at 3:50 pm

Glad to be helfpul, and hope you find that the Dr. Bronner’s soap works well for your upcoming family trips!

Carol T. Booker Post author

August 28, 2023 at 12:31 pm

Tackling laundry while traveling is such a pain and especially when its a one or two month trip to another country. Much needed blog, I am sure now I can confidently travel anywhere while making my laundry day hassle-free. Thanks for sharing!

August 28, 2023 at 4:13 pm

Thanks for taking the time to comment, glad you found our tips helpful.

Kimberly Post author

August 3, 2023 at 12:12 pm

I tried one of the suggested travel sized laundry detergents – the Sinksuds – and I tested in a sink with a couple of laundry items before our trip. But it doesn’t foam very much like I expected or have much of a scent. I guess I was expected something more foamy like handsoap. I imagine the foam makes things cleaner? So just wondering if I got a bad one or maybe I’m not using enough?

August 3, 2023 at 2:37 pm

Hi Kimberly,

Yes, the Sink Suds (at least the ones I’ve used) are normally unscented and fragrance free, so the smell of it to me just smells a bit like fresh soap. Like many of these specific sink laundry formulas, it is a gentle formula as it is supposed to be able to allow you to wash any kind of garment, be OK for most people with sensitive skin, and also be biodegradable.

So it should produce a bit of suds in our experience. Try running the water directly over the soap and then swishing it around a bit and you should have some suds. But no it shouldn’t foam much.

The amount of foam is not really important. Foam (caused by foaming agents) just allows the surfactant to sit longer on a surface (this is important in cases when washing something vertical, e.g., a wall, car tires, a hanging rug). So you don’t need foam to clean clothes in a sink so it should not make any difference how much or how little there is as most more natural detergents don’t foam, we just associate foam and lots of suds with cleaning because of advertising 😉 The most important thing is that you use enough of it and its dispersed throughout the sink/tub so it gets on all your clothing during the soaking/washing.

But if you really want foam or something with a stronger scent, you might try using a detergent you already use and like or a gentle foaming hand soap – just test it out in the sink before you go!

Hope that helps! Jessica

Marty Gibson Post author

July 27, 2023 at 7:56 am

Thanks for this, 2 questions:

1. I use an All laundry soap powder – will this work for handwashing in sinks or tubs? I noticed most of what you listed are liquid detergents? 2. I want to try to pack carry-on only but how often can you rewear the same things before washing?

Best, Marty

July 27, 2023 at 8:57 am

So please that you found our travel laundry post helpful! And happy to try to answer your questions.

1. So liquids or gels generally work much better for handwashing just because they are easier to get mixed with the water by hand in a smaller space such as a sink. Powders tend to be hearder to get dissolved and are more likely to leave residues on clothes based on our experience with handwashing. So I’d recommend a liquid detergent and there is an All liquid laundry detergent that you could get (just be sure to put into a refillable 3 oz/100ml or smaller container if doing carry-on on a plane). I have used the All Free & Clear liquid detergent for handwashing and found it works well and is great for those with more sensitive skin (I have eczema). However, you can always test the powder you have by trying to do a sinkload of handwashing in your home bathroom sink and see how it works as some powders work better for handwashing than others.

2. So I think that is a very personal and subjective question. Some people like to wash all their clothes after one wear, but obviously this doesn’t work if you want to travel carry-on only and do not want to do laundry every couple of days (nor is it very environmentally friendly). Most clothing can be reworn at least a few times and some people can wear items (especially sweaters, jackets, trousers/pants) several times or more before washing. If something doesn’t smell or isn’t noticeably soiled or stained, it is probably fine to keep wearing. The only things you probably need to wash regularly is underwear and socks. You can also get fabrics, like merino wool items, that are designed to be reworn more often. I’d look at brands like Smartwool, ExOfficio, and Darn Tough for some ideas of items that are meant to stay drier and fresher longer. But again how much you decide to rewear things is going to be up to your personal preferences and your specific travel situation. I would just make sure to take items that are easy to handwash and air dry quickly.

WS Post author

July 20, 2023 at 8:09 am

This laundry guide for travelers is incredibly useful, offering a range of practical options for handling laundry on the go. From using hotel services to hand washing techniques, the article covers all the bases to cater to different budgets and travel styles. The tips provided can help me pack less and rewear my favorite clothes during my journey.

July 27, 2023 at 7:58 am

Thanks W.S., glad you enjoyed our travel laundry guide! Wishing you happy travels and clean clothes 😉

Adrienne Crawford Post author

July 10, 2023 at 12:35 am

These laundry tips for traveling are a game-changer! The practical suggestions, like packing a portable laundry kit and researching laundry facilities, make doing laundry on the go so much easier. Thanks to the author for sharing these valuable insights that can help travelers maintain fresh and clean clothes while exploring the world. Happy travels and clean laundry to all!

July 10, 2023 at 2:42 am

Hi Adrienne,

So glad you enjoyed our travel tips, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

Happy travels, Jessica

queenslanddry Post author

May 8, 2023 at 10:13 pm

We got free washing on the trip I once took, which was AMAZING. Over the years, I’ve done a lot of laundry in the washbasin. I adore the soap sheets since you can travel with them without worrying. No matter where you go, keeping the water in the sink is always a struggle, so having a sink stopper is a fantastic idea!

May 16, 2023 at 8:37 am

Thanks for sharing your experiences with soap sheets, and yes we find having a sink stopper very helpful. Just used it in our rental apartment bathtub only last night in fact 😉

Sarah H Post author

April 10, 2023 at 12:28 pm

Thanks for all these great laundry tips and letting us know what you use – do you travel with a laundry bag or something? If so, can you tell me which one? How much does it hold? Trying to pack for first big trip and just want some advice. ~ Sarah

April 10, 2023 at 1:16 pm

You’re very welcome. Yes, the clotheslines and sink stoppers are the main items that don’t change for us when we travel, but we do change the laundry soap depending on what is available. We’ve also used a few different bags for laundry.

Currently for a travel laundry bag, we specifically have this one at the moment. It is lightweight, has a drawstring, and seems fine so far (only had it for about 6 months) and hold about 5 days worth of laundry for us. Our one concern is that it seems a bit flimsy but so far no tears or anything after months of travel. But to be honest, the best laundry bag for you will depend on what size you need. Also take into account that a bag will hold more or less clothing depending on what you plan to wear at your destination (for example you may want a larger bag if traveling with bulky clothes versus more lightsweight hot weather clothes). You should also consider if you have anything at home already that will work as a laundry bag as you may have something that will work well. Basically something lightweight, big enough, won’t tear, and will close (such as via a drawstring or zipper) are the main things you probably want.

Hope that helps and just let me know if you have further questions as you pack for your trip.

Wishing you some wonderful travels!

Elle Jones Post author

April 4, 2023 at 3:46 am

I appreciate that you pointed out that laundromats occasionally provide dry cleaning services. You could also locate a nearby dry cleaner if you require these services. Finding one that provides pick-up and delivery services may be helpful if you want to schedule having your clothing cleaned as needed throughout your trip. I’ll make sure to pass this along to my sister, who travels frequently, so she can wash her clothes herself. Thanks for the suggestion.

April 4, 2023 at 12:34 pm

So glad you found some our tips helpful about doing laundry when traveling! Sometimes it can be helpful when traveling to have someone else do the laundry (and dry cleaning if needed – we rarely travel with clothing that requires dry cleaning ourselves) for you and have them pick up/drop it off for you.

Gomer Reyes Post author

January 5, 2023 at 11:07 pm

Good day! Just want you to know that your blog article on travel laundry is really helpful in my end. Thanks for this information.

January 7, 2023 at 3:33 am

You are very welcome, and wishing you happy travels (and clean clothes)!

Kevin L. Enriquez Post author

November 30, 2022 at 3:38 am

Thanks for this informative article about travel laundry, It would be very helpful for me on my next trip which I am planning for next week.

December 3, 2022 at 10:12 am

You’re very welcome and thanks for taking the time to comment. If you have any questions about doing laundry while traveling, just ask!

Wishing you a great trip! Jessica

Laura G. Post author

July 26, 2022 at 8:43 am

I just wanted to stay thanks so much for these tips. We just came back to London after travelling for 3 weeks in Southeast Asia and these tips for doing laundry were so helpful. I especially love the tip about packing a rubber sink plug – that really saved us in a couple of places and make doing hand laundry much easier on the go!

July 26, 2022 at 8:54 am

So glad to hear and yes, those sink stopper/plugs things are great for doing laundry as you go when traveling. We are currently traveling in Italy, and just used ours a couple day ago to wash out some socks and reusable face masks in Italy as the provided sink stopper didn’t hold water in the sink.

Thanks for taking the time to comment!

Henry Killingsworth Post author

July 25, 2022 at 11:58 am

Thank you for helping me to understand that laundromats exist in cities and larger towns. I am going to be moving to a new state in the U.S. soon, and I won’t have access to a washing machine or dryer. I will have to see if there is a laundromat nearby that I can use to do my laundry.

July 26, 2022 at 8:38 am

Yes, if you are moving to a city of any size in the U.S. you shouldn’t have much problem finding a laundromat to use. It is also common for many apartment complexes that don’t have washing machines in apartments to have an on-site shared laundry machines (often coin or credit operated) so I would ask about that first. But if not, I am sure you can easy find a local laundromat or laundry service.

Fiona Post author

June 26, 2022 at 7:02 am

Great blog about laundry care! This is good to know for the people that’s travelling all around the world a lot.

June 26, 2022 at 8:12 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment, and glad our article was helpful to you! Just let us know if you have any questions about laundry when traveling and happy to try to help.

Shanta Jacobs Post author

June 18, 2022 at 12:59 am

How would you recommend removing stubborn stains from clothes when traveling? I want to not worry about stains.

June 18, 2022 at 8:24 am

First, I would recommend packing clothes for travel that are easy care and would be easy to clean (either washing or just spot cleaning). Darker clothes will show less stains. There are also fabrics and certain fabric treatments that make clothes more stain resistant.

But if you are worried about stains, you can also pack along some sort of stain remover liquid, pen, or wipe. There are lot of travel-friendly stain remover options from brands like Tide, Shout, Dreft, and OxiClean.

Hope that helps and happy travels! Jessica

Laura Post author

June 16, 2022 at 7:33 am

Planning a 2 week trip from USA to Africa (Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania) later this summer. Thoughts on laundry facility options and hand washing as we go? Mostly will be staying in safari hotels and tented camps in national parks. Prefer to avoid high fees for laundry. First time in Africa. Two of us, my husband and I, and would need to do some laundry as we go, particularly underthings, socks, t-shirts, face masks, etc. – any expert advise appreciated!

Thanks, Laura & Josh

June 16, 2022 at 8:19 am

Hi Laura & Josh,

That sounds like a great trip!

What we would recommend, based on our own travels in East Africa, would be to pack about 7 days worth of clothing and plan to do one big load of laundry once (around the 7 to 10 day point in your trip) and smaller loads via handwashing (socks, underwear, masks, etc.) along the way as needed. The less you have to pack, the better, especially on an international trip like this where you will be making a lot of stops. We’d recommend choosing to pack clothes that are easy care (so can be handwashed or machine washed) and made of fabrics that will dry farily quickly. We’d also recommend packing items that you can wear multiple times before they need to be washed.

It is going to depend partly on how long you stay at any one place, but generally you will need at least 2 nights (3 is even better) to be able to do handwash laundry and give it adequate time to dry. For this, we’d recommend packing a sink/tub stopper, a travel laundry line, a couple of carabiners, and some laundry detergent. That should be all you need.

Many hotels and safari camps offer guest laundry services. Many hang laundry to dry (or run dryers using solar power) so you generally need to be staying at least two nights for that as well to guarantee the laundry will dry before you leave. Many charge a fee (sometimes low, sometimes high), but some places do offer laundry free to guests, so you can check to see if any of the places you are staying offer that as an option.

So I’d take a look at your itinerary and see when you have 2 nights or more stops in any location that would allow you time to do laundry. We would make a note on our itinerary that we needed to do laundry after check-in so we wouldn’t forget.

When we were in East Africa for about a month, we did handwashing at any place we stopped for 3 nights. Hung laundry either in or around showers or on outdoor hotel balconies or outside tents. We also did one big proper wash with a washing machine around the middle of our trip. But since you are going to only be traveling for 2 weeks, you should be OK with either handwashing laundry as you go and/or doing one big wash around the middle of your trip.

Anyway, hope that helps. Let us know if you have any further questions and wishing you a wonderful trip this summer!

June 17, 2022 at 4:54 am

thanks so much Jessica!! Should I buy detergent or is that something I can buy when I am there? Also do you know if there are laundromats? Thanks again!

June 17, 2022 at 5:46 am

You’re very welcome. For only 2 weeks, I would recommend packing a small thing of detergent that would be enough for how much laundry you plan to do on your trip. We generally prefer liquid, but bars, powder, or strips are also options. Just make sure it is something that works for handwashing in a sink or tub. I’d try it out first.

You can of course buy laundry detergent in any of those countries but unless you are already planning a trip to a grocery store, I would not waste your vacation time going to a store just to purchase detergent. Also it can be hard to find a small bottle and you don’t want to carry around a full size thing of laundry detergent on your trip. If you do plan to go to a supermarket, Carrefour (a French supermarket chain) is a good options and there are locations in Nairobi, Kigali, and Dar es Salaam – we have purchased small bottles of Dettol laundry detergent there. Prices were similar to what we pay in the UK/Europe.

There are laundromats or laundrettes in the big cities like Nairobi, Dar es Saleem, Arusha, Kigali, etc. Some have the self-service machines like in the USA but many are ones where you drop off your laundry for washing/dry cleaning and pick it up later. But again, if you don’t have a lot of time, it probably makes more sense to hand wash as you go and/or have a hotel service do it for you. But laundrettes and local laundry services are a good option for those with longer trips who have more time as these services can be found at very good prices. But most of the hotels/camps you stay will offer laundry services to guests and that is probably a much more practical option.

Also, a quick note that in many places in East Africa like Kenya, it is often not considered culturally appropriate to wash someone else’s undergarments (“smalls”), such as panties, bras, etc. This is particularly true of women’s underwear. Some hotel services will accept these (you can check their laundry lists to see if accepted) but generally I would plan to hand wash these yourself. Most places that don’t accept these will give you a small thing of laundry soap to do them yourself in the sink if you ask.

Rick Jones Post author

November 29, 2021 at 5:19 pm

I will do some research to find a laundromat before going somewhere. I would hate to go somewhere that doesn’t have one. So I’ll make sure I always have somewhere to clean my clothes.

November 30, 2021 at 5:43 am

That is a good idea, especially if you plan to be in a certain area for a longer time and know you’ll need to launder your clothes 😉 It is generally pretty easy to research laundromat locations online for most parts of the world.

Margaret Post author

April 10, 2021 at 11:46 pm

I travel a lot and always wash as I go. I try to book at least two nights in each place to make sure laundry has time to dry. When not on the move, each night I strip off and wash what I wore that day, plus sometimes also the previous day. I don’t bother with a stopper or detergent. I just use the bar soap provided, I wet the clothes, rub soap in stinky spots. Swish around as best I can for several minutes, then drain, rinse, drain, and wring. If I can’t hang clothes over the tub or shower until the drip stops, I roll wet clothes in a towel to soak up excess moisture, I bring regular paracord or lightweight rope (nothing elastic with suction cups or hooks) and find two attachmenT points in the room. The Upper hinge of the bathroom door usually works for one. I also bring plastic clothes pins and a couple of plastic coated wire hangers. As soon as they are done dripping they get pinned on the line. Hanging on radiator or heated towel rack, or using hair dryer can help hasten dry time. Traveling with easy quick-dry clothing helps, although my husband won’t wear anything but the heaviest wool socks. 15 minutes a day for my husband and me is all it takes. Who wants to waste time on vacation trying to find a laundromat, or paying huge sums to laundry service. Make it a habit to do laundry every night.

April 11, 2021 at 5:17 am

Hi Margaret,

Thanks for sharing your travel laundry routine with us! I am glad that you have found a system of doing laundry on the go that works well for you and is inexpensive. Yes, you definitely do not have to spend a lot of time or money on doing laundry while traveling.

I would just recommend that people do use a sink stopper (either one in sink or one you bring) as otherwise you are likely unnecessarily using extra water that is not needed and won’t have the ability to soak clothes.

I would also caution people with sensitive skin from using hotel bar soap or hand soap for laundry as it can cause skin irritation (and potentially stain clothing). This might work OK for some people, but most hotel and motel hand soaps have ingredients that may cause skin irritation for me (I have sensitive skin) so I would not wash my clothes with them unless I didn’t have a gentle laundry detergent available which is why we’d recommend bringing along a little bottle of a detergent that you have already tested at home.

Carl Green Post author

September 23, 2020 at 10:07 am

I liked how you mentioned that you can get laundry done quickly by going to a laundromat. My wife and I are moving to a new area and we were wondering how we could get laundry done quickly at the new house. I’ll be sure to tell her that we should try going to a laundromat to do our laundry quicker.

September 24, 2020 at 7:07 am

Our article is more about doing laundry when traveling, but if you don’t have washing facilities at your new house, then a laundromat can indeed be an efficient option. Just be sure to take something to do at the laundromat while you are waiting 😉

Alice Carroll Post author

July 9, 2020 at 12:51 am

Thanks for the tip that going to a local laundromat would be totally reasonable when doing laundry during a trip out of town. My husband and I are planning to go on a two-week honeymoon once travel restrictions have been lifted. Perhaps using self service laundry cleaning would be the most economical way to do our laundry during those two weeks.

July 9, 2020 at 4:48 am

If you are planning to travel this year, I would check ahead at your destination before your trip, as a lot of shared laundry facilities like laundromats may be closed or have more limited services due to the pandemic. Until the pandemic is over, you may be better off hand washing, having it done by the hotel/resort services, or staying in a vacation rental that has a washing machine than going to shared facilities like laundromats where social distancing can be difficult and there are a lot of shared high-touch surfaces. Just something to consider!

Wishing you a wonderful honeymoon trip!

Homer Post author

April 20, 2020 at 10:00 pm

Hi there, I just read your blog, really awesome post about laundry cleaning. Could you tell me if it is easy to find laundromats in the UK and Ireland?

April 21, 2020 at 5:23 am

Laundromats here in the UK and Ireland are often called launderettes or laundrettes. They used to be very common, but are definitely on the decline. But you can still find them in just about any larger UK or Irish city – they are usually coin operated or use a card that you put credit on to run the machine. So you should not have much of a problems finding one as long as part of your trip will be to cities. You can easily search for options online or in a local phone book once you know your trip itinerary.

Many hostels in the UK offer a laundry room with coin-operated washing machines. There may also be a coin-operated tumble dryer, or if not, a drying room where you can leave your laundry to air dry. So if staying in hostels, that is an option as well, I’d just make sure to check to make sure the hostels you book have laundry facilities.

Frank Ball Post author

January 20, 2020 at 8:59 am

It’s great to learn that laundromats are inexpensive and allow you to do your cleaning all at once. My wife and I are going on a vacation soon and we were wondering where we could wash and dry our clothes. I’ll be sure to tell her that we should look for a laundromat in the city we’re going to.

January 20, 2020 at 9:47 am

Yes, laundromats can be a great way to do laundry if want to machine wash and dry your clothes as it is often much less expensive to do it yourselves than to have a hotel service do it for you. Although some motels and hotels do offer self-service machines as well.

I’d just check ahead and make sure that there are laundromats available in the destination to which you are traveling as they are not very common in some regions. For example, we are heading to Switzerland next week for 2 weeks and have noted down the location of a 24-hour laundromat at a small hotel near where we are staying as a possible place we could do laundry if needed at that point on our trip.

John Martin Post author

January 4, 2020 at 10:54 pm

First of all i would like to A big Thanks for awesome guideline regarding laundry while a journeymen therefore once I went on we had toughest laundry, which was splendid. We’ve done a lot of laundry. I love too much to the soap sheets because we should not get worried about flying with them. So having a sink stopper is a great idea because the sinks always drain… I do not care where you are, keeping the water in the sink is always a challenge!!

January 5, 2020 at 5:47 am

Hi John, Glad you found our tips helpful and yes, a sink stopper is a must-have travel item for us. Soap sheets can be great to travel with, especially if you have limited space in luggage. The cons though of the soap sheets is that they are a bit harder to use (have to be delicate and keep them from getting wet in the package) and you often need to use more to get stuff clean compared to the liquid and gel options. But I am glad that they have worked well for you! Best, Jessica

Yuki Post author

January 1, 2020 at 11:48 am

Really helpful article – helped us figure out what to do on our month long trip with laundry and be abel to better research and understand our options, thanks!

January 1, 2020 at 12:20 pm

Hi Yuki, Glad it was helpful and wishing you a wonderful trip! Best, Jessica

Saurabh Post author

August 24, 2019 at 1:21 am

This is very Informative, I like to travel a lot and its really expensive to do laundry in Hotels… I will try to implement some of these tips on my next trip. Thanks, guys.

August 24, 2019 at 3:15 am

Hi Saurabh, Yes, there are a lot of alternatives to expensive hotel laundry fees, and hope you find one that works well for you. Happy travels, Jessica

Adrienne McGuire Post author

August 20, 2019 at 2:28 pm

Thanks for your super helpful tips on doing laundry while travelling. It’s such a common problem in the current day, but your tips are great! Keep up the good work!

August 21, 2019 at 3:33 am

Thanks Adrienne, glad our tips were helpful! Happy travels, Jessica

Skylar Williams Post author

July 31, 2019 at 9:33 am

Thank you for your tip to use a laundromat to clean my clothes when traveling. I have been thinking about going traveling to another country where hopefully they do have laundromats. I will make sure to keep this tip in mind as I travel.

August 1, 2019 at 1:48 am

Hi Skylar, Glad it was helpful, and happy travels! Best, Jessica

Tyler Johnson Post author

July 26, 2019 at 11:27 am

That’s a good idea to take your clothes to a coin laundry to clean them. I would thin kt hat would let you pack fewer clothes and smell better. I’ll have to consider doing that next time I take a trip.

July 27, 2019 at 1:08 pm

Hi Tyler, Yes, doing laundry at a laundromat is an easy thing to plan into your travel itinerary – just be sure there are coin laundry facilities available where you are traveling. Best, Jessica

Brian Lu Post author

July 24, 2019 at 6:26 am

Your tips to wash the laundry while traveling are so helpful for me. Such a Great Share. Keep it up.

July 24, 2019 at 10:15 am

Hi Brian, Glad to hear our laundry tips were helpful. Wishing you happy travels and clean clothes! Best, Jessica

Oliver Finch Post author

July 19, 2019 at 4:07 am

It might be difficult to find any laundry servicing firm nearby. In case I don’t find any, need to make sure wash in bathroom in tub in place where staying right now.

July 20, 2019 at 9:44 am

Hi Oliver, Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and yes, if you can’t find a laundry service in a particular travel destination, doing them in the hotel or apartment where you are staying is always a good option and a good reason to travel with a small bottle of laundry soap 😉 Happy travels, Jessica

Erika Brady Post author

April 1, 2019 at 9:35 pm

I like that you mention how laundromats can sometimes offer dry cleaning services. If you need these services, you could also find a local dry cleaner. When choosing one, it could help to find one that offers pick up and delivery services so you can schedule to have your clothing properly cleaned whenever you want during your trip.

April 2, 2019 at 9:33 am

Hi Erika, Yes, definitely, a laundry / dry cleaning service that picks up and drops off is about as convenient as a hotel service, and will likely be less expensive than a hotel if you are in a country with a weaker currency. But these can be more difficult to find and arrange in countries where you don’t speak the local language. Thanks for sharing your tip! Best, Jessica

Rahul Post author

March 25, 2019 at 6:43 am

While I always opt for professional laundry when I travel, I do agree that knowing some laundry tips can come in handy. So thank you Jessica for sharing this amazing guide! really helpful!!

March 25, 2019 at 9:41 am

Hi Rahul, Glad it was useful. Professional laundry services are obviously ideal for convenience but not affordable (or worth the cost) for many travelers and not always available in some parts of the world, so it is good to have options 😉 Best, Jessica

Mark Murphy Post author

February 28, 2019 at 11:53 am

I really appreciate your tip to avoid buying products that have any toxic chemicals in them. My wife and I recently got married, and we have never had to buy any of our laundry soap before. I will be sure to tell my wife that we should find a soap that isn’t toxic.

February 28, 2019 at 12:54 pm

Congrats on the recent wedding and welcome to the newlywed life 😉

We specifically mention dryer sheets and fabric softeners, but yes many laundry soaps also include toxic chemicals. While some of the chemicals in laundry detergent are probably not harmful, some have been linked to cancer and many can cause other health issues and skin issues, and are not good for the environment. For instance, I have fairly sensitive skin and certain detergents made me break out in rashes. This article gives a quik overview and an Internet search can help you find brands that don’t contain these (or at least contain less!). Jessica

Levia Lee Post author

January 24, 2019 at 2:25 am

great tips. thanks for sharing

February 22, 2019 at 7:22 pm

You’re very welcome! ~ Jessica

Kerry Forrest Post author

January 16, 2019 at 3:31 pm

I just saw you on House Hunters International. At the end, you were shown removing your washing from a clothesline. I laughed when you said it was old fashioned. With our clean environment and plentiful sunshine, line drying is normal practice here in Australia. It is superior for many reasons, but most importantly, it is better for the environment. There is an Australian invention called Ezyline ( https://www.ezyline.com.au/ ) which I thought you should also be aware of. I have no affiliation with them, but use their product over my bath.

January 16, 2019 at 4:29 pm

Yes, that scene on House Hunters International was quite contrived and the “laundry” was just clean dry clothes I was hanging 🙂 I am from the USA and we often hung laundry out to dry growing up but here in Scotland often just dry it inside as the weather is often not ideal. Thanks for the rec about the clothesline, it looks like a great local product. But they don’t seem to be able to ship outside of Australia yet but perhaps they will in the future.

Jordan Post author

December 22, 2018 at 10:02 am

I was concerned about doing laundry when traveling from Germany to new places, but this has helped me. Thank you for posting.

December 22, 2018 at 12:04 pm

Hi Jordan, Thanks for taking the time to comment, and we are always happy to hear that our travel articles have been helpful. Wishing you fun travels and clean laundry 😉 Best, Jessica

Agness Post author

December 17, 2018 at 6:40 pm

Thanks for sharing, guys. I am a real retard when it comes to cleaning and doing my laundry. Although my boyfriend usually does it for both of us during our travels, I feel like I should help me out a bit more. Saving this post for my Sunday read. Keep your fingers crossed for me so I finally learn how to do laundry properly 🙂

December 18, 2018 at 7:32 am

Hi Agness, At least your boyfriend seems to have a good handle on doing laundry while traveling, and it is not difficult to learn how to hand wash laundry on the go. Or you can always find a laundromat or laundry service 😉 Best of luck! Jessica

Betty Schmidt Post author

December 10, 2018 at 12:35 pm

Hi Jessica and Laurence,

Great practical tips on doing laundry on the road. We are relatively new and recently retired RVers in the USA, and were looking for some info on handwashing and doing laundry in the confines of a RV. We have a very tiny sink so loved the suggested about the large dishpan, washboard (never would have thought of this one!), drying rack, and travel washline. All are going onto the list of things to buy now! Thanks so much for this very practical article.

Warm regards, Betty

December 10, 2018 at 4:28 pm

Hi Betty, So glad you enjoyed our post on doing laundry while traveling! Yes, laundry can be challenging in a RV but I think you will develop your own methods and routines once out on the road. Sounds like you have some fun RV travel coming up, and wishing you some grand adventures. Best, Jessica

Catherine Post author

December 2, 2018 at 1:06 pm

Great suggestions, we always try to have at least one accommodation with laundry facilities!

December 3, 2018 at 5:59 am

Hi Catherine, Yes we usually do this as well and try to book accommodation with washing machine at least every week to 1.5 weeks if we are doing a longer trip. Best, Jessica

Anda Post author

December 2, 2018 at 11:08 am

Great suggestions, Jessica. I tried all these methods, except for a Scrubba washing bag. We usually rent apartments which are equipped with washers and dryers. However, I don’t like doing laundry when I travel. That’s why I prefer carrying a bigger bag.

December 3, 2018 at 5:58 am

Hi Anda, Yes, apartments with washers are a good idea, especially if you don’t like to hand wash laundry. A larger bag is also a potential solution but perhaps not the best solution for long trips 😉 Best, Jessica

Anisa Post author

December 2, 2018 at 7:21 am

Such a thorough article and great tips! When I traveled for work, I used to do laundry at the hotel and some of them charged crazy amounts. Now for longer trips I would try to find an airbnb that had a washer. I agree small items are easy enough to wash by hand.

December 2, 2018 at 10:06 am

Hi Anisa, Yes, using laundry services at hotels can be crazy expensive! But I guess if a lot of people using them are traveling with business expense accounts, that may be one reason they can maintain the high prices. Yeah, on longer trips we normally do a mix of hand washing and find a proper washer/dryer in an apartment or laundromat. Best, Jessica

Deborah Regen Post author

December 2, 2018 at 5:44 am

I was wondering when someone was going to tackle this subject in a travel blog post. Unless your holiday trip is short, like 7 days, where you can wait to clean your laundry once you are back home, it will become necessary to wash clothes on the road. These are all good tips. It seems washing bags are becoming more popular. I will have to try that in the future.

December 2, 2018 at 9:04 am

Hi Deborah, Yes, doing laundry while traveling is not exactly a fun or sexy topic, but one that many people face if they take longer trips. How people do it seems to mainly depend on the destination and one’s budget. The washing bags like the Scrubba are convenient but not necessary – the internal washboard in them helps get stuff a little cleaner. If you want to try one out, I think the Scrubba gives a 30 day money back return policy. Best, Jessica

Tammy G Post author

December 1, 2018 at 6:31 pm

What a fantastic guide to doing laundry on the road!! I usually take a two week summer vacation each year and pack about 7 days worth of clothes, so always need to do laundry while traveling at least once. Used many of your solutions – including coin laundry, campsites, hand washing etc – even own a Scrubba and travel clothesline. But you know I’ve never taken a sink stopper even though I have run into the same problem where there is no plug for the drain!, urgh! Thanks for this reminder as I need to get one for our next trip!

December 2, 2018 at 8:57 am

Hi Tammy, It is really surprising how many sinks don’t have any sort of drain plug. Similarly, even more surprising, is how many hotels have a bathtub but no plug to actually take a bath. We had a funny incident in Egypt at a hotel where I requested a plug for the bath tub but they could not figure out what I was saying or what I wanted…turns out they did not have them available at all. I always keep a flat sink stopper at the bottom of my luggage now – cheap, convenient, and take up almost no space. Happy travels, Jessica

Seana turner Post author

December 1, 2018 at 4:45 pm

The once cruise I went on we had complimentary laundry, which was AWESOME. I’ve done a lot of laundry in the sink over the years. I love the soap sheets because you don’t have to worry about flying with them. Having a sink stopper is a great idea because the sinks always drain… I don’t care where you are, keeping the water in the sink is always a challenge!!

December 2, 2018 at 8:54 am

Hi Seana, Ah, you were lucky having free laundry services on a cruise. We were surprised to find that the Queen Mary 2 had a self-service laundry option with coin operated machines which was of course much less expensive than the laundry services offered. I haven’t use the soap sheets for laundry but good to hear a positive endorsement as I have avoided them because of the fear that I’d get them wet and ruin them. Best, Jessica

November 22, 2023 at 7:32 am

You’re very welcome, and hope you had a wonderful trip! Thanks for taking the time to leave us a comment to let us know that you found our travel laundry tips helpful.

Best, Jessica & Laurence

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This is the travel wash you need to pack

Nobody wants to bother with the laundry while they’re on holiday but if you’re away for a while, have messy youngsters in tow, or are a little accident prone – it’s impossible to avoid a bit of hand washing in the bathroom basin. The question is - do travel washes actually work or just take up valuable case space? Would shower gel work just as well in an emergency?

To find out, the GHI compared five travel washes, pitting them against some typical holiday stains - such as olive oil, foundation, pasta sauce and sun cream on identical white t-shirts. Once the t-shirts were stained up in the test lab, the team left them to dry for a few hours, then hand-washed them with the different travel washes. When dry, they were compared and assessed by our expert panel. We also washed a stained t -shirt with shower gel to see if that was just as good/better!

Our verdict? All the travel washes worked better than shower gel but not one of them managed to remove the notoriously difficult foundation or pasta sauce stain (so take extra care putting on your make-up or eating Italian when you're away!). The best performer overall removed olive oil, tomato ketchup, balsamic vinegar and sun cream...

Lifeventure Fabric Wash £4.49, 100ml Rough Gear A good solid 2nd place. It’s the most expensive on test but worth stashing in the suitcase.

Dylon Travel Wash £1.99, 100ml Boots Did a good job of stain removal and certainly worth taking with you if you can’t get hold of the top two.

Pyramid Travel Soap £3.25, 60ml Amazon Struggled to get the suncream stain out of the t-shirt but does claim to be useable in both fresh and salt water (we didn’t test it in salt water).

Dr Beckmann Travel Wash £1.65, 100ml Amazon Disappointing results for a well-known brand though still much better than using shower gel.

MORE: WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF LAUNDRY DETERGENT FOR YOU?

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The Best Laundry Detergent Travel Packs

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Our Picks For The Top Laundry Detergent Travel Packs

1. s synergetic eco-friendly laundry detergent travel packs, 50-load, 2. zero trace biodegradeable laundry detergent travel packs, 72-load, 3. woolite regular & high-efficiency laundry detergent travel packs, 30-count, 4. sinksuds all fabrics laundry detergent travel packs, 8-count, 5. homevative biodegradable packaging laundry detergent travel sheets, 30-count, 6. sheets laundry club hypoallergenic eco-friendly laundry detergent travel sheets, 50-count, 7. breezeo plant based cruelty free laundry detergent travel strips, 48-count, 8. tide acti-lift phosphate free laundry detergent travel packs, 3-count.

S SYNERGETIC

Eco-friendly laundry detergent travel packs, 50-load.

These plant-based laundry detergent travel packs are free of harsh chemicals and dyes, making them perfect for individuals with sensitive skin. They come in small individual packs that won't take up much room in your suitcase. Since they're pre-measured, all you need to do it rip off the top and sprinkle the contents in the washing machine.

Perfect for Sensitive Skin Go green with these laundry detergent travel packs, which are gentle on skin, yet powerful against tough stains.

Biodegradeable Laundry Detergent Travel Packs, 72-Load

This set of laundry detergent travel packs comes with 72 individual sheets. The sheets are biodegradable and designed to fully dissolve in water. They are an excellent eco-friendly option with strong odor and wrinkle-eliminating properties.

Stock Up Keep your whites bright and your colors vibrant with this set of laundry detergent travel packs.

Regular & High-Efficiency Laundry Detergent Travel Packs, 30-Count

These laundry detergent travel packs are simple to use and just need to be added to the washer and then you can run the machine. They work in both regular and high-efficiency washers. The detergent keeps clothes looking new.

Easy to Use These laundry detergent travel packs work like regular detergent.

Biodegradable Packaging Laundry Detergent Travel Sheets, 30-Count

No need to measure out laundry detergent when you use these travel sheets. They easily dissolve in water. They are compatible with all washing machines and won't add to your liquids for air travel.

No Need To Measure These laundry detergent travel packs just dissolve in water.

Buying Guide

When you’re at home, doing a load of laundry and getting a basket full of clean, fresh-smelling clothes is a wonderful feeling. It’s lovely to sleep in freshly washed sheets or slip into a snuggly sweater that has just come out of the dryer. When you’re traveling or away from home, using laundry detergent travel packs helps you get the same clean and fresh feeling as when you’re at home. Whether you’re going away for a week or two or for a months-long trip, taking a couple of laundry detergent travel packs with you can revive both your clothes and your spirits.

Laundry detergent travel packs come in different varieties. Some brands offer individual pouches filled with just the right amount of laundry detergent for one load of laundry. This way, you don’t need to worry about buying a gigantic bottle of laundry detergent when you’re on the road. Having a small, convenient and easy-to-carry pouch is all you need. Some travel laundry detergent travel packs come in strips or sheets instead of pouches, where the detergent has been concentrated into a dry strip or sheet that dissolves when you toss it into a sink full of water or a washing machine. Because they aren’t liquid, the sheets are lightweight, highly portable and easy to bring with you wherever you go.

When it comes to buying laundry detergent travel packs, it’s best to start with a brand you know and have used before. You don’t want to have to interrupt your vacation with a skin rash or allergic reaction to a new laundry detergent that doesn’t agree with you. Be sure to try out the laundry detergent travel pack at home first to make sure that you do not come across any allergic reactions or skin discomfort. This is especially important if you have sensitive skin.

What to Look For

• Laundry detergent travel packs come in different quantities. If you’re just going for a short trip, you may only need a travel pack that has three or five individual pouches in it. However, if you’re going for a longer trip or travel frequently, you may want to get one that has 30 or 50 packs in it. This way, you’ll have enough for multiple trips on hand.
• Be sure to check the instructions on the laundry detergent travel pack before using them. The process may be the same for some brands as the regular laundry detergent but may differ slightly for others.
• If you have sensitive skin, avoid any laundry detergent travel packs that have a fragrance. This can irritate not only your skin, but also your eyes and your nose. Go with an unscented laundry detergent if you want to avoid any allergic reactions.
• Be sure to check the cleaning power of the laundry detergent travel pack. While you’re on the road, you may end up getting dirtier than usual, especially if you’re enjoying the great outdoors. Ensure the laundry detergent can handle anything you throw at it so your clothes turn out clean and fresh every time.
• Many people think laundry detergent is actually just a different kind of soap. However, this is not true. While liquid laundry detergent looks and feels like liquid soap, it’s actually a type of chemical compound that suspends dirt molecules from the clothing so they can be washed away by the water. This is different from how soap works.

Laundry Detergent Travel Pack Rankings

More to Explore

When you think of laundry detergent, do you think of the devil? During medieval times, any kind of soap or similar product was actually associated with evil for many people. People did not want to wash their clothes or their bodies during this time period because they thought that soap was the work of the devil. Some historians believe that this thinking is what lead to the spread of the black plague, because people were filthy and did not want to clean themselves.

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DWYM simplifies the research process by aggregating the reviews of the top product review sites. The result is the DWYM Score which represents the overall true rating of a product based upon a 1-10 scale.

For the Laundry Detergent Travel Pack category, we analyzed 0 of the most popular reviews including reviews from and more. The result is a ranking of the best Laundry Detergent Travel Packs.

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• Travel Clothes

How to Hand Wash Clothes When You Travel

Published May 11, 2022

Written by:

Nick Hilden

Pacific Northwest native Nick Hilden is a travel and culture writer whose work has appeared in Afar, the Daily Beast,...

Fred Perrotta

Co-founder, tortuga.

Fred Perrotta is the co-founder and CEO of Tortuga. His first backpacking trip to Europe inspired him to start the...

The Tortuga Promise

At Tortuga, our mission is to make travel easier. Our advice and recommendations are based on years of travel experience. We only recommend products that we use on our own travels.

Table of Contents

The trick to packing light on longer trips is to do laundry. For a two-week trip, would you rather bring two weeks’ worth of clothes or pack half as much stuff and do laundry once? What if you’re traveling for a month or longer? Learning how to hand wash clothes can cut down on the amount of stuff you need to pack.

By doing laundry, you can pack light but still look and smell good. In this article, we’ll cover how to hand wash your clothes (the easiest option) and a few other ways to do your laundry on the road. With the occasional hand wash or visit to the wash and fold, you can pack a fraction of the clothing in your travel backpack .

Pack for trips of one week or more without checking a bag.

• Thick comfortable straps
• Easy to organize
• Durable, waterproof fabric
• Backed by our Worldwide Warranty

How to Hand Wash Clothes in a Sink

The simplest option is to hand wash your clothes. On shorter trips, you can hand wash your socks, underwear, and other small items to avoid having to pack too many.

Before getting started, have your supplies ready. What you need:

• Dirty clothes
• Sink or tub
• Mild detergent or dishwashing liquid

We’ll cover some additional, optional tools later in this article. Hand washing is ideal for a few items per “load.” The more clothes you wash, the more drying space you have to find.

Step 1: Separate Colors

As with any load of laundry, you should separate white clothes from colored clothes to prevent colors from bleeding.

To avoid having to do two loads of laundry, I don’t pack anything white. No white undershirts, no tighty whities, and no white athletic socks.

Step 2: Fill the Sink with Warm, Soapy Water

Fill the sink or tub with warm water. Steve Boorstein , host of the national radio show The Clothing Doctor suggests, “85 degrees, just warm to the touch.” Using water that is too hot could burn your hands or make colors bleed. 

While filling the sink with water, add a few drops of a mild detergent or dishwashing liquid. You can use a sink stopper to plug the sink, but I don’t bother packing one. If I stay in an Airbnb apartment, the owner often has a sink stopper. Otherwise, I just use whatever is lying around. 

For soap , I recommend the liquid version of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap . The soap is concentrated, so a few drops will be enough to hand wash your clothes. Dr. Bronner’s is all-natural and can replace most of the liquids you might carry, including body wash, shampoo, and shaving cream.

Step 3: Do a Spin Cycle

Add your clothes to the soapy water and gently swirl them around the sink. Scrub dirtier clothes by rubbing the fabric against itself. Apply more detergent directly to the dirtiest spots and give them an extra scrub.

Step 4: Soak Your Clothes

After scrubbing, allow the clothes to soak. If the water looks dirty already, you can drain it and refill the sink with clean, soapy water.

Five minutes of soaking should be enough for most clothes. For dirtier “loads,” let clothes soak for up to thirty minutes.

Step 5: Rinse Out the Soap

Drain the soapy water from the sink. Rinse clothes directly under the running tap to remove any remaining detergent. Once the water runs clear instead of cloudy, without any soapy bubbles, you know that the item has been rinsed thoroughly.

How to Dry Hand Washed Clothes

After you’ve rinsed your clothes, you can do some quick prep work to help them dry faster.

Wring as much water out of each item as possible. But don’t leave your clothes in twists and knots. Re-shape your clothes so that they dry faster, keep their shape, and don’t wrinkle as badly. Exposing more of your clothes’ surface area to the air will help them dry faster.

For slower-drying fabrics like cotton or wool, you can further expedite the drying process:

• Lay the item out flat on a towel (full-sized or travel towels will work).
• Tightly roll up the towel to wring even more water from your clothes.
• Unroll the towel and re-shape the clothing item as described earlier. 

Hang your clothes to dry. The more air circulating near them, the better. Hanging clothes outdoors or near a fan or window will help them dry faster. The worst environment for drying is stagnant, humid air.

Most quick-dry performance fabrics will dry in a few hours. Wool items should dry overnight. Cotton takes the longest to dry. Some travelers recommend packing a clothing line to hang clothes to dry. I don’t do much laundry in each load, so I just find a few open spots in my room to hang them. You can hang clothes from hangers (if provided), over the back over chairs, or from doorknobs.

Travel Laundry Tips

Use a wash and fold.

One of my favorite travel hacks is getting my laundry done at the wash and fold. A wash and fold is anywhere you drop off dirty laundry and pick up clean, neatly folded laundry a day or two later.

In many cases, you can get clean laundry the next day for the price of a coffee.

Unlike a laundromat, you don’t have to find quarters or detergent or stand around waiting for your laundry. You’re traveling, you don’t want to waste hours watching your clothes spin around.

Instead, drop your clothes off at the wash and fold.

I’ve used the wash and fold a bunch of times on longer trips in Asia and have never regretted it.

Separate Clean and Dirty Clothes

As you travel, keep your clean clothes separated from your dirty clothes. Separating your clothes will keep the clean ones clean and ensure you remember which ones are clean and which are dirty.

An organized travel bag like the Tortuga Travel Backpack is one way to separate your clothes. Unlike a duffel bag or other single-compartment bag, the Travel Backpack has interior pockets for separation and organization.

If you want to go even further, get a set of packing cubes for additional organization. Get a set with a mesh top panel so that you can see what’s inside and if it’s clean and ready to wear.

The Best Fabrics for Travel

Pack travel clothes made of materials that either dry quickly or that don’t require regular washing.

Merino wool shirts, underwear, and the right pair of quick-drying, stain-resistant travel pants can mean traveling for days with a remarkably small amount of clothing.

Here are some of the best fabrics for staying clean and fresh while traveling:

Merino Wool

Merino wool is a travel all-star because it looks good, packs well, and fights odors naturally. Hand washing, as described above, works well for merino which can go a few wears between washes but is also delicate.

Yes, denim jeans are a surprisingly good travel option. Why? Because you never have to wash jeans.

Levi’s Jeans CEO, Chip Bergh, argues that machine-washing jeans is completely unnecessary . Most denim experts agree that a pair of jeans only need to be washed every two to six months or “when they smell,” depending on the kind of abuse you put them through.

Wear your jeans every day of your trip if you want. Then wash them when you get home. The CEO of Levis said it’s okay.

Antimicrobial Underwear

Oftentimes, your underwear is the only piece of clothing that you have to wash after every use. You’ll want to have plenty of clean underwear to feel your best every day.

Most people try to solve this problem by packing more bras and moew underwear, but that’s not the carry-on-friendly solution. Instead of packing by the dozen, invest in just 3-4 pairs of travel underwear and wash all of them whenever you’re running low.

When looking for good travel underwear, keep your eyes peeled for these four features:

• Antimicrobial fabric
• Moisture wicking
• Quick drying
• Comfortable fit

The antimicrobial fabric keeps your underwear smelling fresh while the wicking keeps you dry. You’ll want a pair that dries quickly so you can wash and dry your laundry overnight.

Dark or Patterned Fabrics

Patterned fabrics and dark colors are great because they tend to hide stains. If you’re going to get a travel shirt or pair of pants, get low-maintenance, dark clothing that can handle the inevitable slips, spills, and stumbles that happen all the time when you’re on the go.

How to Remove Stains

The easiest way to remove stains is by using the right tools. Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover Pens are excellent for removing stains on the go and are cheap, light, and TSA compliant.

If you don’t have a stain remover pen, use warm water and normal soap. Be gentle. You’re trying to tease the stain out of the fabric, not push it deeper. Make short, quick motions as if you’re tugging the offending stain out. This is no time for elbow grease. 

You can cut the amount of clothes you pack in half by doing a bit of laundry on your trip. For starters, try hand washing socks and underwear in the sink. Do a small load every few days at night. Everything should be clean and dry by the morning.

For longer trips or larger clothing items, visit the wash and fold. They’ll do all the work and deliver you washed, dryer, and folded clothes in just one day.

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Pacific Northwest native Nick Hilden is a travel and culture writer whose work has appeared in Afar, the Daily Beast, the Los Angeles Times, Men’s Health, Fodor’s, Popular Science, Scientific American, Thrillist, Vice, Runner’s World, and many, many more. He’s carried a Tortuga Outbreaker through year after year of traveling to places like Turkey, Tunisia, Thailand, Vietnam, Spain, Serbia, France, Italy, Greece, Mexico, all across the U.S., and beyond. You can follow his travels via Instagram @nick.hilden.

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How to Hand-Wash Clothes While Traveling

There are few bigger travel bummers than the ripe, unpleasant scent of unwashed clothes, especially when you’re smack-dab in the middle of a trip of a lifetime. Sometimes it’s essential to pack less clothes than a trip requires, especially if you’re backpacking or on a longer sojourn. Who actually owns a month’s worth of underwear? But you still need fresh, clean clothes to get you through your trip. It can be difficult to navigate a laundromat in a foreign country, it’s impossible to find a washing machine on the trail, and laundry service is notoriously expensive on cruise ships and in most hotels . Hand-washing your clothes is the way to go. This guide on how to hand-wash clothes while traveling shows you the ropes (and clotheslines) so you can save space, money, and—possibly, your nose.

See recent posts by Maria Adelmann

How to Wash Clothing by Hand in a Sink

Step 1: fill the basin and add detergent.

Fill a clean (wipe up those toothpaste stains!) sink or a bathtub with very warm water. It should be comfortable enough to submerge your hands in, but not so hot that it will make colors bleed. (We recommend washing whites separately regardless). As the sink is filling, add some soap, detergent, or even dish soap if you’re not washing delicates. We love Castile soap because you can use it for pretty much anything—from washing the floor to washing yourself, plus it’s completely safe on clothes. It’s concentrated so you only need a few drops (seriously, or you might never get the soap out). This also means you can get away with packing a small bottle. Pro tip: If you can’t find the sink stopper, a plastic lid (or even the lid of a jam jar) can work in a pinch.

Step 2: Submerge, Swirl, Scrub

Right before you submerge your clothes, take a look at clothing tags and make sure hand-washing is A-OK (better yet, do this before you pack and leave dry-clean only items at home). You’ll also want to be aware of the fabric type and handle any delicate garments—like wool, silk, or lace items—more gently. Submerge your clothes in the water, but don’t overstuff the sink—we recommend only washing a few garments at a time. Next, swirl, swish, and/or squish your clothes around in the soapy water for a couple of minutes to distribute the soap. If you’ve got delicates in there, don’t go at this step too hard and misshape your clothes. Stretching and pulling on wet fabric is another no no. If you’ve got a stubborn stain or particularly odorous armpits, give them some extra love—rub the fabric against itself (or with an extra toothbrush ), USING additional soap if need be.

Step 3: Soak

If you don’t have time for soaking, you can skip right to the rinse stage, but otherwise let the clothes sit in the soapy water for a few minutes (or up to a half hour if they’re really soiled, stinky, or bulky). If the water is visibly dirty by the time you get to the soaking stage, refill the basin with fresh water and soap and repeat this step. Campers and hikers , we’re looking at you.

Step 4: Rinse

The preferred method for rinsing garments is individually under cold, running water until the water runs clear and free of suds. A removable showerhead is great for this, but you can also do it under the faucet. If you have a limited water supply, just refill the sink with cold water and swish or knead the clothes around in the water. It’s possible you’ll need to do this more than once to get out all of the soap. Remember to use a minimal amount of soap to begin with, or you’ll be rinsing for days.

How to Wash Clothing by Hand Without a Sink

For situations sans sinks, like camping or backpacking, consider a portable wash bag, like this popular pick from Scrubba. It packs down small for easy portability, includes simple instructions on the bag itself (easy), and doubles as a dry bag. It’s a favorite among serious outdoors people—you can even use it in a river or stream.

Step 1: Fill Bag With Dirty Clothes, Water, and Soap

Fill the bag up to 40% full with warm water and some soap (remember, a little soap goes a long way when it comes to hand-washing), adjusting the water level to accommodate the volume of clothes you’re washing. As a rule of thumb, the water should be comfortable enough to submerge your hands in, as this temperature offers a good balance between getting your clothes clean and preventing color bleeding. As with sink washing, we recommend you read any of your clothes’ washing instructions before putting them in the bag and keeping whites away from colors. Don’t overstuff the bag. A couple of T-shirts and pairs of underwear is about the limit, and you may have to wash bulkier items one at a time.

Step 2: Roll and Clip

Roll the bag down several times and then clip it closed so that no water gets out.

Step 3: Deflate

Deflate the bag with the valve to get all the air out. Don’t forget to close the valve when you’re done or you’ll get wet in step 4!

Step 4: Swish

Rub and squash the bag to distribute the soap and clean the clothes. The bag is texturized inside with an inner washboard to help facilitate scrubbing. A quick 30 seconds will do a decent wash, but go for the full three minutes if your clothes are particularly dirty or bulky.

Step 4: Rinse & Drain

Open the bag and empty out the water (be sure to grab your socks first!). If you have access to cool running water, you can rinse the clothes out under the water until the water runs clear. Otherwise, refill the bag with cool water and rinse the clothes within the bag itself by swishing them around. Voila! Clean clothes without a sink.

How to Dry Hand-Washed Clothing

While some hand-washing gurus suggest you never wring out a garment, we highly recommend gently wringing clothes to any piece that can withstand it. Wringing clothes can drastically reduce drying time. After very gently wringing out (but don’t pull hard or stretch it from both ends) your garment, don’t forget to reshape it so it doesn’t dry wrinkled or warped. Hang or lay clothes out immediately after washing (garment tags usually indicate which way to go). If you used a wash bag don’t forget to turn that inside out and dry it, too. Remember, the more air you get around an item, the faster it will dry. So hang or lay clothes outside, near open windows, or in front of a fan, if possible.

Some items—knits in particular—should lay flat to dry. This is because their fibers are prone to stretching from the weight of hanging them while wet. You can improvise how to lay these out—lay them across several rungs of a drying rack, over a big (clean) rock, on top of a towel on a bed, or on the floor (don’t get a wood floor wet, though).

You can also dry items by hanging them on a drying rack, on a clothes hanger, over a cool radiator, or on a clothesline. Remember that some items, particularly knits, can stretch out when drying or get bumps in the shoulders from a hanger. Many cruise ships and some hotel rooms have retractable clotheslines in the shower just for drying, or you can BYOC: bring your own clothesline . Simply hang your clothes over clotheslines, and using clothespins allows for more airflow around each garment. Throwing a few clothespins in your bag might be worth the faster dry time.

Drying Hacks

• If a garment is too delicate to hand-wring or you want to wring out just a little more water from a slower drying item (like a wool sweater), roll it up tight in a microfiber towel and press. The towel will absorb some of the water, and the microfiber itself will dry quickly. Unroll and dry the garment as you usually would.
• Place clothes in a sunny spot. Note: if you do this on the regular, colors will fade.
• Many European hotels (even the budget ones) have heated towel racks. This is a great place to hang-dry clothes!
• Consider packing at least some clothes made with quick drying materials, like quality nylon and polyester blend shirts or base layers. Remember, cotton takes the longest to dry (and tends to air dry stiffly).
• In a pinch, use a hotel hair dryer to speed along the drying process. This is particularly useful if your item is almost, but not quite, dry.
• On a warm day when you’ll be outside, you can throw on an almost-dry item on and let it dry while you’re wearing it.

Drying-Time Expectations

Drying times depend on a lot of variables, including the temperature, humidity, and location you’ve hung your clothes. But one of the biggest factors is fabric type. Some nylon or polyester pieces can dry in as little as a half hour. A cotton T-shirt or denim jeans might dry overnight—or longer, depending on the circumstances. Think about fabric type as you’re hanging clothes, choosing more premium spots (like those in front of an open window) for fabrics that are slow to dry.

And Don’t Forget…

Make travel hand-washing and clothing care easier on yourself with a few smartly packed accessories. Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover Pens are the holy grail as your first defense against stains like grass, blood, and red wine. Dab the product on the stain as soon as you can, and it should lift out much easier when you wash the item. To make slightly smelly jeans and sweatshirts last an additional day without washing them, give them a spritz of Febreze . This instantly refreshes and removes odors at the source. SinkSuds Travel Laundry Detergent is TSA-approved and pre-measured and for small loads of laundry—but it has the cleaning power of whatever you buy in bulk at home.

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The Most Practical Ways To Do Laundry When Traveling

Y ou can only pack so much for a trip, so any adventure longer than about a week means you'll have to face a laundry dilemma. Even if you follow the  54321 packing rule , you're still going to need to deal with dirty clothes.

Before you tackle the actual experience of doing laundry, there are a few things to do to manage the accumulation of dirty clothes. Pack a laundry bag in your suitcase so that you can keep dirty clothes separate from your clean ones. Resealable plastic bags are also helpful to pack in order to mitigate odors or store dirty shoes. You can also slide in a dryer sheet or two to keep your clothing smelling fresh, or put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and tuck that in your suitcase. You can also extend the life of your clothes by hanging them outside if it's warm enough to let them air out. But at a certain point, you need to wash your clothes, and there are some very practical ways of doing this.

Take Advantage Of In-Hotel Laundry Services

If you're staying at a hotel, this will likely be the easiest way to do laundry while you're traveling. Hotels all over the world offer laundry services. In some cases, you can utilize the laundry bag in your room, fill out the slip, and leave it there to be collected. They'll return it to your room once the clothing is washed. In other cases, you can drop it off and pick it up at reception, typically with a 24-hour turnaround.

An advantage of hotel laundry service is that it's the easiest since you don't have to take your laundry elsewhere and you can have it professionally washed while you enjoy your vacation. The downside, as travel guru Rick Steves confirms, is that it's the most expensive way to wash your clothing. The other thing to keep in mind is that this laundry service typically takes a day, so you need to schedule it for a time when you'll be in the same location long enough. This is especially true if your clothing is washed by hand and needs to hang dry. Don't expect a quick turnaround. This is not the service to choose if you're catching a train the next morning.

Coin-Operated Machines At Hotels And Motels

Some hotels and motels offer washing machines on location. A good trick is to make sure that if you know you'll need to do a load of laundry on your trip, book a night at a hotel or motel that offers laundry facilities on-site. The same applies if you're staying at an Airbnb. Confirm this ahead of time so that you can make sure you get a chance to do laundry.

There are a few things to keep in mind when using laundry facilities at your lodging. You may need to be ready to translate the instructions on the machine, so bring a translator or use a translation app . Also, you may need to be ready to have the correct currency in coins or you may be able to use a laundry card by purchasing one with your credit card. If you have specific allergies or skin concerns, bring a detergent that's familiar to you, so long as it's in powder form. Liquid detergent may prove too messy to travel with. However, if you want to save packing space and don't tend to have reactions to different detergents, you can buy detergent there. Some facilities may not have dryers, so allot your time accordingly to allow clothes to air dry.

Hand-Washing Your Clothes While Traveling

The old tried-and-true method of doing laundry is by hand-washing. This can easily be done with small items, like undergarments and socks, by washing them in the bathroom sink or shower at your hotel. There are actually travel laundry detergent sheets for easy travel. Once you've rinsed and wrung out your clothes, lay them out on a towel and roll up the wet item and squeeze tightly to absorb excess moisture. Be mindful of where you can dry your clothes since you don't want your items to drip all over the floor. Hang them in the shower or see if your room has a drying rack. Some locations around the world also have outdoor drying locations.

If you know that you're going to be hand-washing a lot of your clothing while you're traveling, plan ahead and pack quick-drying clothing. Brands like Lands' End make travel clothes that pack easily and dry quickly. Camping brands like REI are also good for this, and athletic leisure brands are also great for quick-drying clothing. Avoid denim and other heavy fabrics for this reason.

Try Local Laundromats

Local laundromats can be a very economical way to wash your clothes and a way to guarantee they'll be ready when you need to go since you're in charge of the operation. Be mindful of having the correct change to use the machines. Keep in mind that the temperatures on machines may be different from what you're used to. Celsius is used almost globally, while Fahrenheit is used in the United States, Liberia, and Burma.

The challenge with laundromats is that they're not easy to find depending on where you are in the world. As Rick Steves pointed out, they're common in the United States and Western Europe, but they are harder to find if you head to Eastern Europe. Don't expect that you can always get laundry detergent at a laundromat. Many may have the option to buy it there, but you may need to bring your own. While a laundromat can be more affordable than options where someone else does your laundry, it can eat up precious travel time. If you're on an extended trip, taking time to do your laundry makes sense, but if it's a shorter trip, it can be frustrating to waste time in a laundromat.

Laundry Services That Wash And Fold Your Clothes

There's also the option of finding a laundry service that will wash, dry, and fold your laundry for you. Some even pick up and drop off your clothes as well. They typically charge you by weight and generally take a day or two. If you need to leave the area, be sure to confirm when your clothing will be ready.

The challenge is that these locations aren't necessarily affiliated with your hotel or lodgings, so you'll need to source them out on your own. They can also be more expensive than options where you do your laundry yourself. It's important to inform the laundry service if some of your clothing needs specific care. If an item can't go in the dryer or if certain garments need to be washed separately, be sure to indicate this when you drop off your clothing. There's also the option of dry cleaning with many of these services if you need extra-special care.

Try A Portable Washing Bag When You're Camping

There are other laundry options if you're nowhere near any kind of laundry service. There's a portable washing bag called the Scrubba Wash Bag that has ridges inside like a washboard. All you have to do is fill the bag with your dirty clothes, clean water, and detergent. Then you seal the bag, rub the contents, rinse, and hang-dry the clothing. There's also a portable clothing line with built-in hooks that allows you to hang your clothes on the balcony or between two trees if you're camping.

This is also an excellent time to have travel detergent sheets on hand since they clean better than bar soap. The only con with the Scrubba bag is that you can't do a large wash at one time since it's small. Reddit user @KoreaTeacher123 told the subgroup r/onebag how much they were able to wash at once: "I can fit two large t-shirts, 2 pairs of underwear and two pairs of socks at once." So it's a viable option to wash as you go, meaning you can pack less and keep the cost down as you travel.

Read this next: 10 Items Better To Buy Than Pack

Is It Safe in Moscow?

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When you visit Moscow , Russia, you’re seeing one of the world’s largest, and most expensive, capital cities . While there is a history of violent crime against foreign journalists and aid personnel in Russia, a trip to Moscow is usually safe for mainstream travelers. Most tourists in Moscow only face potential issues with petty crime, though terrorism is also a concern. Visitors should stick to the principal tourist areas and abide by the local security advice.

Travel Advisories

• The U.S. Department of State urges travelers to avoid travel to Russia because of COVID-19 and to "exercise increased caution due to terrorism, harassment, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws."  
• Anyone exploring more of Russia should avoid "The North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus, due to terrorism, kidnapping,   and   risk of civil unrest." Also, travelers should stay away from "Crimea due to Russia’s occupation of the Ukrainian territory   and   abuses by its occupying authorities."  
• Canada states travelers should use a high degree of caution in Russia due to the threat of terrorism and crime.  

Is Moscow Dangerous?

The Moscow city center is typically safe. In general, the closer you are to the Kremlin , the better. Travelers mainly need to be aware of their surroundings and look out for petty crime. Be especially careful in tourist areas such as Arbat Street and crowded places like the Moscow Metro transit system. The suburbs are also generally fine, though it is advised to stay away from Maryino and Perovo districts.

Terrorism has occurred in the Moscow area, leading authorities to increase security measures. Be more careful at tourist and transportation hubs, places of worship, government buildings, schools, airports, crowds, open markets, and additional tourist sites.

Pickpockets and purse snatching happen often in Russia, perpetrated by groups of children and teenagers who distract tourists to get their wallets and credit cards. Beware of people asking you for help, who then trick you into their scheme. Don’t expect a backpack to be a safe bag bet; instead, invest in something that you can clutch close to your body or purchase a money belt . Always diversify, storing some money in a separate location so that if you are pickpocketed, you'll have cash elsewhere. Keep an eye out for thieves in public transportation, underground walkways, tourist spots, restaurants, hotel rooms and homes, restaurants, and markets.

Is Moscow Safe for Solo Travelers?

Large cities like Moscow in Russia are overall fairly safe if you are traveling alone, and the Moscow Metro public transit is a secure and easy way to get around. But it is still a good idea to follow basic precautions as in any destination. Avoid exploring alone at night, especially in bad areas. You may want to learn some basic Russian phrases or bring a dictionary, as many locals don't speak English. However, in case you need any help, there are tourist police that speak English. Also, exploring with other trusted travelers and locals or on professional tours is often a good way to feel safe.

Is Moscow Safe for Female Travelers?

Catcalling and street harassment are infrequent in Moscow and the rest of Russia and females traveling alone don't usually have problems. There are plenty of police officers on the streets as well. Still, it serves to stick to Moscow's well-lit, public areas, avoid solo night walks, and use your instincts. Women frequenting bars may take receive some friendly attention. Females can wear whatever they want, but those entering Orthodox churches will be required to cover up. Though women in Russia are independent, domestic violence and other inequality issues take place regularly.

Safety Tips for LGBTQ+ Travelers

Russia is not known as a gay-friendly country. However, Moscow is one of the more welcoming cities with a blooming LGBTQ+ community and many friendly restaurants, bars, clubs, and other venues. Hate crimes in Russia have increased since the 2013 anti-gay propaganda law. Openly LGBTQ+ tourists in this conservative country may experience homophobic remarks, discrimination, or even violence, especially if traveling with a partner. Also, while women hold hands or hug publicly—whether romantically involved or not—men should avoid public displays of affection to prevent being insulted or other issues.

Safety Tips for BIPOC Travelers

Moscow  and other big cities in Russia have sizable populations of various cultures, so discrimination against BIPOC travelers is rarer than in other parts of the country where it can become dangerous. Some people living in Russia who are Black, Asian, Jewish, and from other backgrounds have experienced racial discrimination and violence. Tourists won't usually experience overt racism but may be the recipients of some stares. If anyone should bother you, be polite and resist being taunted into physically defending yourself.

Safety Tips for Travelers

Travelers should consider the following general tips when visiting:

• It's best not to drink the tap water. If you do, boil it before drinking, though showering is safe and the amount used to brush teeth is generally not harmful. Mineral water is widely drunk, especially at restaurants, and if you prefer not to have it carbonated ask for “ voda byez gaz” (water without gas).
• If you need emergency assistance in case of fire, terrorism, medical issues, or more, dial 112 in Russia for bilingual operators.
• Be judicious about taking photographs, especially of police or officials. This can potentially bring unwanted attention to yourself by members of law enforcement who won’t mind asking to see your passport. Also avoid snapping photos of official-looking buildings, such as embassies and government headquarters.
• Carry your passport in as secure a manner as possible. If you get stopped for any reason by the police, they can fine or arrest you if you don't have the document with you. Also, keep photocopies of your passport, the page on which your travel visa appears, and any other documents that relate to your stay in Russia.
• Use official taxis only and steer clear of illegal taxi companies, especially at night. Ask your hotel to call a reputable taxi company.

U.S. Department of State. " Russia Travel Advisory ." August 6, 2020.

Government of Canada. " Official Global Travel Advisories ." November 19, 2020.

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

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Planning a trip to Moscow? Our travel guide contains up-to-date, personal information on everything from what to see , to when to visit , where to stay , and what to eat !

• General Information
• What to see
• How to get to Moscow
• Where to stay
• Where to eat

Why visit Moscow?

Majestic churches, impressive historic fortresses, and palatial buildings: Moscow is a fascinating city whose emblematic architecture reflects the turbulent history that has defined Russia throughout the centuries.

The traces of the USSR can be found around every corner of the city , side by side with the iconic relics of Imperial Russia , like the mythical Red Square , the imposing Kremlin , and the beautiful  St Basil's Cathedral . 

Discover a fascinating world of Cold War bunkers, golden-domed basilicas, world-class art museums, and the legendary "palace of the people,"  as the Moscow Metro has been nicknamed. Whether you fancy watching a classical Russian ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre , perusing the fine arts at the Pushkin Museum , or marveling at the sheer size of the monuments to the Soviet state's achievements at the  All-Russia Exhibition Centre , this travel guide will help you on your way!

Where to start?

If you're going to travel to Moscow and you don't know much about the city yet, the first thing to do is to dive into its legendary history - understanding the past will help you understand the present. Next, check out our practical hints and tips on traveling to the city before discovering which of its most important museums , monuments , and attractions pique your interest.

Looking for a place to stay?

Booking your accommodation in advance is the best way to get great discounts. Our detailed guide on where to stay in Moscow  will help you decide which neighborhood you'd like to look for hotels or apartments in, and our hotel search engine will find you the best deals!

Why is our Moscow travel guide the best?

Introducing Moscow is a  city guide written by travelers for travelers  and contains personalized advice to help you make the most of your trip to the city.

All the information in this guide is valid as of December 2022. If you find any errors or have any comments, please feel free to contact us .

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Moscow Travel Guide

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Why travel to Moscow

Contrasts: 12th century monasteries and some of the tallest skyscrapers in Europe can be found side-by-side in this complex and captivating city. The diversity of this mega-city is astounding. Only a few steps away from the solemn red facade of the Kremlin and the sounds of righteous church bells, a buzzing night scene and alternative-fashion boutiques can be found.

Culture: In Moscow only the best goes. Be it a theatre, restaurant or gallery, the standards are certain to be world-class. The Bolshoi ballet company is reputed to be even better than the Mariinsky’s and “MMOMA” (Moscow’s museum of modern art) exhibits works of art as profound as any that could be found in the famed MOMA.

Convenience: Unlike the rest of Russia, it’s easy enough to get by with just English in Moscow and, driving excepted, it is surprisingly safe: the murder rate is lower than in some of America’s major cities.

Top Sights in Moscow

St. Basil’s

Novodevichy Convent

MORE SIGHTS

• Moscow Fact File
• History of Moscow Russia
• Arriving in Moscow
• Getting Around
• Moscow Museums
• Nightlife in Moscow
• Moscow Restaurants
• Moscow Entertainment
• Activities in Moscow
• Outside Moscow

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Why visit Moscow

It would take more than two days to walk around the perimeter of the biggest city in Europe, Moscow. Many of its inhabitants barely know what’s beyond the few blocks around their flat and there are so many attractions that it’s almost impossible to know where to start. If there is such a thing as an antidote to boredom, Moscow City is it. The mind-boggling range and diversity of things to do, places to eat, parks, historical monuments and more means that a vacation in Moscow has a wealth of activities to offer for every type of traveler, from young families to retirees.

Reasons to Vacation in Moscow in 2022

The Bolshoi theatre is familiar to almost everyone as Russia’s grandest theatre, but what people don’t know is that there are many more bolshoi (big) sites in Moscow that are worth travelling all the way to Moscow to see. For more than 100 years, the world’s biggest bell has been hidden behind the Kremlin’s walls and inside Moscow’s main park (which is bigger than some countries!) there is the world’s largest outdoor ice-rink. Travelers that visit Moscow can stay at the Izmailovo, Europe’s biggest hotel, then eat at the largest and most historic McDonald’s in Europe and after that have fun at the largest European indoor theme park!

Ancient Past & Stunning Architecture:

As those who travel to Moscow will see, just because Moscow is a city of record-breaking, glitzy high-rises doesn’t mean that there is no history. On the famous Arbat street, time-worn, wooden storehouses and century-old churches are squashed up against grey, soviet blocks which are then towered over by 21st century office-blocks. Unlike its much younger sibling, St Petersburg, Moscow’s roots stretch way back to the 12th century. Within the walls of the Kremlin, the city’s oldest building the Cathedral of Assumption can be admired in all its 500+ years of age.

Culture & Convenience

For a foreigner who has never visited Russia, Moscow is the perfect stepping stone into this great land of mystery. From the country’s best classical ballet troupes to snow-white troikas trotting through the parks, all the highlights of Russian culture can be had in Moscow without any of the complications that would be expected in other, less developed regions of Russia.

Cheap as Caviar

In Moscow, everything is bargain when with the current foreign exchange rates being what they are. Even caviar doesn’t seem so dear when the exchange rate is at 60rub to the dollar, so go on indulge yourself! Take your 2022 vacation in Moscow and have the best of both worlds, with European luxury at very affordable prices.

Lena, our guide in Moscow was excellent. She was very knowledgable and could answer any question we had for her. We liked that she could pick up on our interests and take us places we might not have thought of to go. When we realized that one of the places we had chosen to see would probably not be that interesting to us, she was able to arrange entry to the Diamond Fund and the Armoury for us. Riding the Metro with Lena was a real adventure and a lot of fun. In Saint Petersburg we found Anna well versed in the history of the Tsars and in the Hermitage collection. Arkady in Veliky Novgorod was a very good guide and answered all of our questions with ease. Novgorod was perhaps a long way to go for a day trip, but we did enjoy it. Vasily was a great driver to have and kept us safe with good humour and skill. We enjoyed ourselves so much, my daughter says she is already planning to return. We would both have no hesistation to recommend ExpresstoRussia to anyone we know.

Just wanted to let you know that My grandson Bruno and I couldn´t have been more pleased with our week in Moscow (6/15 - 6/21). We were absolutely enchanted with the whole experience, including getting lost a couple of times in the Metro during our free time. Although both our guides (both Eleanas) were excellent, I would particularly commend the first one (she took us to the Tatiakov, the KGB tour, and to that beautiful cemetery where so many great Russian artists, authors, composers, musicians, militarists, and politicians are buried). Her knowledge is encyclopedic; and her understanding of today´s Russia as a product of its past was, for us, truly enlightening. I will be taking another tour in Russia, with my wife, within the next two or three years. I will be in touch with you when the time comes. Meanwhile, I will refer you to other potential visitors to Russia as I meet them.

We had a great time both in Moscow and St Petersburg. Your travel agency was excellent in coordinating the whole trip. Everything worked like clockwork. The guides assigned to us were very nice and friendly. They had a great knowledge of their subjects. The cars and the drivers were great. The hotels were good and the itinerary was good. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. It was nice dealing with you and your company. Thank you very much for a great Russian experience. Have a great future ahead

• 31 reviews of Express to Russia Moscow Tours in Moscow

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