travel themed laundry

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 .

Meaghan Kenny

Mercedes Bleth

Hannah Summers

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 .

Packing List

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Savvy Travel Advice

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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Best Travel Laundry Soap in 2023

Need to find travel laundry detergent? Then you’re definitely in the right place because this guide features all the top options for travel laundry soap.

At A Glance: Best Travel Laundry Soap

• Most Portable Travel Laundry Detergent Breezeo Laundry Detergent Sheets Jump To Review
• Best Travel Laundry Detergent For Camping Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash Jump To Review
• Best Value For Money Finzy Laundry Soap Sheets Jump To Review
• Best Laundry Soap Bar The Laundress Wash And Stain Bar Jump To Review

Not everyone has the luxury of using hotel laundry services and if you usually do your own laundry while traveling, you’ll find plenty of useful options right here. Biodegradable soap, laundry detergent travel packs, and even detergent strips are all included in this review. Read on to see the top options for travel laundry soap and find the best solution for you!

Top Product Overview

Top products, breezeo laundry detergent sheets.

The Breezeo Laundry Detergent Sheets  are an amazing solution for travel laundry soap. They’re literally strips of detergent, so they’re incredibly compact and portable. One strip equals one load of laundry, and one tiny box holds 48 strips!

It’s worth noting that you can use multiple strips at once, and it’s actually recommended to use two strips for medium-large loads, or just clothes that are very dirty.

The detergent strips work best when used in a washing machine, so they’re certainly not the perfect option for hand washing dirty clothes. However, they will dissolve completely in hot or cold water, so you could try to use them in the sink and see how well they perform when used for handwashing.

Also, it’s worth noting that the detergent strips are just the best value for money you will find. It’s a little less than $10 for a box of 48 strips, which comes down to just some 20 cents per load.

• Great value for money
• Lightweight and portable
• Plant-based composition
• Clumping issues

Product Information

• Weight: 3.52 oz
• Laundry Loads: 48

Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash

If you’re looking for travel laundry detergent that’s great for camping, the Sea to Summit wash is one of the best options. It’s a thick and concentrated formula that’s both paraben-free and biodegradable. The laundry soap is very gentle on your hands and you can get away without using any gloves when doing laundry.

It also has a fresh citrusy smell, and it helps keep the bugs away from you outdoors. It’s easily one of the best travel laundry detergents, but it’s also one of the priciest.

The 3-ounce bottle has limited availability and it sometimes costs more than the 8-ounce bottle, which makes no sense. It’s better to just buy the bigger bottle and transfer the soap to a smaller container so you’re not paying $1 per load.

• Great for camping
• Repels bugs
• Biodegradable and paraben-free
• Not the most portable option
• Weight: 8.5 oz
• Laundry Loads: /

Finzy Laundry Soap Sheets

The Finzy Laundry Soap sheets are perfect if you’re looking for value for money. A pack of these includes 32 detergent sheets, which is enough to do 32 loads of laundry. And the box costs only some $9, so the total cost per load is just a little under $0.3.

Also, it’s important to note that one sheet is enough to do a classic load of laundry that you would be doing at home. If you’re washing a smaller load or just a couple of items, you can cut the detergent sheets into halves and even quarters.

They’re suitable for both washing machines and hand washing, but it’s worth noting that you won’t need an entire sheet to hand wash some laundry in the sink. A quarter of a sheet should be enough, just make sure to let it dissolve entirely before you add any laundry to the sink.

Additionally, you should know that these detergent sheets are phosphate-free and biodegradable, so they’re completely safe for use outdoors.

• Suitable for machine and hand washing
• Can be cut into pieces for smaller loads
• Very strong scent
• Weight: 3.2 oz
• Laundry Loads: 32

The Laundress Wash And Stain Bar

The Laundress Wash and Stain Bar is an interesting solution for travel laundry detergent. It’s a soap bar that functions as a magic eraser – it’s made to easily remove spots and stains from clothes, carpets, and upholstery.

This works even with oil-based stains, so you can easily get out makeup, pit stains, and even cooking grease out of your clothes. It’s also perfect for those moments when you just need to get a stain out, plus it doubles as a classic laundry soap.

Also, it’s entirely biodegradable because it’s made from plant-based ingredients, so it’s perfectly safe for your hands and eco-friendly. The only downside is that it’s a soap bar, so it’s not quite as convenient as liquid soap and you’ll need to find better packaging for it. But other than that, it’s certainly one of the best laundry soaps for travel you can get your hands on.

• Plant-based ingredients
• Great for spot treatment
• Soap bars can be clunky
• Only for hand washing
• Weight: 2 oz

washEZE Laundry Sheets

The WashEZE laundry sheets are a good option if you’re looking for something ultra-compact and portable. They’re 3-in-1 laundry sheets that include detergent, softener, and static control, plus they’re phosphate-free.

The laundry sheets are compatible with all kinds of washing machines, plus they’re suitable for handwashing. If you’re using the sheet for handwashing, just let it dissolve in the water entirely, before you add your laundry to it.

What makes these so great for travel is that there won’t be any soap accidents in your suitcase, which could happen with classic laundry soap. It’s worth noting that the box includes 20 detergent sheets for some $15, so it comes down to about $0.75 per load. That’s not too bad, considering that the strips also include fabric softener and that they’re suitable for larger loads.

• Suitable for washers and handwashing
• Includes detergent and fabric softener
• Not the best for heavily soiled clothes
• Weight: 3 oz
• Laundry Loads: 20

Tide Sport Travel Sink Packets

The Tide travel sink packets are worth considering if you prefer using liquid detergent. These are tiny (0.17 fl oz) packs of liquid laundry detergent that take up practically no space in your luggage. They’re extremely portable and excellent for those of you who are used to hand-washing your clothes when traveling.

They’re called sink packets because the amount of detergent is just enough to wash a sink full of dirty clothes, or just a laundry bag. That means that one packet should be enough to hand wash a small load of laundry, but keep in mind that you’d normally use a lot more liquid laundry detergent when washing clothes in a machine.

The downside is that these are quite pricey. It’s a little more than $1 per packet (and load), which definitely isn’t budget-friendly. On the other hand, it is Tide detergent, so at least you can be certain that it’s going to perform well and actually clean your clothes, instead of just making them smell nice.

• Quality detergent
• Great for washing clothes in a sink
• Small and portable
• One of the priciest options
• Weight: 2.08 oz
• Laundry Loads: 3

Lazy Coconuts Eco Laundry Detergent Strips

The Lazy Coconuts Eco detergent strips are an excellent option if you want a sustainable solution for doing laundry while traveling. These are eco-friendly laundry strips in recycled packaging, and they’re suitable for hand washing and machine washing.

One strip is enough for a daily wash of a small-medium load, but you’ll need two strips for a bigger load or heavily soiled clothes. When using the strips for hand washing, you should add the strip to the water and let it dissolve before adding the clothes. Also, it’s best to let heavily soiled clothes soak for a while, to ensure you can wash them properly.

It’s also worth noting that the strips are free of plastics, paraben, and phosphates, plus they’re vegan and hypoallergenic. They’re safe for your hands and the environment, which makes them suitable for use outdoors as well.

• Good value for money
• Not great for very dirty/greasy clothes
• Weight: 4.7 oz

What To Look For

Machine or hand washing.

Do you plan to wash clothes in the washer or by hand? Depending on what you usually do, you should choose the appropriate travel laundry soap.

Pods and soap sheets are the most portable option for machine washing, while plastic packets of soap are more suitable for handwashing. Laundry strips can also work for hand washing, but it’s best to cut them into smaller strips since they are made for larger loads. That way you don’t waste anything, and you get more use out of a single strip.

It’s also easier to pack laundry detergent when it’s in the form of strips because it takes up much less space in your luggage.

Indoor or Outdoor use?

Are you washing the clothes indoors, or are you doing it outdoors?

If it’s the latter and you’re going to be dumping that water outside, you should look into biodegradable soaps. They’re safe for the environment and don’t have any toxic chemicals, so you can safely dump the water anywhere, without having to look for chemical dump tanks.

They’re also a lot easier on your hands, and you don’t have to wear gloves when doing laundry. This is especially convenient for using laundry bags or doing laundry at campsites.

If you’re washing the laundry at home, you don’t have to look at the chemical composition as much. Plus you have more options at your disposal, especially if you have access to a washer.

Best Travel Laundry Soap: Our Top Picks

Not sure what kind of travel laundry soap you should get? Go with one of our top three picks, depending on how you usually do laundry while traveling.

Sea to Summit wash is one of the best travel laundry detergent options if you prefer liquid soap. It’s biodegradable and paraben-free, so it’s a great option for camping. The citrus-scented wash is also quite versatile, since it’s suitable for clothes, dishes, and even as a hair/body wash! Also, it’s available in several packaging sizes, but the largest one is the best value for money.

• Super thick concentrated formula with the fresh scent of Citronella
• Biodegradable and Paraben-free

If you just want a cheap solution, go with the Finzy portable detergent sheets . They’re by far the best value for money out of the bunch since the total cost comes down to less than $0.3 per load. They’re also biodegradable and phosphate-free, plus you can use them for either hand washing or machine washing.

If you mostly wash clothes by hand when traveling or camping, pick up the Laundress Wash & Stain Bar . It’s a stain remover soap bar that works for both getting out stains and just classic laundry washing, and it’s excellent value for money. It’s also allergen-free, made from plant-based ingredients, and biodegradable, so it’s safe for both your hands and the environment.

Head over to Amazon to see the prices and packaging options of all the travel laundry soaps featured in this review. And check out our related posts for ideas on other items that might make doing laundry while traveling a bit easier!

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The 7 Best Travel Laundry Bags in 2024 [Mesh, Canvas, Nylon]

Amar Hussain

Senior Content Contributor

777 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 63 U.S. States Visited: 9

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

32 Published Articles 3130 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Travel Laundry Bag Considerations

1. best for big loads of laundry, 2. wash your own clothes on the go, 3. a stylish and discreet laundry bag for fashionable travelers, 4. an extra-large laundry bag for even bigger adventures, 5. perfect for use both at home and away, 6. the perfect 2-piece travel laundry bag set, 7. protect your delicate items in the wash, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Nothing spoils a suitcase full of fresh, clean clothes quicker than a pile of dirty laundry. Keep your clean clothes away from unwanted odors or find ways to wash your small items on the go with a specially-designed travel laundry bag for your next big adventure.

Being able to wash your dirty clothes while you are away helps to cut down on the amount of luggage you need to pack and keeps you feeling fresh and clean on the go.

Whether you choose to use your hotel’s laundry facilities or save your washing until you get back, using a laundry bag will keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean ones.

Most travel laundry bags are compact and pretty basic and will fold up small when not in use for ease of transport. While you are away, use these bags to help separate your dirty clothing from your clean ones, and when you find a laundromat, simply take your laundry bag with you and leave the rest of your wardrobe back at the base.

Material and Hygiene

Made from lightweight, washable, and breathable materials, travel laundry bags can also be washed to help prevent the build-up of grimy odors.

This is especially important if you are heading somewhere warm and humid, as damp, dirty clothing can soon become moldy if left in cramped conditions in material that doesn’t breathe. To prevent this from happening, look for a bag made from mesh, cotton, or water-resistant fabrics .

If you have a lot of laundry to take to the cleaners, consider investing in a bag made from heavy-duty fabrics that will be able to cope with the additional weight of damp and dirty clothing, or consider taking more than 1 laundry bag with you if you want to keep stinky gym gear away from wet bathing suits, and all of your dirty clothes separated from your clean ones.

You should also pay attention to the way in which your laundry bag closes. While both drawstring and zipper closures do essentially the same thing, a drawstring can double up as a carry handle for trips to the laundry.

Hot Tip: If you are traveling as a couple or a family, you may want to consider buying a set of bags so that you can have 1 each or more to easily separate different types of laundry on the go.

The 7 Best Travel Laundry Bags

Whether you hand them to the hotel porter, hit the laundromat, or wash and wipe with drinking water, keeping your clothes clean on the go makes for lighter luggage . There is a huge variety of laundry bags to choose from, but these are some of our favorites.

HOMEST 2 Pack XL Wash Me Travel Laundry Bag

Strong and durable while still being compact and easy to carry with you, this 2-pack of extra-large laundry bags has double-stitched and superstrong seams to prevent tears or ripping while in use. Measuring a spacious 28 x 40 inches each, these bags can easily hold 3 to 4 loads of laundry , making them just as useful at home or college as they are on the road.

With a drawstring closure that provides an easy-to-access opening, this bag can handle lots of dirty clothing, yet still fold up incredibly small when it is empty. Perfect for camping trips, backpacking , and hiking, these are also an excellent choice if you want to keep your towels and pillows clean while you are away.

What We Like

• Available in a range of colors

What We Don’t Like

• White writing can flake off the bag after washing

Scrubba Portable Wash Bag

This clever portable washing device allows you to scrub your clothes clean, even when you have limited access to water. With a flexible textured washboard hidden away on the inside , you can wash your clothes in an instant by simply adding water and detergent to the Scrubba wash bag, sealing it tight, and rubbing it for 3 minutes before rinsing with water.

Made from 100 percent synthetic material and weighing just over 5 ounces, this pocket-size washing machine is perfect for taking away with you and has been designed to keep underwear, socks, and smaller items of clothing clean on the go. The Scrubba portable wash bag is a great idea for adventurers who like to wander far from the beaten path.

• Saves expensive laundry bills in hotels or on cruise ships
• It only fits a few items at a time

Miamica Laundry Bag

This pretty laundry bag will keep your dirty items separate from your clean ones and offer extra storage space while you are away.

The subtle gray coloring with rose gold lettering offers an elegant take on traditional drawstring laundry bags , and if this colorway doesn’t suit your personal style, there are plenty of other designs and colors to choose from. Easy to zip out and fold up small again, this bag is made from a lightweight microfiber material that is also moisture- and tear-resistant.

With a drawstring closure for easy loading and unloading, this ladies’ laundry bag folds flat enough to be tucked away in your suitcase or carried on for the outward journey. The zipper closure will ensure that your dirty items stay safely separated from your clean ones on the way home.

• Folds up into a small portable bag
• Fabric is quite thin

Nylon Laundry Bag

Made from top-quality nylon fabric, this travel laundry bag is incredibly durable, with strong double-stitched seams to prevent rips and tears.

Large enough to fit several loads of washing in at 1 time, the bag also comes complete with a drawstring slider that closes neatly without the need for fiddly knots. Available in a wide range of colors, you can even choose a laundry bag that matches your luggage .

Compact enough to fold flat for your outward journey, you can use this as a standalone bag for trips to the laundromat while you are away, or simply use it to separate your dirty items from your clean ones until you get back home again.

• Fits a lot of clothing
• No handle for easy carrying

HOMEST 2 Pack Large Nylon Laundry Bag With Strap

With a supersize capacity in both bags, this 2 piece set is perfect for long vacations or family-sized trips away. Made from super-tough nylon fabric , these bags can more than handle being full to the brim with enough room to comfortably hold 3 to 4 loads of laundry every time.

The locking drawstring closure will ensure that your items stay safely separated from your clean clothes on the go, as and the wide shoulder strap provides a practical solution for trips to the laundromat or hotel laundry while you are away.

With each bag measuring 28 x 40 inches, these brilliant nylon laundry bags come in a wide range of colors and can even be used for storing pillows or bedding for camping trips, vacation rentals, or even back at home.

• Has a sturdy shoulder strap for easy carrying
• Too large for short trips

Cotton Craft 2-Pack Extra-Large Cotton Canvas Heavy-Duty Laundry Bags

Made from soft and breathable 100 percent cotton material, this set of 2 extra-large laundry bags is the perfect accessory for your next adventure. The heavy-duty material is lightweight but incredibly durable , and the drawstring cinch-top with cord lock offers super-easy and secure closing on the go.

Fold the clean bags flat for your outbound journey, then keep your dirty, smelly clothing separated from your clean items when you reach your destination. If you need to wash while you are away, these bags are perfect for hauling your dirties to the hotel laundry or simply filling them up, ready for washing when you get home.

• Drawstring cord for quick and easy access
• Can shrink after washing

Set of 5 Mesh Laundry Bags

Keep your laundry super-organized with this impressive set of 5 matching laundry bags. Containing 1 jumbo bag, 2 extra-large bags, and 2 medium bags, this set is perfect for short trips, family vacations, and longer stays.

Made from durable and breathable polyester material, these bags are designed to be used to keep your lingerie and delicates safe in the washing machine.

The see-through mesh design makes it easy to identify which items are in the bags , and these clever little storage bags can also be used to help organize your suitcase. Machine washable at 140 degrees and suitable for use in the tumble dryer, you can quickly throw your dirty laundry in the machine when you get home.

With snag-proof zippers, you can also be sure of a quiet and efficient wash that protects your delicates from tangling during the laundry process.

• Can be used to protect your delicates while washing
• Zippers are a bit fragile

Whether you choose to invest in a bag that will wash your clothes for you, even with just a touch of water, or just a simple cotton laundry bag to keep your dirties away from cleans, a laundry bag is a useful addition to your travel collection that you won’t want to be without.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you wash laundry in a bag.

Depending on the bag, you can wash your laundry in a bag. You should try and wash your laundry in a mesh bag, and it shouldn’t be too full either. This method of washing is particularly good for delicates as it protects them during the wash cycle.

What can I use instead of a laundry bag?

If you’re in a pinch, you can use a pillowcase instead of a laundry bag to wash delicates and underwear.

How do you wash a laundry bag?

You can wash a laundry bag at the same time as your regular laundry. If, however, there are strong odors, you can put it on a separate wash using heavy-duty detergent.

How do you separate dirty clothes in a suitcase?

There are 2 simple methods for separating dirty clothes in your suitcase. The first is to use a travel laundry bag, or you can use packing cubes with some dedicated to clean clothes and others for dirty ones.

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About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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This is everything your travel laundry kit needs

Traveling can be tons of fun. However, in many cases, your options are limited when it comes time to do your laundry. That’s why every traveler ought to have a travel laundry kit. They’re incredibly useful and can save you an immense amount of effort. Seriously, you don’t want to be caught in Thailand trying to find the items that normally come in a laundry kit when you could purchase the thing before your flight!

How should you wash your clothes when traveling?

Scrubba portable wash bag kit (5 pieces), premium travel laundry kit, the final word.

Think about it. Most people put considerable thought into packing the stuff they want to take on a trip, but less so when it comes to how they’re going to get laundry done. In the article below, we’ve put together some ideas about how you can do your laundry when traveling at home and abroad.

There are a few different ways you can do your laundry when on a trip. Much depends on your budget, the country you’re traveling in, and your overall travel style.

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Use the services of a hotel

Why not do your laundry while staying at a hotel once you reach your destination? Many provide laundry and dry cleaning services, so you should definitely ask. If the hotel offers these services, you should find a form in your hotel room along with a laundry bag.

Simply place dirty clothes in the laundry bag and fill out the form, which notifies hotel staff about what you want to be done. Pay attention to any fees listed on the form before filling it out, though! Finally, keep in mind that having the hotel do your laundry can be pricey. It’s definitely the most expensive way to get your clothes clean while traveling.

Wash your laundry in the hotel’s bathtub

In case you don’t feel like spending your hard-earned cash on hotel laundry services, you can do it yourself. If you have to wash clothes while traveling all by yourself, you could do much worse. Believe us; it’s not the end of the world if you have to do your laundry in your hotel room’s bathtub or sink.

However, it’s precisely in a situation like this where travel laundry kits come in handy. Each one ought to have the essentials, such as:

• A laundry bag
• A clothesline
• A waterproof bag
• Travel-sized stain remover
• Mini laundry detergent

Whether you’re traveling to Europe, South America, Asia, or Africa, below are some laundry kits we think you should consider grabbing before your next adventure.

The Scrubba wash bag is designed as a modern take on the old-fashioned washboard. It is made to be ultra-portable, easy to use, and effective. It folds down to pocket-size and doubles as a drybag for amazing convenience.

It doesn’t matter where you’re at. If you must do your own washing while traveling, the Scrubba wash bag helps you save time and water.

It also comes with an XL quick-dry towel, an extra-long pegless travel clothesline, and extra-wide inflatable coat hangers for quicker drying.

Here is a kit packed with the ultimate convenience.

The Tide sink packets are great for when you need to hand wash clothes in a bathroom sink or bathtub. The laundry kit includes a stretchable 6 ft Bungee style travel clothesline with clips at each end to secure attachment. Plus, The twisted clothesline allows you to attach clothes without clothespins. The clothesline is 6 feet long, end to end.

Remember that your clothes can get dirty pretty fast when traveling. From food spills to the natural grime that accompanies outdoor activities, your clothes are going to need cleaning eventually.

Of course, there are a lot of other ways you can do your laundry when traveling. You could find a laundromat, book accommodations with a self-service laundry company, or wash everything in a river or stream when camping . (Again, the last one is a great time to have a travel laundry kit with you that includes eco-friendly detergent.)

Our advice? No matter where you plan to travel, it’s better to be prepared to do your own laundry.

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Southern states are phenomenal for escaping cold winter days for those of us who live up north. I recently had the privilege of heading down to Sedona, Arizona, for a mountain biking media camp. I’d heard that Sedona mountain biking is incredible, but it is something you must experience for yourself.

Forgive me if this sounds a bit cliche, but Sedona is truly like stepping into a postcard. The city sits in a valley surrounded by towering red rock cliffs, with multiple trail systems reaching out from the city into these hills and cliffs. And they are not for the faint of heart.

As travelers, we are accustomed to meticulously planning what we can and cannot bring in our carry-on luggage, ensuring compliance with airline regulations and security protocols. However, amidst the focus on carry-on restrictions, it’s easy to overlook the limitations imposed on checked baggage. Surprisingly, there is a long list of TSA prohibited items that are strictly banned from being stowed away in the checked compartment of a plane. So, before you zip up your suitcase and bid farewell to your checked bag, let’s explore what items must remain out of sight during your journey. 

What can you take on a plane? TSA prohibited items When it comes to packing for a flight, we are often well-versed in the restrictions placed on carry-on items, particularly the infamous 3-1-1 liquid rule. Yet, as we organize our carry-ons, it is crucial not to ignore the contents of our checked baggage. While it may seem like a convenient place to store bulkier or less essential items, several objects should never be put in your checked baggage. From flammable materials to certain liquids to popular foods, the restrictions are broad and varied. These are just a few of TSA prohibited items to consider before packing your suitcase. 1. Wrapped presents Wrapped presents always run the risk of being flagged by security. These wrapped gifts can trigger suspicion or require additional screening, leading to delays and potential damage to your wrapped items. Additionally, if security officials cannot identify the contents of a wrapped gift, they may need to unwrap it entirely. 2. An abundance of cash Packing an abundance of cash in your checked baggage is ill-advised for several reasons, particularly concerning security and potential legal complications. While no specific TSA regulations limit the amount of cash you can carry domestically, travelers entering the U.S. must declare amounts exceeding $10,000 to customs officials. However, regardless of the amount, carrying a significant sum of cash can attract attention from TSA agents, who have the authority to question you about the source and purpose of the money.

7 Best Travel Laundry Bags to Avoid Odours on Your Next Trip

Traveling can be an exhilarating experience but it also comes with the less glamorous aspect of managing dirty laundry. Wherever you go, one thing remains constant: the need to handle your dirty clothes efficiently and hygienically.

In this blog post, we delve into the world of travel laundry bags, a simple yet ingenious solution to keeping your soiled garments separate from your clean ones. But not all laundry bags are created equal, you need the best travel laundry bag.

We have scoured the market, tested numerous products, and compiled a list of the 7 best options that stand out for their functionality, durability, and design.

Table of Contents

7 top travel laundry bags on amazon, 1. uniligis washable laundry bag backpack.

The UniLiGis Large Nylon Laundry Bag, in sleek black with a zipper pocket, is the best travel laundry bag for your laundry and storage needs. This makes it the best laundry bag for those who need a robust, long-lasting solution.

This product stands out as a multifunctional travel laundry bag, dirty clothes bag, and camping washer – an ideal choice for various uses, from home storage to outdoor adventures.

• Adjustable Strap & Extra Hanger Hook : The bag features an adjustable strap, allowing you to comfortably carry it regardless of your height. The extra hanger hook enables you to hang it conveniently for dirty clothes collection, saving space and keeping your room tidy.
• Large Capacity & Durable Design : With a round bottom design, this bag boasts a large capacity, holding almost 4 loads of laundry. It’s made from durable nylon with double-seam stitching, ensuring it can withstand heavy loads without tearing. 
• Multipurpose & Machine Washable : It’s not just a laundry washing bag; it’s a multipurpose storage solution for seasonal clothes, bedding, and more. Plus, it’s machine washable, offering easy maintenance and care.
• Size Limitation : While large, it might not be sufficient for those with higher laundry volumes, necessitating multiple bags for larger families or extensive travel.
• Single Color Option : Only available in black, it may not be the best travel laundry bag for those looking for more color variety to match their personal style or decor.
• Lack of Waterproofing : As a washable laundry bag, it doesn’t offer waterproofing, which could be a downside for those needing to store damp items or use it as a wet bag for gym clothes.

2. 2 Pack Large Travel Laundry Bag Pink Blue 

The Nidoul Large Nylon Laundry Bag, in a charming pink and blue color scheme, is the best travel laundry bag – a durable, eco-friendly choice for handling laundry with ease. 

This wash bag is not just a laundry wash bag but also serves as a travel laundry bag, making it perfect for dormitories, apartments, and even outdoor adventures like camping.

• Extra Large Capacity & Portability : With dimensions of 24″ x 36″, it comfortably holds up to 4 loads of laundry, each bearing nearly 12kg. Its collapsible design makes it a space-saver, ideal to carry as a travel dirty laundry bag.
• Construction : The bag comes as a set of two, made of thick, premium nylon with strong double stitching. This makes it the best laundry bag for daily use and rough handling.
• Multipurpose Functionality : It’s not just a laundry bag for travel; it can also store bedding, towels, off-season clothes, and more, doubling as a travel bag for dirty clothes and a container bag for various storage needs.
• Limited Color Option: The specific pink and blue color might not appeal to all users who prefer more neutral or varied color choices.
• Not very durable : As a washing bag, it lacks durability, which could be a disadvantage especially for college students or travelers needing a dirty clothes bag for travel.
• Size Might Be Cumbersome for Some : While the large size is an advantage, it might be too bulky for those who need a small laundry bag or a more compact Scrubba portable wash bag for minimal travel needs.

3. Asonen Travel Dirty Laundry Bags 27 x 36 inch

The Asonen Polyester Laundry Bag, in vibrant green color, is the best travel laundry bag for your needs. 

This laundry bag for washing machines is not just a simple dirty clothes bag; it’s a multifunctional marvel, perfect for home use, travel, and even outdoor activities.

• Large Capacity & Durability : Each of the two bags offers a spacious 27 x 36 inches, ample enough to handle a hefty load of laundry. The high-density polyester taffeta material is machine washable, and wear and tear-resistant, ensuring longevity and reliability. This makes it one of the best washing machine bags for heavy usage.
• Drawstring Closure & Odor Control : The drawstring closure, with a two-way drawstring lock, secures your clothes and prevents spillage in a stink bag. Its ability to keep the hamper odorless makes it a hygienic choice for storing dirty clothes.
• Multifunctional Utility : Beyond being a washbag, it serves various purposes like organizing clothes during travel or storing quilts, making it an excellent travel wash bag or even a camping laundry bag.
• No Extra Pockets or Features : While it excels in its basic function, it lacks additional features like pockets or compartments for detergent, which could have enhanced its utility as a dirty travel clothes bag or laundry travel bag.
• Rectangular Shape : Its rectangular shape, while efficient for storage, might not fit all types of hampers or washing machines, unlike more flexible wash bags or Scrubba bags.

4. 2 Pcs Large Travel Laundry Bag Washable Waterproof 

The Shappy Polyester Laundry Bag, available in a set of two, is a black, simple-style laundry travel bag designed to cater to your travel and laundry needs. 

This travel washer is touted for its waterproof feature, making it an ideal wash bag for camping, a gym wet bag, or a portable laundry bag.

• Reliable and Lightweight Material : Made of polyester with a sturdy metal zipper, these bags are soft, safe for clothes, and durable. Their lightweight design makes them easy to carry, suitable as a suitcase bag for clothes or a small travel laundry bag.
• Ample Space and Versatility : Measuring approximately 15.75 x 19.69 inches, they offer considerable space for storing clothes. These bags are versatile, doubling as a wet gym bag, camp washer, or even a laundry carrying bag.
• Zipper Design for Odor Control : The metal zipper ensures that items stay secure and contained, suppressing any unpleasant smells. This feature makes it excellent as a smell-proof laundry bag or bag for wet gym clothes.

• Durability Issues : Some users have reported the waterproof feature failing, particularly at the seams, which can be problematic for those needing a waterproof laundry bag or wet bag for the gym.
• Zipper Quality : There have been instances of the zipper breaking on first use, which can be inconvenient for those without sewing skills or the desire to repair it, reducing its efficacy as a reusable laundry pouch.
• Limited Use Frequency : Due to the aforementioned durability issues, this may not be the best travel laundry bag for frequent use, diminishing its utility as a travel hamper or travel laundry basket.

5. BeeGreen Laundry Bag Backpack w Adjustable Shoulder Straps 

The BeeGreen Nylon Laundry Bag Backpack, in a sleek black color, offers a fusion of functionality and style for handling laundry with ease. 

This waterproof, lightweight, and washable laundry bag is the best travel laundry bag for a variety of storage needs, ranging from toys and sports gear to bedding to a travel wash bag.

• Extra Large Capacity : With dimensions of W15.75″ x H28.75″, it is capable of holding 3-4 loads of laundry, supporting up to 50 pounds. It is both lightweight and suitable for heavy loading making it the best bag for wet gym clothes.
• Thoughtful Design Features : The bag includes adjustable padded shoulder straps for comfort, a front zipper pocket for extra storage, and an additional handle at the top for easily hanging laundry bags nearby. The round bottom design ensures more space and stability when the bag is filled.
• Versatility & Machine Washable : This multipurpose bag serves well as a scrubber bag, portable washing bag, or a small laundry bag for travel. It’s machine washable, promoting reuse and saving time compared to hand washing.
• Durability Concerns : Despite its large size and capacity, the overall durability of the bag has been brought into question, especially with frequent or heavy use.
• Interior Lining Issues : Users have experienced the interior lining deteriorating and shedding, particularly after placing warm laundry in it, indicating a potential quality issue.

6. Miamica Foldable Travel Laundry Bag, Black & White 

The MIAMICA Polyester Travel Laundry Bag, in a sleek black AOP design, is a compact and functional accessory for your travel needs. 

This lightweight foldable laundry bag is the best travel laundry bag for keeping your suitcase organized by separating dirty and clean clothes.

• Expandable and Efficient : Initially compact, this bag expands into a sizable drawstring laundry bag. Its versatility makes it perfect as a travel bag for dirty clothes, a camping wash bag, or even a suitcase laundry bag.
• Durable and Lightweight Material : Made from durable, tear, and moisture-resistant material, this laundry bag is lightweight yet robust enough to handle the rigors of travel. It’s ideal as the best laundry bag for travel or a washing bag for travel.
• Machine Washable & Convenient Dimensions : Easy to care for, this bag is machine washable. Measuring 6.3” L x 6.2” W when folded and expanding to 21” L x 22” W, it’s a handy addition to your travel accessories, easily fitting anywhere.
• Thin Material : Despite being durable, the material is quite thin, raising concerns about its longevity and suitability as a compression laundry bag for travel or laundry bag for dryers.
• Limited Capacity : Contrary to its claim, it may not hold as much laundry as expected, especially for travelers not limiting their items to undergarments. It’s more suitable as a small dirty laundry travel bag or a bag for sweaty gym clothes.

7. Ornadi X Large Waterproof Antimicrobial Wet Dry Bag 

The Ornadi Anti-Bacteria & Odor Protection Laundry Bag, made with a unique 75% Polyester and 25% Polyurethane blend, stands out as an innovative solution for your laundry needs. 

Proudly made in the USA, this is the best travel laundry bag offering a perfect blend of functionality and eco-consciousness. It is ideal for travelers, gym enthusiasts, and outdoor adventurers.

• Anti-Bacterial and Odor Protection : Utilizing silver-ion antimicrobial technology, it actively disrupts bacteria and mildew growth, preventing stinky odors. This makes it not just a dirty clothes bag for travel but also an effective shower bag or Scrubba wash bag.
• Durable and Stain Resistant : Designed for longevity, it features a heavy brass zipper, dual flex-fit waterproof layers, and eco-friendly stain resistance. Its robust construction makes it the best laundry bag for travel or a camping clothes washer.
• Eco-Conscious Waterproofing : The innovative Thermal-Tech innovation uses heat bonding instead of harmful chemicals for waterproofing, reducing environmental impact. This positions it as a top choice for an eco-conscious wash bag laundry.
• Limited Fabric Flexibility : The polyester-polyurethane blend, while durable, might not offer the same flexibility as other materials, potentially affecting its use as a scrub bag or Scrubba bag.
• Size Limitations : The specific dimensions may not cater to all needs, especially for those requiring larger travel laundry bags or laundry washing bags.
• Price Point : Being a high-quality American-made product with advanced features, it might be priced higher than standard washable laundry bags or dirty laundry bags for travel.

Our Final Words

These bags are not just mere vessels for dirty clothes; they are thoughtfully crafted designs to make your travel smoother and more organized.

From waterproof materials to odor-resistant tech, each laundry bag on our list offers unique features that cater to different travel needs. These travel laundry bags can transform your packing experience, keeping your travels free from the hassles of managing dirty laundry.

We hope this list has helped you find the best travel laundry bag for you. 

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

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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Doing Laundry While Traveling: Essential Step by Step Guide

Doing laundry while traveling is one of the fabulous parts of traveling but it is part of everyday life on the road.

It does not matter if you’re staying at a five-star resort on a two-week vacation or a budget option accommodation during a long-term trip, dealing with laundry while traveling is something you will have to address.

Living out of a bag while traveling is hard. In my backpack, I travel with 2 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 1 pair of swimming trunks, 2 t-shirts, 3 collared shirts, 1 sweater, 4 pairs of underwear and 3 pairs of socks.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have to be clean and this goes for my clothing while traveling. I’m not that stinky backpacker and I refuse to be.

While it took Lina and I a while to get into a groove and figure out what kind of laundry options would work best for us, we’ve certainly tried everything and can speak from experience.

Doing laundry while traveling has now come second nature to us and is not something we worry about anymore.

How To Wash Laundry While Traveling

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Below are different ways to wash your laundry while traveling. We have used all the listed methods while living full time on the road and living out of backpacks.

Heck, we even implement some of these methods on shorter trips so we don’t have to carry as much clothing with us.

Each method has it advantages and disadvantages, which I will highlight below. It’s actually surprisingly easy to keep your clothing nice and clean while you are traveling.

There’s no need to be a stinky traveler or that person on the bus no one wants to sit next to.

Sink Wash: Washing Your Clothes in a Sink

The sink wash method has worked for years and is one of our top picks. Plug the drain of the sink, add soap, fill up with hot water and hand wash your clothing.

Let everything soak for a while before using your hands to massage and work the material.

When you’re done washing, rinse your clothing with clean water. This is the most popular way to clean clothing for travelers. I will admit, it can take forever if you have put off your laundry and have a lot to do, but it still works great.

Wash Time: 10-20 minutes including the soak Cost: Free

Soak Bag: Washing Your Clothes in a Bag

This method uses a plastic, waterproof bag to act as your own personal washing machine.

There are official products available, such as the Scrubba Bag , that have been designed specifically for washing your clothes while traveling.

However, we have also found that any decent waterproof bag will work just as good. You can purchase a variety of bag sizes and I would recommend something that can fit at least half of the clothing you plan to carry with you when traveling.

Throw your clothing into the bag, add a pinch of laundry detergent, fill with hot water and seal the bag.

Shake or mix everything up for a few minutes and then let soak. Once cleaned dump the clothing into the sink and rinse in the bag or in the sink.

Wash Time: up to 30 minutes with a soak. Cost: Free

Shower Wash: Washing Your Clothes in the Shower

This method is your practice for when you’re going to be crushing grapes in France. Plug your shower drain, run hot water, strip off your clothing or place your clothing into the shower.

Then move your feet over the clothing like your crushing grapes and rinse each garment under the showerhead until the water runs clear. This works well if you do it daily or even if you have a large amount of clothing to wash. I use this method all the time.

Wash Time: Takes a few minutes Cost: Free

Things you need to Shower Wash while traveling: universal drain stopper

Wash Bin: Washing Your Clothes in a Bucket

For this method, you will need one or two wash bins or even trash cans will work, anything that will hold water. Fill up the bin with soap and hot water, use your hands to wash the clothing by squeezing and ringing them like a washing machine.

If you have two bins fill the other bin up as your rinse bin and rinse your clothing until the water runs clear.

This method is very similar to the sink method except it allows you to choose a bigger bin for washing. We used this method weekly while traveling through Africa .

Wash Time: 10-15 minutes Cost: Free

Visit a Local Laundromat

Coin-operated laundromats can be found all around the world, even in the smallest of towns. Many hostels and hotels will also have coin-operated machines to use.

This is a great option if you have something nasty that needs a good deep clean or you just don’t feel up to washing them yourself.

Many are safe to use and to leave your clothing until they are done without fear of your items being stolen. If you’re lucky, some even offer WiFi.

Wash Time: Takes about half a day. Good for a rainy day. Cost: $1-$8

Send It Out: When You Have Money to Spare

Have a pile of laundry to deal with but having a bad day? No worries, send it out and stop worrying about it. Regardless of the accommodation class you choose, there is always an option to send your laundry out.

In some countries, this can be an affordable option but no matter where you are, this is the most expensive way of dealing with your laundry while traveling.

It always takes 24 hours and most places will charge you per item or based on your weight of clothing. It is important to clarify how they will be washing your clothes for you.

While many times you will have a standard option of machine washing and drying, don’t assume this.

In many parts of the world, sending out the laundry will still result in hand washing and line drying. Just something to keep in mind.

Wash Time: 24 Hours but is quick and easy for you to deal with. Cost: $4-$20, varies on items and weight, also which country you are in

Wear Them Till They Walk: If You Can Stand It!

Honestly, I’ve never met a traveler that doesn’t do this and we are certainly guilty of it as well. Wear your clothes multiple times until they become dirty or start to smell. 

This method helps reduce the amount of laundry you will do while traveling and also save wear on your clothes. This might sound odd, but washing your clothes can be hard on the fabrics and it can be better to wash them less.

How does it work? Re-wear everything until they start to get a smell. It’s that easy. Some times you can make the same shirt last 2 to 3 years and sometimes you only can get 1 wear out of them before they need to be washed.

This depends on what you are doing and where you are in the world. Astronauts use this method while up in space as there’s no way to wash their clothing.

They wear there clothing until it falls apart. Just think of what that smells like. Puts the smelly backpacker to shame.

FAQ: Laundry While Traveling

Is hot water an issue while traveling.

It never fails that when it’s laundry day on the road, we do not have access to hot water .

There have been many times we’ve been stuck cold washing our clothes and while it is better than nothing, it is not ideal when you’re in hot climates and need to kill the bacteria on your clothing.

You will find at times you need to improvise and can use a kettle or pot of water on a stove or over a fire to get hot water.

The plugin water kettles also work well if you can’t get hot water from the tap. Something to note, if you are having trouble getting hot water to wash, sending it out won’t guarantee that you will get a hot wash.

So make sure you tell them you want hot water used.

How To Dry Your Clothes While Traveling?

Drying your clothes on the road can be tricky. There have been times I’ve had to pack up my freshly washed clothing after it’s been sitting out for days because we have to move and they are still not dry.

To be honest, it is very rare that you will come across dryer machines while traveling and will find yourself in a line dry situation.

There are a couple of things to take into consideration on laundry day before you commit to washing all your available clothing.

• Weather: What is the weather doing? Is the day humid, overcast, sunny or dry? Do you have only a fan in your room or an A/C unit? All of this plays a factor in the success of laundry day. You don’t need to be a meteorologist, but you do need to pay attention. If the day is humid and you don’t have an A/C unit, your clothes are going to take days to dry, this is not ideal. Even a fan on a humid day does not dry items quickly.
• Indoor Drying:   Sometimes drying clothes indoors works faster than outside. If you have an A/C unit or fan that will also help the process of drying clothes indoors. We have hung up many clothing lines indoor before and it’s method always works for us. No matter what the weather is doing outside, an A/C unit will always get the job done. Fans, on the other hand, pay attention to the humidity outside.
• Outdoor Drying: Drying your clothes outside while traveling can be hard, you need a nice sunny day and a great place to hang your clothes outside. At most guesthouses or hostels the best spot can be found on the roof. While traveling in Africa the best spot for us was from the tent to the tree. You just have to make sure you hang them up in a sunny spot without shade. Keep in mind too that you shouldn’t leave clothes out drying if you are not around. Clothesline theft happens and you’d hate to lose your favorite shirt, especially if you’re only carrying one or two. Another consideration is animals, it is not unheard of for monkeys to steal clothing. Just saying.
• Pre-Dry with Towel: To speed up the drying process, use a dry towel, lay it out, place the clothing on the towel, and roll it up as tight as you can get it. The dry towel will pull much of the excess water from washing out of the clothing, allowing your clothes to dry faster for outside or inside drying.

What Laundry Soaps to Use While Traveling?

Make sure you buy laundry soap that does not require hot water. Hot water can be hard to get. You can buy laundry soap all around the world and it varies in price and quality.

This may sound strange, but we like to carry our own soap from the states when we travel. When we run out, we replace with whatever we can find locally, but we’ve found that having good laundry soap goes a long way towards clean clothing.

• Powder laundry soap: Carrying a bag of laundry powder has worked the best for us. Yes, it looks funny flying with a bag filled with white power but we’ve never had issues or even had it looked at. This does mean space and weight commitment, but for us, it is worth it.
• Laundry powder sheets: It is good and bad with laundry powder sheets. They are lightweight but you do not get as many washings out of them as you would with other forms of soap. This is a great option for shorter trips or if you are concerned about weight and space.
• Laundry pods: Laundry pods work well but they take up lots of room, for us we need the room for other gear but the pods can be a great option for shorter trips.
• Liquid laundry soap: Liquid laundry soap is the best for washing clothing, that’s why if you go to a store that’s all you will find. It’s not economic to travel with though. You can easily fill a small bottle with liquid laundry soap for those shorter trips but this is not a great option for long term travel.

Make sure while traveling with any type of soap that you keep it away from other items in your bags, such as food or plastics. Pack it as far away from other items as you can.

I ruined a new Camelbak hydration bag because I had it stored in the lip of my backpack with our laundry soap. The Camelbak now tastes like laundry soap and we can’t get the taste out.

We pack our laundry soap in a plastic Ziploc bag, then that bag goes into a drawstring laundry bag for extra protection.

This doesn’t stop the smells from coming out, but it does stop it from leaking on other things.  We also carry a small plastic SOS pad to scrub hard to get out stains.

Keeping Clean Clothes Fresh While Traveling

All of our washed clothing goes back into our packing cubes . To keep our clothing fresh, we like to fill small plastic bags with potent smelling dryer sheets and then pack them between the clothing.

This helps absorb any smells off of clothes you are wearing more than once, keeps any strange smells you may encounter with your bags while traveling off and also keep you freshly laundered clothing fresh longer.

This is a great trick to keeping your clothes and bags smelling good and we recommend it for every traveler.

Every few weeks we open and remove the dryer sheets on the top and bottom to release the new scent and it works really well.

Items We Can’t Live Without for Doing Laundry While Traveling

Since we are professionals when it comes to on the road laundry, there are certain items we have learned we can’t live without.

They make laundry days easier and faster and every single one of these items is carried with us when we travel.

• Universal Drain Stopper – Makes it possible to plug a wide variety of drain sizes
• Travel Clothes Line – Packs away to almost nothing and makes it possible to hang clothes anywhere
• Fabric Bungy with Hooks – We’ve used these a lot to create fast clothes lines indoors and outdoors
• Quick Dry Towel – comes in handy for pre-drying on laundry day
• Waterproof Bag – To soak those really nasty clothes
• SOS No-Scratch Pads – For aggressive stains and for cleaning shoes
• Tide Stain Pen – We don’t use it often, but when we do, we need it.

So there you have it, all the wisdom we have from spending years on the road and dealing with laundry.

Hopefully, all of our tips, hints, and tricks will serve you well the next time you find yourself dealing with laundry on the road.

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• How to Get Over Jet Lag (Advice from 15 Years of Travel)
• How to Get Free Plane Tickets
• 5 Ways to Survive that Long Layover
• 5 Good Reasons to Use a Vacation Planner
• Is Travel Insurance Worth It?
• 10 Reasons to Have Annual Travel Insurance
• How to Choose the Best Travel Insurance Policy
• Travel Insurance for Europe Vacation: Do I Need It?

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Travel planning resources, about david stock.

I have always been an outdoorsman so becoming an adventure traveler was just the next natural step. I love nature, I love to get off the beaten path and I like to explore. I enjoy scuba diving and cars. And yes, Lina and I have a naked dog.

9 thoughts on “Doing Laundry While Traveling: Essential Step by Step Guide”

Half a day to do laundry at a laundromat? I go to a laundromat once a week or a little more on trips and it doesn’t take half a day. I am strategic though about it where the laundromat is either right next to the hotel or next to a place I want to see. It takes less than 2 hours to wash and dry clothing. I just wake up early one morning to it, eat breakfast next to it, read, and plan my day. If it’s not in the morning, I will do it at the end of the day. If I’m somewhere remote where laundromats are scarce, I just put up with the sink laundry. That said, if you are on the go as far as hotels, it’s a pain in terms of drying.

Yea, it can take up to a half day with getting to/from the laundromat. There are also 2 of us, so twice the clothing.

My mother would put “ready to toss” underwear in her suitcase. Then, she would have disposable underwear for her next trip. It sounds werd, but I did this on my last 13 day trip in Italy and it worked perfectly! Plus, it leaves a bit of room in your bag for souvenirs.

That’s awesome! Gets a little complicated if you travel for more than a couple weeks though… always good to have a solution for washing things. 🙂

Nice article! I picked up some new ideas. I’d like to share another way to practice the shower method – wear your clothes into the shower, soap up, scrub, rinse, then strip and hang clothes to dry. I use this method on bike trips when I rinse out my riding clothes each day but I’ve also used it for regular outfits too. It is so much easier to scrub and rinse with some structure under the clothes. Also, if you have access to a mini fridge/freezer here’s a tip that works well for blue jeans (which can take forever to dry): If the jeans are basically clean but just need some odor reduction pop them into a Ziploc baggie and leave in the fridge (freezer is more ideal) overnight. Hopefully, the cold temperature will kill any stinky bacteria. Happy and safe travels!

Thanks for adding some more tips!

But DO remember to fetch them out of the fridge before you leave or check out… Out of sight, out of mind? Don’t ask me how I learned this… hint: the hard way!

This is excellent. Thank you for sharing. We are retireing in a couple of years and planning on hitting the road till we drop. Or get homesick. Only to go back again. I will definitely be getting the laundry essentials. I was thinking about taking some of those laundry bars of soap as well. Small and compact. Love the clothes line idea.

This sounds great! We’ve never carried the bars but we typically start with liquid and when that runs out buy powder locally. Yes, love our clotheslines and fabric bungees!

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How To Wash Clothes While Traveling

Dealing with travel laundry may be the least glamorous detail of trip planning. However knowing how to wash clothes while traveling, without paying a small fortune, is something worth thinking about. Hotel laundry charges can make weary travelers’ eyes pop from their sockets.

Popular gadgets such as a travel washing machine, or the well known Scrubba wash bag, are a cost we think you can skip. Having done many international cycling trips, end of day always finds us dealing with sweaty laundry at hotel stops.

Drying laundry Camogli, Italy

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For those with backpacking laundry, and no access to sinks or showers, we suggest you read Packing List for a Long Distance Walk from one of Canada’s most respected adventure writers Leigh McAdam.

How to Wash Clothes While Traveling  

Pack the right clothes to wash.

If you plan to be handwashing clothes in a sink, or even at a laundromat, for the love of travel, leave the jeans at home. 

Wrinkle free, lightweight, easy wash and quick drying. At least 90% of what you pack should fit that description. Your clothing will be tightly packed and need washing either by hand or in a washing machine.  

How to wash clothes in a hotel – The sink method

As the hotel room door opens we gaze hopefully for a sink larger than the size of a saucepan. Packing a universal sink stopper can be a helpful part of a travel laundry kit. As I am always packing lightly , I make due with a sock as a sink stopper.

Should one hit the travel laundry jackpot, the shower will have hand held wand for rinsing clothes. These are the hopes and dreams of the traveling cyclist with sweaty clothes begging for a washing machine.

We pack small sheets of laundry detergent or packets of laundry detergent granules. Swish either in the sink of water prior to adding your clothes for washing.

When handwashing travel laundry, please be respectful guests. Minimize the amount of water that gets on the floor. 

How to do laundry while traveling – The shower method

Perhaps the best method to wash clothes in a hotel room is to take them in the shower. You can wear them and soap them up while on your body. No need to pack travel laundry detergent. Use the soap available that you will use for your own shower.

Take the clothes off and give them good stomp as you continue to shower. Then one final rinse and the washing clothes, and your own shower, is complete.

Clothesline in Split, Croatia

How to dry clothes while traveling

After the rinse cycle, whether using the sink or shower, wring the clothes out by hand. Then fling them to your partner, avoiding wet smacks to the face if at all possible.

Place a towel on the floor. Lay the clothes flat on the towel and roll the towel. Proceed to  stomp mercilessly on top of the towel roll, as if attempting to extinguish a forest fire.

Basically get as much water out of the laundry as possible.

From there search out the best location to hang up the travel laundry. Ensure that you are aware of the rules of your accommodation regarding hanging laundry on balconies or windows.

If window or balcony use is permitted, look for creative techniques of maximizing window openings as laundry drying real estate.

It can be a delicate game of how-many-clothes-can-you-hang-in-a-window-before-your-underwear-lands-on-your-neighbor’s-deck?

Using clothes hangers balancing on upper window sills is our best suggestion.

Packing a portable clothesline and clothespins is often recommended. We have never found a hotel room that accommodates a line well. Best saved for camping laundry.

How to dry clothes while traveling in an open window

How to wash clothes in a bag

In the travel advice world, the current sales of washing bags are highly recommended. I think you can save your money. Using a dry bag or even a 3 liter zip plastic bag could work. 

In looking for the best method to wash clothes in a hotel room, a big bag of water seems an unlikely solution. Perhaps for washing clothes while camping, this technique is appropriate.

The overall concept is put water, detergent and clothes in the bag. Seal and shake or agitate for several minutes. Remove and repeat with the rinse cycle.

I have visions of wet laundry and a flood of sudsy water enthusiastically leaping on the hotel room floor.

Using hotel laundry services

If you are in North America or Europe and have unlimited funds, this is a convenient option. How to wash clothes while traveling, if you have no concern over price.

Look for a plastic laundry bag often found in the hotel closet. Check the price list and brace yourself. One washed and pressed shirt can cost an arm and a leg.

A slight exaggeration however, we have seen rates as high as $70 per load. 

Might as well just buy a new shirt rather than washing one’s own.

If you think travel laundry is a hassle be glad you don’t have to use the rocks by the river as seen here in Peru.

Booking accommodations with self serve laundry facilities

For travelers staying for more than several days in a location, this solves the travel clothes wash dilemma. Many AirBnB or VRBO rentals include at least a washing machine, if not a dryer. When booking accommodations look for what laundry facilities are available.

Some rentals go as far as providing detergent and dryer sheets. We see this as winning the travel laundry lottery. Other rentals, campgrounds or motels will have self serve coin laundry. You will require your own laundry travel kit with detergent and a supply of coins. 

Do you have any other tips on how to wash clothes while traveling?

Other articles of interest

60 Best Travel Tips – An Ultimate Travel Guide

The Ultimate Guide To Sustainable Travel – 10 Tips To Travel Responsibly

International Travel Tips – Travel Advice in Uncertain Times

63 Comments

The idea of wearing your clothes in the shower, then stomping them then drying is a unique idea, or just washing in the sink. Be creative I guess!

That’s exactly right John. Saves water and time. It sounds strange at home but on the road sometimes one just has to make it work.

When I first went abroad with a girlfriend in the seventies she did all of her washing in the shower using shampoo or bar soap, and took a diminutive travel iron with her. Small stuff she dried on the balcony, and larger items she took to the beach and spread out on a towel to dry in the sun next morning. She always looked perfect in clean and well ironed dresses etc, and it was all a very simple process. I suppose she spent less than a half hour every couple of days on this.

In our travels in the US, we have found many hotels have coin laundry facilities which is very nice for road trips. Even a cruise ship had a laundry available. Traveling in Europe on five-week trips, we like the heated towel racks for drying clothes. Yes, putting the wet clothes in a towel is great for getting the maximum water out.

That’s hood to know about the coin laundry availability in the US Charlene. Occasionally we have seen the heated towel racks. I’ve looked longingly at radiators but always worries that might be a fire hazard. Always grateful for large absorbent towels!

A few years ago, I went on a 33-day trip to the national parks. Every week or so, I went to a laundromat near the hotel or motel the machines to wash and dry my clothes. That worked out well, and I enjoyed sitting in the laundromat watching the local people deal with their clothes and sometimes their children also.

That sounds like a great idea on an extended road trip. All of our travel to this point pre pandemic has been quite frenetic moving every day or two. In future a reading pace and time at a laundromat sounds like a good addition!

I usually wash things out in the sink using the shampoo/shower gel provided. In warm temps things usually dry out overnight but in cooler places, I have had to pack (in a plastic bag) damp things in the past. Or running the hairdryer over them if there is one. One friend actually held her undies under the hand dryer in a gas station washroom until they were dry. Needs must!

A hair dryer can be very useful in the laundry on the road dilemma. I too have sometimes used the soap/gel provided by the accommodation. always a surprise as to what the clothes might smell like but it gets the job done.

Haha some great tips here and funny images… Sue I see you in your shower with your biking gear all soaped up.:)

I haven’t given this topic much thought because if we in the States we have been in home exchanges or Airbnb’s ~ both of which almost always have washers and driers. And here in Mexico and before (everywhere we went) in Asia, laundry service is very inexpensive. But there are always exceptions … in Sri Lanka it was very expensive to get laundry done! And I’m sure in Europe it would be too and one would be happy to have your helpful laundry tips. Alternatively, I could just wear dark clothes which don’t show dirt and wash my undies in the basin haha 🙂

Wearing dark clothes is definitely a plus for the laundry travel issue. We did find that in SE Asia one could have a laundry service very affordably. I agree that rentals or house exchanges that come with laundry facilities are great. Happy to give you a chuckle at the vision of the soapy clothes scene in the shower. Two birds with one stone as it goes. 🙂

Helpful hints for washing clothes on travels.

Glad you found the laundry tips helpful Indra.

Enjoyed your tips and the way they were phrased, but we were never up to cycling trips and never got the hang of packing light. On long road trips in the car, we use local laundromats and pack laundry soap “pods.” When driving a bunch of students around Europe in 2022, we stayed in hostels and used local laundries recommended by the youth hostels; generally they were much less expensive than hotel laundries. Finally, on a long cruise or cruise plus land tour, I found that getting up early to be first in line for an on-board laundromat was well worth the effort.

Ray i bet those who enjoy cruises could benefit from that front of the line tip! It sounds like you have had lots of experience in the washing while traveling. Certainly a road trip allows for more flexibility. th detergent pods are a good idea. Thanks for sharing.

A very entertaining read, Sue. We’ve usually been fortunate enough to find a coin laundry in hotels and of course on ships. I do recollect laying wet socks and underpants on the back shelf of the rental car. Works a treat once the sun gets up. 😅

We have never done a cruise Sylvia. Is the laundry facility free on the ship? The sun in the back window would make a great dryer.

When I go on vacation, laundry is the last ting I think about. Maybe I should, eh?!

Well if you don’t have to think about it, as in someone else is, that’s the best solution of all!

Great tips.

Great advice! We have now done four different Caminos where we stayed in hostels along our way. Washing our clothes was part of our daily ritual (the only clothes that I had with me were what I was washing, and what I was wearing when I was doing the laundry). Thankfully it was summer (all four times) and all hostels had outside laundry sinks and clothes line. ‘Walk – Shower – Laundry – Sangria – Dinner’ was our daily routine! 😀

Donna you would be an expert at how to wash clothes while traveling! I can imagine that the hostels would be equipped well with sinks for laundry with all of the walkers. The routine sounds similar to our cycling tours.

This reminds me of that six-month trip James and I took back in 2015. I brought packs of liquid detergent right from the beginning, and at some point in our journey, some of them leaked. Fortunately I always put them in the outer compartment of my backpack. I never thought of doing the shower method. If only this post came out six years earlier! 🙂

I have always worried about those liquid packets Bama and you have confirmed my fears. it took us some time to use the shower method and I can’t say we have done it when you just have a piece or two to do. The laundry techniques we use on the road would seem silly at home.

Yes, the towel method is the best way to remove excess water. Just make sure you do that after you’ve showered because the towel will be very wet. We always roll the wet clothes up in the towel and then give it a good twist to squeeze the water out.

One always hopes for a generous allotment of towels. I have been known to dry off with a hand towel and save the larger towels for laundry purposes.

Throwing the washed laundry at you partner and then stomping on it afterwards was hilarious!

I loved seeing the laundry hanging in the windows in the villages in Italy.

Thanks for your tips!

Thanks Nancy. always quite the scene at the end of the day doing our traditional wash and stomp routine.

Sue, as you say, keeping laundry clean is something every traveler has to come to terms with. And your comments show that everyone develops their own favorite technique. I have nothing new to add because between travel, camping, and bike touring I’ve probably tried them all. The only point I would make is that doing your own laundry keeps you on the move: no waiting around for expensive hotel services. If it’s not dry, just throw it in a plastic bag, or strap it to your panniers so it can flap in the breeze. This is particularly effective for undies. 🙂 ~James

James that conjures up quite the vision. Perhaps like a trail of breadcrumbs flying off whizzing bicycles. I think different types of travel create different needs or solutions to laundry. I have no doubt you have quite the wash and dry history. 🙂

Interesting post and often not something we think about when planning our travels. When travelling by RV/motorhome we tend to use the laundry rooms at the campsite or often just a laundrette in the town we are visiting. In Europe some supermarkets have a laundrette next door, so one can do the food shopping while the clothes are getting washed. We tend to pack clothes that wash and dry easily and also we avoid white clothing, so we don’t need to separate our white and coloured clothes when washing.

Gilda that is a great point about avoiding whites so no laundry sorting is needed. Interesting about the laundry facilities next to a supermarket. Not something we see here but it certainly makes for a convenient stop to get the chores done.

For the most part I follow much of the advice you and others have posted when it comes to laundry while traveling. As a backpacker It all comes down to having the right quick dry fabrics in dark colors and doing the undies in the sink as you go along. Bar soap is effective or using the bath gel if it’s provided. I have found hostels that have washers & dryers but some just have clotheslines. Many of the Asian countries, Mexico, Central & South America and even parts of Africa have cheap laundry service, just drop it off in the morning and pick it up in the evening or the next day., it’s all folded and ready to go. That’s when I take advantage of getting everything washed, especially on a long 3 month trip. As for mistakes doing laundry I do have a couple of epic fails. I was traveling thru Europe for 3 months and in Dubrovnik, Croatia I took advantage to wash everything at a hostel and hang it out on the line outside. The weather was beautiful and I took a day trip to Montenegro and into Albania. When I returned late in the evening I saw that the streets were wet and my heart sunk. All my clothes out on the line were caught in a unexpected quick shower. I was leaving on a bus for Belgrade, Serbia the next morning so I had to fill my backpack with wet clothes. When I arrived at the hostel there the elevator wasn’t working and I had to trudge up several flights of steep stairs and of course wet clothes are much heavier than dry. Thankfully that hostel had clotheslines under a covered balcony so I could rehang it all. The other time I thought I was being smart was at a hotel in Florence where I stayed 2 nights. When I arrived from Rome in the late afternoon I took advantage of the jacuzzi in my room and then decided to throw clothes and soap in the jacuzzi to wash clothes. The suds were overflowing and it took many rinses to get rid of the soapy suds. But using your roll in the towel trick, the clothes did dry in my room the next day while I was in Tuscany and before I moved on to my hostel in Pisa. Do not use the jacuzzi as a washing machine!

Ginger these are some very good tips. I am warned about use of the jacuzzi! It would seem such an excellent agitation method but oh those suds. My heart sank on your behalf at the backpack of wet clothes. At the end of our cycling tour in SE Asia we did use a laundry service which was incredibly inexpensive. Almost hard to believe how reasonable. Like you I think the main thing is in what we pack in the first place. many thanks for sharing your laundry adventures around the world.

$70?!? Yikes! I’ve never been much of a traveller, and that would be enough to turn me off permanently. But your clothes-on shower is a very smart solution! 🙂

Trust me Diane I would never pay that kind of money for laundry. In Asia and South America there often are laundry services that are very inexpensive and that I have done. The shower has turned out to be this frugal girl’s best option.

Travelling by car or bike you can dry small items by catching them in the back windows or door and let the wind be your friend. Of course you don’t want to look like the car or bike is about to take off with a load of laundry sails or block your view. But it works and is better than trying to make do with soggy knickers.

Carol I am smiling at the possible images of assorted clothing flapping in the breeze. A very effective technique I’m sure which I will remember in case of need on a future road trip.

LOL this post made me smile. Not to deny the many very useful tips! I’ve pretty much always used the shower method. And we travel with a line and a few pins and always seem to find a way to string it up in the room. See the 2nd pic in this post 🙂

Alison thanks for including the post with the line in action. I think in past we had taken lines that had suction cup ends. Likely the best is just a plain line that you can tie on. Glad to hear you use the shower method too!

Link! https://alisonanddon.com/2015/03/21/brave-new-world-hosteling-in-new-zealand/

Hi Sue! Sorry we’ve been a bit MIA these days since arriving back in the “real” world, aka, not traveling 🙁 Great topic! Laundry was definitely one of those annoying chores, and everywhere we went meant a little different method. A few times in Mexico we hit a gold mine when arriving to a camp spot with a “machine!” Wahoo! But mostly we were on our own.

Our method, if you want another idea…and this isn’t really for cyclists, but more RV travelers…included 2 Lowes buckets, one lid (with hole in the middle, and a plunger with holes drilled into it. Soapy water in one bucket, lid on, plunge away. Move to rinse bucket, repeat plunging, hand to dry. We had plenty of cyclist friends biking the Baja use our makeshift laundromat as well. Hope all is well with you guys. We are back in Colorado. I’ve taken a writing hiatus and am now creating wood art. But definitely missing the writing. I guess we need more travels for inspiration. Hopefully soon. Check out my new gig @ SheShedThatDesigns.com In the meantime, we’re still following along with ya…. Shannon (Living Outside the Zoo)

Lovely to hear from you Shannon. Your home made laundromat sounds like an excellent idea for RV travel. Had I ridden by I would have begged for the opportunity to try it. I can appreciate that it is challenging to write about travel when one isn’t traveling. I am doing quite a bit of reworking and improving ancient blog posts. A lot of ‘cleaning’ going on behind the scenes of this blog. Your new gig sounds intriguing . I’m off to check it out!

I really enjoyed this so much Sue. I am definitely not a seasoned traveler like yourself. I should have had this post before I travelled to Mexico with the Monarch Ultra. I travelled very light, a set of running clothes and a set of street clothes. Every 3rd day it was my turn to run a 50k. Much like you would have with your amazing bike touring, the clothes were drenched in sweat. We had a bare bones budget, so it was very basic hotels, and I would wash my running clothes in the sink. The thought of wearing them in the shower and soaping them the same time never dawned on me. And then taking them off and stomping on them. That is really amazing. If I ever return to Mexico or go somewhere else, I know what to do now. Thank you so much for sharing! 😀

Carl it is amazing what years of travel help one learn. I actually think we heard about the shower trick form someone else. Or possibly just one day we were too tired and hot and walked straight into the shower. Glad to share the tip with you. It’s perfect for a very active trip like yours.

It sure is Sue! 😀

Love the tips, many of which I have used (just recently, in fact!). I learned the towel roll-up drying trick from a fellow traveler in China many years ago; it is great! What you did not include was how to wash thick, fleece-y dog bedding that has been vomited on … (sorry for the graphic detail!) … we had that nice little scenario on our road trip and had to wait for a hotel that had laundry machines. Ugh – no hand-washing or towel drying that soggy mess!

Lexie I believe that could be a blog post unto itself! Vomit dog bed laundry is a whole new category! Yikes. Yes that requires one serious laundromat.

$70 for a load of clothes has me thinking about just getting a detergent bar for my next vacation with the wife. 😬

Well I admit 470 is the highest we have seen but in North America and Europe hotel laundry service is expensive.

I love travel tips, Sue. It is the little things that can often make a huge difference. You are right on about packing the right clothes. I shared with my husband your point about stepping into the shower with your clothes on. A great idea! I will try to avoid wet smacks to the face. I have bookmarked and shared this post on social media. Thank you!

Thank you Erica. The shower idea on an active holiday especially really works well. I hope you can avoid the wet laundry face smacks. 🙂

Wonderful! I love how you inform us while still using a sense of humor. I’ve always been a “sink washer,” but I like your shower idea (cleaning the clothes while wearing them IN the shower). Why have I never thought of that? I like the slinging the just washed clothes at (I mean, toward) your partner to get the extra wet out. Haha. Drying the clothes in a humid environment is the most difficult.

Perhaps I am just lazy that the shower laundry came to be? Definitely saves time, water and soap. After all who ever wants to do laundry on vacation? Good luck with the wet laundry slinging. makes for a good laugh if nothing else. 🙂

I would have to agree that so far the shower method has proven the most effective. “Drip-dry” as Cary Grant will tell you in the movie “Charade” is the best way to go.

Yay for a fellow shower laundry person! Drip dry indeed.

I haven’t tried the in-the-shower method but for everything else I was nodding enthusiastically in agreement. Oh, but I do take elastic clotheslines. I’ve become very adept over many years at finding ways to string them up. I would also add the tip that you need to be a bit less picky about how often you wear your clothes. Obviously if you’re doing something physical like cycling you have to wash your gear each day but for normal sightseeing, we’ve generally extended socks to 2 days, tops to 3 and pants can last a week if they don’t get too grubby. Especially if you’re travelling with kids who don’t tend to get smelly.

Heather that is a very good point about wearing clothes longer. Other than our cycling clothes and undies, everything else gets worn for much longer than at home.

This was truly excellent advice, Sue. You covered all the important points and I enjoyed the accompanying photos too. Bringing lightweight clothes. I learned that one after washed cotton underwear didn’t dry for a week in the Amazon. I never thought of showering with the clothes on, that’s a simply wonderful idea. I take the universal sink stopper and a little bottle of Bonner’s soap on all my trips, and if I know I will have to wash a lot, I bring the little camping clothesline too. And when those clothes are dry, it is such a treat, isn’t it? Cheers to you and Dave and your intrepid travels.

Jet thanks for sharing your tips and your visit. Always wonderful to hear from you. I recall on one of our first visits to the Caribbean how the humidity seemed to make the clothes wetter than dry them! coming from such a dry climate that was an eye opening experience. From then on quick drying only. All the best to you and Athena as well.

great tips and laughing at the humor (toss the wet clothes to partner) and I was hoping you were going to mention that the type of clothes we pack matters (of course you did) but a while ago, a heath coach friend of my spouse told us the tip about the thinner clothes that air dry – the material costs more but is doable and easy to wash.

the tip about washing the clothes right in the shower was a cover idea – helpful post and I am sure you and Dave have washed a lot of laundry drying your travels

I so agree about the first step being what you pack. I’m always on the watch for quick drying clothes. It makes a huge difference. Also lighter packing. Happy to give you a chuckle and yes a lot of laundry has been done especially on active trips. The shower trick saves a step and and some soap and water besides.

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Laundry packing list and laundry tips while travelling

by Anne Betts | Oct 23, 2023 | Luggage and Packing | 7 comments

Updated October 23, 2023

One of the strategies, and challenges, of packing light is to manage if, how, and when to do laundry. The clothes you aren’t wearing are the clothes you need to schlep around from place to place. An essential key to packing light is to pack fewer clothes in fabrics and colours that don’t need to be washed as often, have a plan to keep them clean, and have a laundry packing list to make the task as convenient as possible.

Table of Contents

1. Assemble a travel wardrobe with laundering in mind

2. familiarize yourself with care labels, 3. adopt odour-reducing strategies, 4. plan when to do laundry by the load, 5. handwash regularly   , 6. suss out drying options in your accommodation, 7. fast track drying, 8. conduct a handwashing test, 9. book accommodation with washing facilities, 1. detergent, 2. stain removal, 3. odour removal, 4. dry-bag ‘washing machine’, 5. sink stopper, 6. travel clothesline, 7. travel hangers and clothes pins, 8. laundry bag, packing tips for doing laundry while travelling.

Consider how easy, and how often, something needs to be washed. For example, travel pants and leggings in darker, neutral colours can be worn for several days without washing. Chances are anything in white or light colours will need to be laundered more often and washed separately from darker colours.

Panties don’t take up much space but when washed daily, three or four pairs can suffice. Reusable panty liners worn on long travel days can help underwear (and trousers or leggings) remain fresher. To help tops remain fresher, underarm sweat vests work for some people.

For travel clothing, choose lightweight, quick-drying fabrics. Anything in merino is a good choice. Not only is it lightweight and perfect for layering, but its odour-resistant properties are legendary. For socks, the same pair of merino socks can be worn for several days, so there’s never a need to pack more than two pairs (in addition to compression socks for long flights). The same holds for base layer shirts that can be worn several times without washing. Merino can be pricey, but laundering less means it lasts longer.

Speaking of merino, let’s talk about shoes. If there are more comfortable walking shoes than AllBirds Wool Runners , I’m yet to find them. My Wool Runners are lightweight, eco-friendly, washable, and in the right colour, blend well with a capsule wardrobe. For sandals, I love my Teva Tirra . They’re also washable and spruce up nicely after time on a sandy beach or dusty trail. Havaianas Slim flip flops are lightweight and durable, and work well as shower shoes, indoor wear, or around water.

Become familiar with the care labels of your clothing. Know which pieces must be washed in cold water or laid flat to dry. Anything that can’t be washed (except for outerwear) or dry-cleaned deserves to be left at home.

As previously mentioned, reusable panty liners and underarm sweat vests help reduce odours and extend the time between washing.

Another strategy comes from the performing arts community where costumes need to be worn multiple times. Vodka is a perfect odour remover. It’s odourless, colourless, and has a sanitizing effect. Spritz the offending area with vodka and as it evaporates, the offending odours are removed.

Visiting a self-serve laundromat can be a cultural experience by chatting with locals and learning more about the neighbourhood. However, it consumes valuable travel time that could be invested elsewhere. It also involves figuring out machines and having coins and detergent to operate them.

Another approach is to have a laundry service wash, dry, and fold your clothes, but this requires trust that their products and methods won’t be detrimental to you or your clothes. And charges for services offered by hotels can be excessive.

When staying in holiday accommodation, doing laundry by the load means you’re in charge of detergents and drying methods. It also allows you to do other things while a machine is doing its thing. If there’s no dryer (or air drying is preferred), there will probably be a drying rack and plenty of other places to hang damp clothes and string your travel clothesline.

Handwashing takes a few minutes each evening, and for lightweight and quick-dry fabrics, they’re usually good to go the next day. Unless you’re accumulating laundry to wash by machine at a future stop, washing one or two items daily feels less overwhelming and requires less drying space.

If you like to soak and wash things in a sink, you may have to plan for sinks without plugs, or plugs that don’t work. Also, it’s a good idea to give a sink a good scrub to remove dirt or residue from cleaning products that can stain or discolour clothing.

For areas needing extra attention, such as collars, armpits, and crotch, work on those first. Spend extra time on stained or soiled areas. Then, swirl, swish, and knead the clothing in soapy water for about two minutes.

Another approach is to take dirty items into the shower with you, especially if the sink is lacking in some way. Lather them up, and rinse them off while showering. If the accommodation has a ‘shower bath,’ (bath and shower combo), start by adding a little water and preferred detergent to the tub. While showering, trample, squish, and agitate the clothing with your feet. This works well with larger pieces. 

Hostels, hotel rooms, and holiday apartments offer a variety of places to hang laundry to dry. When staying in a women’s dorm in a hostel, my travel clothesline finds attachment points on the bunk frame. Wooden hangers in hotel rooms and holiday apartments that can be removed from a closet can be hung on a door frame, curtain rod, ironing board, table edge, towel bar, or shower head. Some hangers have clips from which to hang socks or panties. A travel clothesline can be stretched between two stationary objects such as a bed frame, door knob, luggage rack, wall lamp, balcony rail, faucet, towel bar, bathroom hook, dresser handles, or chair. 

To expedite the drying process, squish or wring pieces out to remove as much water as possible. Smooth out any twists so clothes dry faster, keep their shape, and have fewer wrinkles. Take a towel, lay it on a flat surface, and place your pieces of wet clothing flat on top of it, separating each item. Then tightly roll the towel with the clothing inside. Once rolled, apply pressure, or step or kneel on the towel to help it absorb more moisture. Unroll the towel to remove your clothes and hang them to finish drying.

If your accommodation has an iron and ironing board, iron those pieces that could benefit from having additional moisture removed. Or use a  hairdryer for a similar purpose.

Hanging clothes outdoors in fine weather or near a fan, window, or heat source will help them dry faster. Keep in mind that clothes dry more slowly in humid climates.

On a recent trip to Poland in September, I packed two bottoms: lightweight travel pants and Lululemon leggings. I was surprised to discover that the leggings needed more than an overnight to dry. Fortunately, I was staying several days in that location, but had I washed them before a travel day, this would have been handy to know. Taking a handwashing test at home might have given me the intel I needed to choose the best time to launder different pieces of clothing.

Another consideration concerns new purchases and how they react to laundering. If they bleed, it’s better to know this before mixing them with other pieces of clothing.

If daily hand washing isn’t your thing, mix up your accommodation bookings to ensure you have access to a washing machine on a schedule that works for you. When I travel with a group of friends, we book accommodation that invariably has washing facilities. We’ll choose a ‘wash day,’ get ourselves organized, and pool our laundry into loads of lights and coloureds.

Laundry packing list

Many travellers take advantage of what’s available at their accommodation: body wash, shampoo, or bar soap. 

If you have a favourite liquid detergent, decant some into travel-sized bottles no larger than 100 ml for carry-on travel. Or purchase packets of travel-sized laundry detergent before leaving home. One advantage, especially for those with skin conditions, is that you can have confidence in a tried-and-true product.

I’m a fan of an all-purpose bar soap. My favourite is Dr Bronner’s 18-in-One Pure Castile Soap. However, the more I use it for laundry, the less I have left as bath soap. It fits perfectly in a Matador Flatpak Soap Bar Case where the bar dries while it remains sealed away. Dr Bronner’s offers the same product as a concentrated liquid in a travel size.

Better still, laundry eco-strips are a carry-on traveller’s dream. They’re ultra-concentrated, biodegradable sheets of ‘liquidless’ laundry detergent that dissolve in water. Use one for a load, two for heavily soiled laundry, or cut them in halves or quarters for laundry in a sink, shower, or a DIY dry-bag ‘washing machine.’ I’ve used Tru Earth with success, but there are many choices on the market, including Earth Breeze that gets excellent reviews and is on my list to try. Laundry sheets are lightweight, earth friendly, take up very little space, don’t leak, and a small piece goes a long way to meeting handwashing needs.

For stain removal, a Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover Pen does a decent job. It’s cheap, easy to carry, and perfect for removing stains as they appear.

Or, use hand sanitizer. In an interview with the New York Times, cleaning expert Jolie Kerr stated, “If I had to tell people to carry  just one thing  with them to handle stains on the fly, it would be hand sanitizer. It has a high concentration of alcohol in it, which is a very good stain remover and will work on everything from pen to food spills to blood.”

As soon as possible, use warm water and regular soap if you don’t have other options at your disposal. 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. It’s not the time for elbow grease.

Decant a couple of shots of vodka into a travel-sized spray bottle. Or carry an empty bottle and pick up a miniature bottle of vodka during your travels. 

A dry bag is a versatile multipurpose item that can serve as a DIY washing machine. It’s especially useful when camping, and a hygienic choice when staying in facilities with communal sinks. Add laundry, water, and detergent, roll out as much air as possible, then shake, toss, tumble, agitate, and massage the bag to replicate the action of a washing machine. Repeat with a rinse cycle.

A dry bag is a more durable and earth-friendly alternative to a plastic zip-top or garbage bag. For a commercial option, some travellers choose the ‘Scrubba,’ a bag with a handy built-in washboard, air valve, and see-through window. If you’re likely to get enough use of a Scrubba to justify the space, weight, and price, here’s an excellent review from Pack Hacker that explains how to use it. The Scrubba Mini is a smaller, lighter version.

Also, a dry bag is handy when freshly washed laundry isn’t quite dry on a travel day. Packing almost-dry laundry in a dry bag is better than hanging individual pieces from a travel bag. On arrival at your new digs, remove items from the dry bag to finish the drying process.

Not all sinks have a plug, and a rubber universal sink stopper doesn’t work in all sinks. I’ve used duct tape and cling wrap with some success, and Blu Tack works well as a reusable plug. I pack a small amount, about the size of a golf ball, stored in a lightweight sealable container. At 0.8 oz / 24 g, it’s one gram lighter than my universal sink plug and much more versatile.

A retractable clothesline might be available in some types of accommodation. However, a travel clothesline takes up so little space in a travel bag that mine is packed for every trip. It’s lightweight (0.8 oz / 23 g) and doesn’t require clothespins. The hooks at both ends are more serviceable than suction cups. They loop back into the braid, expanding options for setting up the line. My favourite is the Go Travel Pegless Washing Line , with the suction cups left at home. When I stay in hostels, my travel clothesline doubles as a washing line and privacy curtain rod.

Hangers that can’t be removed from a closet rod reduce drying options. For this reason, travelling with your own offers a tried-and-true approach to hanging laundry. My experience with inflatable hangers didn’t end well when the set of two both developed leaks and were useless. However, they are lightweight and improve airflow by separating layers of clothing from each other.  Folding hangers are more reliable. There are a host of possibilities with variations in sturdiness, size, and weight. If hanging clothespins are more your style, these can be hung from a shower rod, towel rack, or back of a chair.  

Separating dirty clothes from clean ones makes it easy when it’s time to do a wash. Choose a bag that’s a good fit for you. I wash daily, so a small, lightweight handmade item made by a friend is all I need to stow one or two pairs of panties, a reusable panty liner, a couple of socks, and a merino base layer. An added advantage is that I think of my friend, Rose (who made the gift), whenever I use it.

When my handmade laundry bag can’t accommodate damp or dirty items, a dry bag is a useful backup.  Might you be interested in this related post?

• 10 Reasons to travel with dry bags

If you found this post helpful, please share it by selecting one or more social media buttons. What are your strategies and packing tips for planning to do laundry when you travel? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Thank you.    

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I bring a small vial of concentrated liquid laundry soap and am mindful of bringing only clothes that are fast drying (NO all cotton anything…ever). Most of the time I’ll do a few pieces in the sink and hang/drip dry (if I even end up doing any laundry at all 😉 As for MUST HAVES on my packing list, one thing I use daily is PortaPocket. It’s a multi-functional wearable that keeps my vital items safe, secure & discreet… it’s easy to use, lightweight & versatile, plus works w/almost any outfit at all, from casual to fancy. Happy new year and Cheers to you, from Chicago!

I love how you’ve broken down the list into categories and provided helpful tips for keeping laundry organized and manageable while traveling. The idea of using dry bags for packing clothes is so clever and I’ll definitely be using that for my next trip. I also appreciate the tips for machine washing clothes and how to quickly dry them. This post will be a great resource for anyone planning a trip and looking for tips on how to stay organized with laundry. Thanks for sharing your expertise!

This is a great post. I especially found the tip about using sanitizer as a stain removal helpful. Something I will be putting into practice right away as my go to has been to use dish-soap but that doesn’t seem to be working this trip.

I love the pictures that accompany this post.

Hey Anne, You know with every article you have so many tips to share that it intrigues me every time. These laundry techniques during traveling are spot-on. It is crazy that some people do not wash their clothes at all during traveling and pack so many things that it becomes hectic to move to places.

The realistic pictures that you shared also help.

This comprehensive guide to doing laundry while traveling is a treasure trove of practical advice and ingenious tips. The insights about assembling a travel wardrobe, using care labels effectively, and optimizing drying methods are invaluable. The packing list for laundry essentials is a must-read for any traveler aiming to stay fresh on the road.

I take a Ziploc bag with a couple of laundry pods. Each time I use one my luggage gets lighter.

Love this comprehensive guide on managing laundry while traveling. These tips are so useful! It is also worth considering packing a small mesh laundry bag to keep your clean and dirty clothes separate in your luggage – it’s been a lifesaver for me! Thanks for sharing these insights!

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Best Travel Clothesline 2022

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What’s the best travel clothesline?

Best clothesline for traveling and backpacking? Do you even need a clothesline for travel? If you are planning to wash your clothes on the road, something more than just your underwear, and more than just a couple of times, then the answer is yes. You most likely will need a clothesline, or at least a bungee cord that you can use as a clothesline.

Scroll down to see what are the best options out there.

Click here to see our favorite on Amazon now!

Table of Contents

Best Travel Clothesline

What are the options? And which one to choose?

Which one is the best clothesline for travelers right now?

Quick Answer:

BEST TRAVEL CLOTHESLINE – HAWATOUR Portable Travel Clothesline

BEST PORTABLE CLOTHESLINE FOR CAMPING – Coghlan’s Bungee Clothesline

The cheapest option? If you have a bungee cord, you can use it as a clothesline.

1. HAWATOUR Portable Travel Clothesline (click for more details)

An elastic travelers clothesline with clothespins.

Overall the best travel clothesline, our favorite.

It’s simple. It’s easy to use. And it’s just so much better for traveling than most of clotheslines. Because it’s made with travelers in mind. Take for example, the clothespins. You don’t have carry your own clothespins. There are “built-in” ones. They are tight. And they don’t slide. There are special clips for that purpose.

Thanks to its hooks the clothesline itself is very easy to set up, versatile and will hold on very well. It’s built to survive more than a single trip.

The line is made from stainless steel.

MAX LENGTH: 10 ft / 3 meters

2. Lewis N. Clark Adjustable Latex Clothesline (click for more details)

A versatile, adjustable travel washing line.

Thanks to its triple-braid design you can hang your clothes without using clothespins. You simply hang your clothes between the cords. Unlike many others you can attach the Lewis N. Clark clotheslines in several ways – either using the straps or the suction cups.

It’s lightweight, very durable, and made of latex.

Comes with a storage pouch, suction cups and a carabiner.

MAX LENGTH: 6 ft / 1.8 meters

3. Coghlan’s Bungee Clothesline (click for more details)

A simple, portable outdoor clothesline.

You can use it as a camping clothesline or at home in the yard.

Just like the Lewis N. Clark clotheslines you can use this one without any clothespins. Just hang your clothes between the cords. Easier for you and no need to worry about clothespins. The only downside is that not everyone likes to hang their clothes this way. It takes some time to get used to it.

4. EverSport Clothesline (click for more details)

An adjustable, windproof clothesline (2-pack).

Thanks to its design, it’s very easy to adjust the length of this line, plus – because of the same reason it’s very lightweight (only 2 oz), and the wind is going through it. Use it at home, in your bathroom, on your balcony or while traveling and camping. Hang your clothes using hangers or clothespins (not included).

MAX LENGTH: 16.4 ft / 5 meters

5. Travelon Travel Clothes Line (click for more details)

A compact, portable clothesline for travel.

Just like many travel clotheslines you can use this one without any clothespins. Just hang your clothes between its cords.

The line features large suction cups, used to secure it to the walls or tiles. If you would like to use it while camping, or if there’s no walls to secure it to, you can easily remove the suction cups and use the carabiner/hook. Or don’t remove them, as the carabiner is big enough to use it with them on.

6. Sun & Sheets Compact Adjustable Travel Bungee Clothesline (click for more details)

An adjustable, portable clothesline for camping or travel.

This portable clothes line is durable, colorfast, and with it you can secure your clothes without clips or pins. Thanks to the fact that it’s colorfast, you don’t have worry about the color bleeding into your clothes.

Attach it to anything from door knobs to trees.

Washing Your Clothes While Traveling

Washing your clothes while traveling and backpacking is easy.

Even if there’s no laundry service or laundromat.

Just bring a travel laundry soap bar, learn how to do it and wash your clothes by hand. If you are like me, and you want to travel with as few possessions as possible, I have a good news for you. Many of the best soaps for camping , and also biodegradable shampoos made for hiking are multi-purpose.

You can use them also to wash your clothes.

One bottle. One solution. Multiple uses.

No more excuses not wash your clothes on the road.

Why Do You Need a Travel Clothesline?

Well, you actually don’t. It’s not a 100% must-have accessory.

There are a number of ways how to dry your clothes. You can hang them on chairs, balcony railing, branches. But is safe? Are those objects clean? For some of you it won’t matter at all, for others it may end up being a constant worry. So, at least for the latter, a travel clothesline is a nice thing to have.

A travel clothesline makes things easier for you.

You hang your clothes just about anywhere. Yes, even in your hotel room. Yes, in front of your cabin in the woods or in your trailer. With a travel clothesline, you always have a special designated place where to dry your clothes safely. They won’t fall from the balcony or won’t get dirt and rust from it.

You don’t have to look for a place in your guesthouse for drying clothes anymore. You don’t have to look for a washer and dryer anymore, since now you can take care of your laundry at your hotel room.

What Are the Alternatives?

What if you don’t want or can’t get a clothesline?

Of course, you can use just any rope you can get your hands on.

If you are in a hotel, and there’s no clothesline, you can use curtain rods to hang your laundry. But be careful, don’t put anything too heavy up there. Because you don’t want to break anything, right?

The cheapest option? Best cheap alternative of clothesline? If you have a bungee cord, you can use it as a clothesline. Just as I was doing in my early travel days. It’s a very cheap , easy to set up and versatile solution.

How How to Choose the Best Travel Clothesline?

Are you looking for a new travel clothesline?

Even though travel clothesline is such a simple device, there are still a few thing to take into account.

The more compact the clothesline is, the better.

Most travelers don’t need a very long clothesline. I would say, some 6 to 10 (1.8-3 metres) ft is enough for most travelers. Clotheslines of this size often pack down small, and don’t take up much space in your bag.

Look for a clothesline that comes in a storage pouch. So that you can easily pack it and store it in its own bag. The storage pouch will keep the clothesline neatly packed.

2. Durability

As it is with everything, some clotheslines are more durable than others.

You want to buy a clothesline that is both durable, and lightweight. When possible, make sure you find out how durable is the material. Just do a 5-minute research (Google – is x material better than y material). It won’t be hard, since most of the materials nowadays are durable, despite being lightweight. 

A clothesline has to be somewhat durable . It needs to hold the weight of wet clothes without sagging. As clotheslines tend to lose their shape and stretch out over the course of time, you need to make sure you choose the more durable one. So it lasts longer.

3. Material

Durability goes hand in hand with the material.

The stronger the material, the more durable the travel clothesline, the longer you can use it without replacing it. The most popular materials are steel, latex, plastic and nylon (like in a bungee cord). Nylon is considered to be the most durable one. Many of the best clotheslines resemble nylon bungee cords. While being very durable and long-lasting, they are also lightweight. 

Plastic ones are the least durable.

Make sure the clothesline is colorfast.

You don’t want the die to rub off and stain your clothes!

4. Extras and Features

Even such a simple gadget as a clothesline can have some cool features.

For instance, clothespins are a nice extra.

Or, special construction, so that you can use it without clothespins. The cord is multiple-ply with small openings which you can use to secure your clothes. Also check if there’s a storage pouch. It’s a nice, small thing to have. It will keep the clothesline neatly packed.

Last but no least – what type is it?

Is it a clothesline with suction cups on both of its ends?

Or are there carabiners? Or are there hooks? Straps?

Which one to choose? It depends on your travel style. If you are staying mainly in hotels and guesthouses, choose the one with suction cups. Use them to secure the clothesline to the walls or tiles. If you would like to use it while camping, or if there’s no walls to secure it to, choose a clothesline with a carabiner/hook. 

Some clotheslines offer multiple attachment options.

Do you bring a washing line with you when traveling? Or are you just fine without one? What is the best washing line you have tried?

Featured photo: by  Bùi Huy  from  Pexels

Book Your Trip Like a PRO

1. Book Your Flight. Find cheap flights using Kiwi.com , Momondo.com . Or subscribe to Dollar Flight Club , if you don’t want to be searching for the flights yourself. Kiwi currently is my first choice.

2. Book Your Accommodation. Booking.com , Agoda.com and Airbnb . I use Booking and Agoda at least a dozen times a year, and Airbnb – when looking for a long-term stay. My best tip is to ALWAYS compare the price. Sometimes the same hotel is cheaper on Booking.com, other times – on Agoda. Always compare the price!

3. Buy Your Travel Insurance . Ekta and SafetyWings are two companies I can recommend. Ekta offers some extra benefits, that will be important for those doing some higher risk activities (make sure to choose the right plan!), while SafetyWings is better for digital nomads. SafetyWings is also very affordable .

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WHIAANHPI and SmithsonianAPA Unveil Joint Theme for 2024 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: ‘Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future’

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center issue call for intergenerational connection, action, and reflection.

The White House and WHIAANHPI will convene over 1,000 AA and NHPI leaders on May 13 for a landmark celebration at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.

Today, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center are proud to present our joint 2024 theme for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month: “Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future.”

Since the late 1970s, our country has recognized the invaluable contributions of AA and NHPI communities each May. For more than a decade, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and WHIAANHPI have collaborated to identify a national theme for AA and NHPI Heritage Month in consultation with the White House and community partners. Previous themes such as "I Am Beyond" (2014) and "Visible Together" (2023) have been warmly embraced, both by federal agencies and community-serving organizations, and have served as catalysts for meaningful dialogue around AA and NHPI identity.

The 2024 theme is an homage to our ancestors and invites all Americans to delve into the legacies, triumphs, and challenges that have shaped AA and NHPI communities. It embodies the spirit of our collective journey – one rooted in resilience and hope – and encourages us to forge intergenerational connections to honor our past and pave a durable path forward.

The White House and WHIAANHPI will use this theme to foster discussions during our May activities, including a landmark celebration on May 13, 2024, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC. This historic convening, uniting over 1,000 AA and NHPI leaders spanning five presidential administrations, will mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the White House Initiative and the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders during the Clinton Administration. Sign up to receive the livestream link here .

About Our 2024 Theme: “Bridging Histories, Shaping Our Future”

As the Nation observes Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) Heritage Month in May, we reflect on our rich heritage and storied past. From Indigenous Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities whose wisdom and knowledge helped to shape this country and continue to guide us today, to the immigrants and refugees who came to our shores in search of better opportunities, to the trailblazers who paved the way for progress across generations – our communities’ journey has been one of tragedy and triumph, adversity, and resilience.

Knowing our histories gives us power. Throughout the month, let us embrace the interconnectedness of our stories and honor the visionaries who came before us. Let us commit to spotlighting the myriad ways diverse AA and NHPI communities have enriched every facet of American life. And let us endeavor to build bridges across generations, experiences, and cultures to forge a future where all of us can thrive.

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI), established by President Joe Biden through Executive Order 14031, is charged with coordinating a whole-of-government agenda to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for AA and NHPI communities. Learn more at hhs.gov/whiaanhpi.

The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC), established in 1997, strives to ensure the comprehensive representation and inclusion of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the Smithsonian’s collections, research, exhibitions, and programs. Through education initiatives, publications, and public programs, APAC provides new avenues to document, celebrate, and share the rich and diverse history, art, and culture of AA and NHPI communities. Learn more at apa.si.edu.

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How to Pack Dirty Laundry While Traveling

Packing , Packing Tips

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The last thing we want to think about is traveling with dirty laundry. If you’d rather not take a trip to a laundromat, find out how to handle your dirty clothes on the road.

Traveling With Dirty Laundry

Table of contents.

Travel Fashion Girl help! A reader asks:

I’d like some input on how you handle dirty laundry. I usually put it in the top mesh pocket, but since I’m trying to pack more efficiently, I’m discovering that often this results in too much bulk. I’ve got a husband and two young sons so we generate a lot of dirty clothes when we travel that I’d really prefer to not handle as much as possible. Thanks in advance!

Traveling is supposed to be enjoyable and many of us want to avoid washing our clothes while on the road. However, when you forego washing, it usually means more bulk in your luggage, which makes minimalist traveling difficult.

While we recommend ways to do laundry while traveling for long trips so you don’t have to pack as much, you can usually get away without doing laundry for shorter trips where you can re-wear some of your items without them feeling dirty and keep them stored compactly in your bag once you’re done wearing them. Yet, sometimes doing laundry is necessary, even on a short trip! 

We’ve asked TFG readers to share their recommendations on how to handle dirty laundry while traveling, and this is what they had to say:

Compass Rose Packing Cubes

Bring an Extra Packing Cube for Your Laundry

If you’re using packing cubes for your clean clothing, why not your dirty laundry? Bring an extra packing cube and dedicate it to your dirty laundry. Use a different colored packing cube so you don’t mix clean items with unwashed clothes.

One reader says, “I find that bringing an additional packing cube is ideal. I have a certain one that is only ever used for laundry,” While another adds, “I use a large sized packing cube. When I do laundry, I dump the clothes and the packing cube into the washer and dryer. Everything gets a fresh start!”

Watch the packing tutorial on Youtube !

In 2017, I launched Compass Rose Travel Accessories and my very first product was a 4-Piece Set of Carryon Packing Cubes . These are the only packing cubes sized to fit the exact width of a carry-on suitcase and they also have a unique color-coded and numbered organization system —the only kind currently available anywhere on the market.

I put together a five-part YouTube series showing you the different methods to use packing cubes. If you use this specific packing strategy, they can also compress your belongings. This is the secret to traveling carry-on only!

Buy Compass Rose Packing Cubes here !

Handy Laundry Nylon Laundry Bag

Use a Dirty Laundry Bag

If you’re traveling as a family and think you’ll have a considerable amount of dirty laundry, a dirty clothes travel bag can be more efficient than Ziplocks. This nylon dirty laundry bag is compact, so it won’t add too much bulk to your luggage.

One reader says, “I bring a lightweight laundry bag that I hang in the bathroom.” Another adds, “I take the same type of bag and have one for each member of the family.”

Take a look these easy ways on how to do laundry while traveling!

Foldable Cloth Storage Box

Organize With Suitcase Compartments or Separators

For those who love to keep their items organized, take advantage of luggage that has multiple compartments, or add your own separators. You can easily see everything you have with foldable storage boxes as shown above.

One reader says, “My suitcase is divided, so the shoes and laundry go in a separate compartment,” while another says, “I try and keep my laundry to one side of my carry-on if possible.”

Check out more tips on how to save space in your carryon !

Travel Space Saver Bags

Compress Your Dirty Laundry With Compression Bags

If you’re tight on space, travel compression bags can save the day. They work like a Ziplock bag but remove the air so the bag packs flat. One reader says, “I put laundry in a compression bag. Works like a charm.”

Another reader shares, “I use plastic compression travel bags. You seal the zipper then roll to remove air. You can also lay on top them for a few seconds to remove the air. I found that is easiest.”

Check out the best packing organizers that will allow you to travel carry-on only!

Ziploc Jumbo Big Bags

Utilize Ziplocks for a Dirty Clothes Bag

Sometimes the easiest solution is right in your kitchen. Several readers recommended relying on Ziplocks as a dirty clothes bag. Since Ziplock bags seal, you can prevent any smells from penetrating your clean clothing.

One reader says, “I use gallon Ziplock bags . They compress pretty flat! I actually take Ziplock bags, large and small, when I travel. They come in handy for lots of uses!” 

Another reader adds, “I keep my dirty clothing separate in the other half of my bag in Ziplocks or plastic grocery bags.”

You can also use ziplock to store some of your toiletries !

Febreze Air Freshener

Spritz Dirty Laundry With Febreze

Depending on where you’re traveling and what activities you’re doing, some clothes may just need a little refreshing. This is where a fabric spray comes in handy. Febreze keeps away odors so you can wear your clothing several times during your trip.

One reader says, “I always take a travel size Febreze spray bottle and spray away!” The travel size bottle is perfect for carry-on travel. You likely don’t even need a full three ounces. We recommend decanting it into a smaller one-ounce bottle.

Here are six dirty little secrets travelers use on how to make clothes smell fresh on the go!

Best Dirty Laundry Travel Bag

One of the best ways to keep your unwashed clothes separate from your clean ones is to use bags for dirty clothes. With that in mind, we’ve gathered a collection of the best ones for you!

Bagail Mesh Laundry Bags

Mesh Dirty Clothes Bag for Travel

If you fancy yourself a color coordinating fanatic, then Bagail Mesh Laundry Bags are for you. You can use this travel dirty clothes bag system to store and separate your clothes—there is a black bag for your dark clothes and four white bags for light colored clothes. 

Being able to see through the mesh makes it easy to tell what is where, and the breathable fabric means your clothes will protect your delicates. Plus, you can throw the bags right into the washing machine!

Use a capsule wardrobe to pack light but create many outfits. Learn more in my guide !

Scrubba Wash Bag

Portable Laundry Bag for Travel

The Scrubba Wash Bag is not only one of the best laundry bags for travel, but it also washes clothes! It’s perfect for those longer trips where you don’t want to pack a whole ton of clothes but still need something to wear.

You can use this clean dirty laundry travel bag to ensure that you never run out of clothes by doing your laundry using a quick-and-easy method. Just add soap!

Learn how to hand wash clothing while traveling. We talk about using the Scrubba Wash Bag, too!

Allurette Scrubba Wash Bag

Laundry Bag for Delicates 

For travelers with delicate clothing, the lightweight  Allurette Scrubba Wash Bag is perfect. While the original Scrubba works brilliantly for to clean your regular and technical clothing, the Allurette will gently wash all your delicates including bras and underwear. You can also use it to store dirty clothing when on the move!

Check out these picks for the best travel laundry soap according to TFG readers!

Mimica Laundry Bag

Compact Dirty Clothes Bag for Travel

Cute and compact, this travel dirty clothes bag is ideal to toss in your suitcase and use while you’re on the road for your dirty laundry. The Miamica is a lightweight, microfibre bag that conveniently separates the dirty from the clean.

It’s expandable for when you have clothes that need to be washed to put inside it and closes with a drawstring. Plus, it’s both tear and moisture resistant.

Prefer to launder on the go? Take a look at these portable travel clothes lines that are all very packable!

BeeGreen Laundry Backpack

Backpack Dirty Laundry Bag

Built with jet setting in mind, the BeeGreen Laundry Backpack  is a good solution for storing your dirty laundry while you’re traveling. 

You can hang this bag for dirty clothes on the back of the bathroom door (or any door) of your accommodations and put in your dirty laundry. Once you’re ready to head back home, simply pack the bag in your suitcase and voila! Laundry is taken care of.

Mziart Collapsible Laundry Hamper

Laundry Bag Travel Hamper

If you need to take care of your dirty clothes, packing a dirty laundry bag hamper in your bag can make it much easier to store your bulky, unclean clothes. 

The Mziart Collapsible Laundry Hamper  is awesome because it can hold a ton of clothes—but be careful not to store too much or you’ll end up not fitting it all in your bag when you head home!

Product Comparison Chart

[wpsm_comparison_table id=”145″ class=”center-table-align”]

What are your tips on how to handle dirty clothes while traveling? Share in the comments below!

For more tips on packing clothes for travel, please read:

• How to Pack More Efficiently
• How to Organize like a Pro
• The Best Packing Organizers
• How to Make Clothes Smell Fresh on the Go

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I hope you liked these tips on how to handle dirty laundry while traveling. Please share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Great post! It’s important to hang clothing to air out between wearings, which can be enough to freshen the piece to wear again. A quick spritz with vodka or isopropyl alcohol will make an even bigger impact for freshness. Both of these steps can help reduce the funk and keep the entire suitcase fresh. Always try to pack items that are completely dry.

Great tips, thanks for sharing Diane!

Are your Compass Rose Packing Cubes no longer available (april 2022)

Thank you for reaching out and for your interest. Unfortunately at this moment in time we are not sure when we are going to begin making our compass rose products again.

We do have other suggestions for packing cubes based on our readers recommendations here: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/packing-cubes/

And for anti-theft products: https://www.travelfashiongirl.com/best-money-belts-and-anti-theft-travel-accessories/

Sorry I could not have been of more help.

DIY Febreeze: 2/3 vodka or hand sanitizer, 1/3 water, a few drops of lavender and tea tree oil in a spray bottle.

Hi Melissa, thank you so much for sharing your travel tips for dealing with dirty laundry!! 🙂

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Disneyland's Pixar Fest is here: A high-energy show for kids, relaxing for parents

ANAHEIM, Calif. − M ad onna has got nothing on Edna Mode .

"The Incredible s " character slides side-to-side onstage, hitting Vogue-y poses that could rival the queen of pop herself. Watching with rapt attention are several small children, all of whom appear no more than 10-years-old. They jump up and down with her, hitting their own poses and sliding left to right.

At several points, non-character cast members give energetic dance instructions to the kids over music, telling them to flex, rock back and forth, clap, run, freeze, and more. The kid-friendly moves look like they could have come straight from an 80s workout video, but instead of Jane Fonda, the instructors are Edna Mode, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Frozone and other beloved characters from "Toy Story" and "Inside Out."

It's all part of "Pixar Pals Playtime Party" (try saying that three times fast) − a new show coming to Fantasyland Theatre at Southern California's Disneyland for Pixar Fest, which starts Friday and lasts through Aug. 4. USA TODAY caught a media preview of the show on Thursday, as well as a glimpse at the wide array of creative food offerings. Here's what to expect.

What's the Pixar Palace Playtime Party like?

Really tiring if you're a kid, but really relaxing if you're a parent. (Isn't that how theme parks ought to be?)

For about an hour, cast members get participants up on their feet and encourage them to dance, taking them through moves that include walking in an impromptu fashion show and forming a conga line. It's an energetic hour, but there's plenty of bleacher seating in the back for parents and kids who just want to sit, watch and catch their breath.

It's also a great opportunity to see some beloved Pixar characters up close. Woody, Jessie and Bo Peep from "Toy Story" join the non-costumed cast members onstage, as do Happiness and Sadness from "Inside Out." The characters also come down from the stage to dance with the kids on the floor, creating a more lively − and likely more memorable − experience of interacting with a character than waiting several minutes for a quick photo.

The show itself is pretty adorable and serves as more of an activity than a viewing. The kids at the preview event were constantly moving. At one point, a little girl dressed as Jessie jumped with glee at seeing the cowgirl herself onstage. Sadness from "Inside Out" also elicited plenty of laughs as Joy did her best to get her to move to the cheerful music.

For kids who aren't interested in dancing, there's also a "Luca"-themed area where they can color and chill out.

More: Disneyland revamps Mickey's Toontown to improve accessibility, relaxation: An inside look

What's the food like?

Decadent. Chances are, whatever you're in the mood for, they have for Pixar Fest − so long as that mood doesn't include anything healthy. (But aren't Disneyland days automatic cheat days anyway?)

On display for media were cookies and cupcakes galore, "Finding Nemo" cake pops, churros covered in gummy candy and chocolate sauce and mini-chocolate cakes decorated like tires from "Cars." And those sweets don't even scratch the surface.

For more savory options, there are also chicken and potato waffles in bite-sized pieces, pesto pasta, a pizza topped with burger patties, and even a "Ratatouille Pizzetta," a mini-pizza topped with eggplant, squash, zucchini, tomato sauce, and a wedge of French camembert cheese.

More: Here's an inside look at Disneyland's new Runaway Railway ride and Disney100 celebration

What else is at Pixar Fest?

So much. There's decor where you can pose for photos at the fronts of both Disneyland and California Adventure. There's "Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!," which is a California Adventure parade with the most Pixar characters of any parade in a Disney park. There's Club Pixar , which is an interactive DJ dance party that also features games like cornhole and tic-tac-toe. And there's "Together Forever − A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular," an evening projection show that includes beloved Pixar characters old and new, as well as new emotions from the upcoming "Inside Out 2" film.

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This Quaint Town in Portugal Was Just Named the Best Place to Invest in Europe — and It Has Stunning Beaches

Lush pine forests, cobblestone streets, endless ocean views, and low real estate prices await in this quaint community in northern Portugal.

Xurxo Lobato/Getty Images

Portugal is on everyone's mind these days. The country's sunny weather , many beaches , and affordable cost of living have made it a popular choice for retirees and digital nomads. However, as is often the case, real estate prices in some of its most sought-after regions, like the capital, Lisbon and Algarve , have soared. But that doesn't mean you should give up on your dream of owning property in Portugal.

A new report by International Living ranked the small, under-the-radar- town of Caminha the best place to invest in real estate in Europe for its value and growth potential. 

The community is located in the northwest along the mouth of the Minho River, which separates Portugal from Spain, and is home to about 16,000 residents. International Living gave Caminha a perfect score of 10 in the relative value category and nine for quality of life and stability.

"Caminha, which is only separated from Spain by a river, completely charmed me," Ronan McMahon, founder of Real Estate Trend Alert and author of International Living's Global Real Estate Index, told Travel + Leisure . "It has a beautiful Old Town surrounded by a verdant and bucolic countryside, with mountains, rivers, forests, and fields overflowing with brightly colored flowers and fruit trees heavy with their bounty. And then there are the stunning Atlantic beaches."

The ancient town has plenty of character, with fountains, churches, and other buildings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. And it's easily accessible from Porto, which is just an hour and 15 minutes south, providing access to an international airport. 

Jeff Opdyke, International Living's personal finance editor, called Caminha a "holdover of Portugal before tourism and modernity swept over Lisbon, the Algarve, and Porto," where affordable real estate is still the norm. 

Potential buyers can find apartments downtown for as low as $150,000 and stand-alone houses for $280,000 .

And while Caminha is the best place to invest in Europe, another destination took the top prize for global real estate value: Mexico's Los Cabos. International Living ranked first with almost perfect scores in categories such as income potential, climate, and international appeal. Riviera Maya and Estepona in Spain, a town in the country's famous Costa del Sol region, are tied for the third place.

You can see the full ranking at internationaliving.com .

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