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 biodegradable, 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.
Washboard
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.
- Isopropyl 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!
James Post author
We usually travel twice a year, on transAtlantic cruises spending about a week in Barcelona or Rome before or after the cruise. We look for laundromats before leaving home and usually find one near our hotel.
We are generally away for about a month each time. Needless to say we have to do laundry at some point. We’ve tried almost every way you mention to do laundry, including taking extra clothes to avoid the task. We’ve finally settled on taking fewer clothes and opting for self-serve laundromats in places we visit. We use 1 or 2 of the 8-10 kg washers (about 4€ each and 1 dryer (about 1€ per 10 minutes). The washers dispense liquid detergent, fabric softener and disinfectant during the apropriate cycle. No fuss, no mess, just the time it tskes to run the cycles which is about 30 minutes per machine.
We stopped doing hand was many years ago. It’s too messy and takes too long for clothes to dry. Hotels often have ironing boards and irons for the things we need to iron, but cruise ships do not. We never use the kzundry services at hotels or on cruise ships. It’s far too expensive and we’ve had things go missing. We prefer taking the time to go to a laundromat and doing it ourselves.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi James,
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and let us know about the different ways you have washed your clothes over time during your travels. And yes it obviously depends a lot on where you are traveling and how you are traveling. Laundromats are a really effective way, especially if you have a lot of clothes (whereas hand washing is often better for smaller amounts) and are traveling in larger towns and cities. Most laundromats have the detergent and such as well as you noted which is convenient.
Just a note on cruises for future readers, while some cruises only offer the regular paid laundry services that can often be pricey, I know the Cunard RMS Queen Mary 2 (transatlantic cruise ship) does offer a few little laundrettes areas on the ship which have clothing irons and boards (free to use, but only in those areas due to fire hazards) and washers and dryers where you can do your own laundry. They also provide free laundry soap (best to use the provided rather than your own if you can as it works best for those machines). I beleive all the Cunard ships have these free self-service laundrettes (as well as the regular paid professional laundry services) on board. Laurence just used one last week to iron his shirts on the Queen Mary 2 when we got on. But this is increasily uncommon on cruise ships but always good to check ahead. Our stateroom also had the drying line in the shower as well so if have a few pieces to hand wash or swimwear to hang, you could dry them there.
Best,
Jessica
James Post author
Thanks for the note about Cunard Cruise Line. We have never sailed with them. NCL used to have free self-serve laundromats on some of its ships, but they have got rid if them. I have yet to find such on RCCL or MSC, and I doubt they have them. At a certain loyalty status, NCL used to offer one freebag of laundry to guests of that ststus or higher, I don’t know if this is still the case. My sister has told me there are paid self-serve laundromats on Princess.
As we frequently stay in big cities on our travels in Europe, it is not too difficult to find lsundromats near our hotel. We prefer this option to handwandwashing, and it’s chesper snd faster than hotel or cruise ship services.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi James,
Yes, I don’t think most cruise ships have free self-service laundries. I think they are most common on larger ships that offer regular world cruises or other long crusies from what I’ve heard. This makes sense as it gives people a place to do their own laundry on months-long voyages if they want. Laurence and I were just on a 1 week transatlanic cruise aboard the QM2 earlier this month, but some people on the ship had been on since January as part of a world cruise (so about 5 months). But always a good idea for cruisers to check options in advance.
Yes, in larger Western Europe cities we’ve also had very good luck on doing laundry at laundromats as well as needed. There’s usually one nearby if staying in central areas. Similarly, usually easy to find a laundromate in large cities in the USA like NYC or San Francisco. I think we were staying at a hotel within walking distance of at least 3 laundrettes (around Chinatown) a couple weeks ago when in NYC.
Thanks again for sharing your experiences and tips on doing laundry on your travels!
Best,
Jessica
Mohamed Hashi Post author
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
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
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!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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!
Best,
Jessica
Jason Lucas Post author
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
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Jason,
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
thanks so much for your helpful reply Jessica – the dr bronners looks perfect for us and already placed an order!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Jason,
Glad to be helfpul, and hope you find that the Dr. Bronner’s soap works well for your upcoming family trips!
Happy travels!
Jessica
Carol T. Booker Post author
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!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Carol,
Thanks for taking the time to comment, glad you found our tips helpful.
Happy travels!
Jessica
Kimberly Post author
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?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Marty,
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.
Hope that helps!
Jessica
WS Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks W.S., glad you enjoyed our travel laundry guide! Wishing you happy travels and clean clothes 😉
Best,
Jessica
Adrienne Crawford Post author
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!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Adrienne,
So glad you enjoyed our travel tips, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Happy travels,
Jessica
queenslanddry Post author
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!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hello,
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 😉
Best,
Jessica
Sarah H Post author
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
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Sarah,
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!
Best,
Jessica
Elle Jones Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Elle,
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.
Best,
Jessica
Gomer Reyes Post author
Good day! Just want you to know that your blog article on travel laundry is really helpful in my end. Thanks for this information.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Gomer,
You are very welcome, and wishing you happy travels (and clean clothes)!
Best,
Jessica
Kevin L. Enriquez Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Kevin,
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
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!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Laura,
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!
Best,
Jessica
Henry Killingsworth Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Henry,
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.
Best,
Jessica
Fiona Post author
Great blog about laundry care! This is good to know for the people that’s travelling all around the world a lot.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Fiona,
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.
Best,
Jessica
Shanta Jacobs Post author
How would you recommend removing stubborn stains from clothes when traveling? I want to not worry about stains.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Shanta,
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
Hello,
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
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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!
Best,
Jessica
Laura Post author
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!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Laura,
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.
Hope that helps!
Jessica
Rick Jones Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Rick,
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.
Best,
Jessica
Margaret Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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.
Happy travels,
Jessica
Carl Green Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Carl,
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 😉
Best,
Jessica
Alice Carroll Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Alice,
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!
Best,
Jessica
Homer Post author
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?
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Homer,
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.
Hope that helps!
Jessica
Frank Ball Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Frank,
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.
Best,
Jessica
John Martin Post author
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!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Yuki, Glad it was helpful and wishing you a wonderful trip! Best, Jessica
Saurabh Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Thanks Adrienne, glad our tips were helpful! Happy travels, Jessica
Skylar Williams Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Skylar, Glad it was helpful, and happy travels! Best, Jessica
Tyler Johnson Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
Your tips to wash the laundry while traveling are so helpful for me. Such a Great Share. Keep it up.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Brian, Glad to hear our laundry tips were helpful. Wishing you happy travels and clean clothes! Best, Jessica
Oliver Finch Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Mark,
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
great tips. thanks for sharing
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
You’re very welcome! ~ Jessica
Kerry Forrest Post author
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Kerry,
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.
Best,
Jessica
Jordan Post author
I was concerned about doing laundry when traveling from Germany to new places, but this has helped me. Thank you for posting.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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 🙂
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
Great suggestions, we always try to have at least one accommodation with laundry facilities!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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.
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
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!!
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
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
Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author
Hi Ben,
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