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How to hand wash laundry when you’re traveling?
What’s the best travel laundry soap? Wait, does it even matter? You can simply take the laundry detergent you have already and pack it for traveling, right? Yes, that’s always an option. However, it’s far from the best option. Because, you see, not all detergents will work well for hand washing. This is where travel laundry detergents come into play.
These things are made for that. The best part is that the air travel liquids rule doesn’t apply to them. Scroll down to see all the best travel laundry soap options.
Click here to see our favorite on Amazon now!
Table of Contents
Best Travel Laundry Soap / Detergent
What’s the best laundry soap for traveling?
To find the right solution for your needs, there’s one question you should ask yourself first. How will you be washing your clothes? Hand wash or machine washing? Or both?
Quick Answer:
- BEST for HAND WASH – Travelon Laundry Soap Sheets, The Laundress Soap
- BEST for MACHINE WASHING – Tru Earth Laundry Detergent
Not all detergents will work well for hand wash.
1. Tru Earth Laundry Detergent (click for more details)
Very lightweight, yet powerful laundry detergent.
The True Earth laundry detergent is fragrance-free, vegan friendly and very gentle. It’s the best travel laundry soap, if you plan on using a washing machine. Use the True Earth, and you’ll not have to think about how to pack laundry detergent for travel anymore.
The detergent comes in a plastic-free packaging and is 100% biodegradable.
WEIGHT: 2.46 oz / 70 g
NUMBER OF LOADS: 32 loads
2. Travelon Laundry Soap Sheets (click for more details)
A compact travel size laundry detergent.
It’s tiny, very easy to use and extremely lightweight.
Despite the tiny size a single package comes with 50 travel laundry detergent sheets. The sheets are fully biodegradable. And if you’re traveling very light, with a carry on backpack only, then it’s highly likely that for you it’s going to be the best laundry soap for travel.
WEIGHT: 1.75″ x 2.75″ x 0.5″
3. WashEZE All in One Laundry Sheets (click for more details)
A compact package of travel laundry soap sheets.
It’s a 3-in-1 laundry solution. Every single laundry sheet is detergent, fabric softener and static control all in one. One sheet is enough for a full load of laundry, which makes it a great solution not only for travelers and adventurers, but also for students.
What’s even better than you can use it both for hand wash and machine wash.
And you don’t have to worry about measuring or spilling anymore.
The only thing to remember – if your sink is small, and you’ll be hand washing, better cut a piece in half. To avoid having too much suds.
WEIGHT: 3.91 oz / 110 g
NUMBER OF LOADS: 10 loads
4. SinkSuds Travel Laundry Detergent (click for more details)
A travel size laundry soap, that can be taken on board of the plane.
The package is very compact and will easily fit in your backpack. You can use the soap both for hand and machine wash. And it works also in cold water. Unlike some other, more concentrated detergents, the SinkSuds will be enough only for a couple of washing machine loads.
Comes with a bathtub/sink plug.
WEIGHT: 6 x 0.25 fl oz liquid laundry detergent packets.
5. The Laundress Soap (click for more details)
A highly concentrated earth-friendly laundry soap bar.
It’s a fully biodegradable laundry soap, that’s gonna be great for hand wash. The soap is made from plant-based ingredients only, hence you can use it also outdoors and as a soap for camping. It’s allergen free and has a smell that’s blend of lily of the valley, jasmine, sweet musk, sandalwood, and citrus.
When planning to use this travel laundry soap, don’t forget about travel soap case. You’ll need one to make the carrying around easier, and for the soap to last longer.
WEIGHT: 2 oz / 57 g
6. Finzy Laundry Soap Sheets (click for more details)
A highly efficient and lightweight travel laundry solution.
The travel laundry sheets come in a resealable package. No need to worry about the transportation. Simply put the pack in your backpack and forget about it. And that may as well happen, since the package is this lightweight.
WEIGHT: 3.2 oz / 91 g
NUMBER OF LOADS: 32 loads
How to Do Laundry While Traveling: Tips
How to do laundry while traveling?
1. Pack a Laundry Bag With You
It’s small and doesn’t take up much space.
This way you’ll be able to separate your dirty clothes from the rest in your backpack.
If you don’t use a dedicated travel laundry bag, remember to dry your clothes before putting them in your bag. This way they’ll at least smell less.
2. Learn How to Do Laundry by Hand
Even though you may not need it at the end.
Simply because nowadays there is a laundry service of some sort almost anywhere around the world. We, people, are just so used to the conveniences of our modern lives.
But still, it’s good to know how to do laundry in the sink.
3. Use Travel Laundry Soap for Hand Wash
Choose the best travel laundry soap for your needs and travel style.
4. Use Local Laundrettes or Laundromats
And you’ll save money.
Because these are the services used by locals. Accordingly mostly they are cheaper than your hotel or guest house laundry service. In some countries these services are incredibly popular, and you can find a laundromat wherever you go. Take Thailand for example. In Thailand there is one on every corner, and it costs very little.
Most of them are self-service.
5. Use Bathtub Instead of Sink
If you have one, though.
It’s very easy to wash your underwear or socks in the sink, but it’s not the same with bigger items.
So, if you have, I would always recommend you to wash the rest of your clothes in bathtub instead. In my opinion, it’s the best way to hand wash clothes. In the sink there is just no enough space to fully submerge something more than a couple of t-shirts. Another option is to do the laundry in the shower.
You’ll find some more tips here on WikiHow.
6. Travel With a Travel Sink Plug (stopper)
If you know you’ll be hand washing your clothes more than once in a while, bring your own travel sink plug.
Otherwise – mostly you’ll be fine also with running water.
7. Add Washing Line to Your Travel Laundry Kit
Especially if you are a couple or family.
If you are traveling alone, you can dry your clothes on anything, on a chair for instance. But if there are more of you, and if you’ll be having more clothes, there simply won’t be enough space. That’s why it’s a good idea to pack a travel clothesline with you.
How to Choose the Best Travel Laundry Soap?
How to choose the best travel wash for your next trip?
Check out these tips!
1. Do You Need It for Indoor or Outdoor Use?
Are you washing your clothes indoors, or outdoors?
If you are on an extended trip outdoors (camping, RVing), you’ll need to wash your clothes at some point. If you are in the wilderness, of course, you’ll do it outdoors. This means that you will dump dirty water outside. That dirty water contains suds which in turn contain chemicals that are harmful for nature. They don’t break down naturally and stay in the water. This leads to pollution of lakes and rivers.
That’s why you need to use biodegradable soap and detergents.
They break down naturally and do not cause pollution.
For indoor use, however, any travel laundry detergent will do.
2. Machine or Hand Washing?
This is another important thing to consider.
Are you planning to use laundromats or shared washing machines, or will you be washing clothes by hand?
Machine wash detergent produces less suds. This is because you need less water when using a washing machine then you would when washing your clothes by hand. That’s why hand wash detergent produces more suds. If you use hand wash detergent in a washing machine, you will have suds coming out everywhere. It will definitely make a mess! Incorrect use of detergent also may damage the washing machine. Also, as hand wash detergent produces a lot of suds, they may not get rinsed out properly.
That’s why you need to pay attention to what are you buying.
How to know that detergent you are buying is for hand wash or machine?
It’s written on the packet.
3. Size of the Packet
When you are travelling, you want to pack smart.
You won’t carry around a bulky pack of detergent, right? So, size matters!
Best travel detergent usually comes in small, compact packets.
Laundry soap sheets for travel are the most compact ones.
4. Type
Strips? Little packets of detergent? Small bags of washing powder?
It depends on your preference. Strips and little packets of detergent, however, are the most popular options for travelers. They are compact and easy to use. If you are going away only for a few days, you can easily take just one strip or one small packet. It takes up almost no space. Detergent soap bars are quite popular too. They don’t take up much space, but they require a travel soap case. If you have a soap case, you can easily transport your travel laundry soap bar, even if it’s wet.
The best travel laundry detergent is compact and easy to use.
5. Number of Loads
If you need to use travel detergent more than once during your trip, you’ll need to pay attention how many loads you can do with it. In most cases, it will mean that you’ll need to carry a packet with several travel detergent sheets in it. Or if you are planning to wash your clothes by hand multiple times during your trip, pack a bar laundry soap for travel. They’re usually compact and are good for several uses.
How many loads? This information you will also find on a packet.
What about you? How do you do laundry when traveling? Do you have a laundry soap with you? What’s the best laundry soap you have tried?
Featured photo: by Skitterphoto from Pexels
Book Your Trip Like a PRO
1. Book Your Flight. Find cheap flights using Kiwi.com, Momondo.com. Or subscribe to Dollar Flight Club, if you don’t want to be searching for the flights yourself. Kiwi currently is my first choice.
2. Book Your Accommodation. Booking.com, Agoda.com and Airbnb. I use Booking and Agoda at least a dozen times a year, and Airbnb – when looking for a long-term stay. My best tip is to ALWAYS compare the price. Sometimes the same hotel is cheaper on Booking.com, other times – on Agoda. Always compare the price!
3. Buy Your Travel Insurance. Ekta and SafetyWings are two companies I can recommend. Ekta offers some extra benefits, that will be important for those doing some higher risk activities (make sure to choose the right plan!), while SafetyWings is better for digital nomads. SafetyWings is also very affordable.
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