Are you traveling light? Did you pack in your carry-on for ten days? Here is how you can smell fresh as a daisy while still traveling light…doing laundry while traveling.

Adopting a few simple strategies for doing laundry can transform this chore into a quick and effortless activity, ensuring travelers can focus on enjoying their trip. Learning to do laundry while traveling keeps your clothing clean, lets you pack light, and saves tons of money on checked luggage.

Pre-Trip Preparation

Planning ahead is going to save you a ton of time looking for detergent, laundromats, and dry cleaners. This section details selecting appropriate clothing and what laundry essentials to pack.

Choosing Travel-Friendly Clothing

The best clothes for travel include lightweight, quick-drying, and wrinkle-resistant fabrics. Materials like nylon, polyester, and merino wool are ideal choices. Additionally, versatility is key; garments that can be mixed and matched for different occasions save space and reduce the need for frequent washing.

• Best Fabrics for Travel:
  • Nylon: Durable and fast-drying
  • Polyester: Wrinkle-resistant and retains shape
  • Merino Wool: Odor-resistant and temperature-regulating
• Clothing Characteristics to Consider:
  • Color: Neutral colors that can be easily coordinated
  • Style: Simple designs that can be dressed up or down
  • Function: Multipurpose clothing with pockets or convertible features

Packing Laundry Essentials

We bring anything we might need to do laundry with us when we travel.

This kit often includes a travel-size bottle of laundry soap, a portable stain remover pen, and a sink stopper for hand-washing clothes in a pinch. If space allows, a lightweight laundry line and a few clothespins are valuable for air-drying garments in a hotel room or rental.

• Core Laundry Kit Components:
  • Laundry Soap: Saves shopping for  it on arrival
  • Portable Stain Remover Pen: For quick spot treatments
  • Sink Stopper: Enables sink or basin washing
• Optional Items for Convenience:
  • Inflatable Hangers: To facilitate air-drying
  • Compression Bags: To separate dirty clothes and conserve space
  • Travel Laundry Bag: To keep worn garments organized

Laundry Options on the Go

When traveling, the options for laundry are often limited to hotel services, local laundromats, or hand washing. Choosing the right choice depends on your time, and your needs.

Using Hotel Laundry Services

Most hotels offer laundry services, either on-site or through an external provider. Guests can expect to find dry cleaning, pressing, and basic laundry with various turnaround times from express to standard services. Service costs are typically listed on a price sheet in the room or can be requested from the hotel staff.

Finding Local Laundromats

Travelers can locate nearby laundromats using smartphone map applications or ask hotel staff for recommendations. Local laundromats might offer self-service or full-service options. Full-service laundromats are where staff wash, dry, and sometimes even fold clothes for their customers. For self-service, it’s essential to have local currency in case the machines operate on coins and to check the facility’s operating hours.

Hand Washing Techniques

Hand-washing clothes is a practical choice for smaller items or light traveling. Travelers should pack a travel-sized detergent or can purchase it locally. Easy steps for hand washing include:

• Fill the sink or a basin with water.
• Add detergent and mix it into the water.
• Submerge and gently agitate the clothes.
• Rinse thoroughly to remove all soap.
• Squeeze out excess water without twisting the garments, which can damage the fabric.
• Dry by rolling items in a clean towel and pressing out the remaining water, then hang or lay flat to air dry.

Rent an Airbnb with a Washer and Dryer

This is what our family does for long trips. Handwashing 5 people’s clothes is not my idea of a great vacation! If you have a washer in your space, you can do a load or two halfway through the vacation and generally get by without any other of the tips above.

Drying Clothes Without a Dryer

If you are traveling in Europe you will run into this problem often. Many home rentals have washing machines but no dryers. Some come equipped with a clothes line and clothes pins, but sometimes you have to get a little creative!

Without access to a dryer, one can air-dry clothes. Wrapping wet garments in a dry towel and gently squeezing can remove excess water. Then, could you hang clothes on a drying rack or a secure line? A shower rod can serve as a makeshift drying area in a pinch.

Air-Drying Tips:

• Roll: Use a towel to roll and press out moisture.
• Hang: Find breezy, shaded areas for even drying.
• Avoid: Direct sunlight can fade colors.

Are you Ready to Do Laundry on Vacation?

Doing laundry on vacation can seem like a daunting task, but with the right preparation and mindset, it can be a breeze.

By selecting travel-friendly clothing and packing essential laundry items, travelers can easily keep their clothes clean and fresh on the go.

Whether it’s using hotel laundry services, finding local laundromats, or hand washing, there are several options available to ensure that laundry never becomes a burden on vacation. By adopting just a few simple strategies, travelers can make doing laundry a quick and effortless activity, leaving them with more time to enjoy their trip.