How to wash clothes when traveling with one bag

Traveling with one bag has many benefits, including the ability to move around with ease and freedom. One of the challenges of one bagging is figuring out how to pack light and stay fresh. For longer trips with one bag only, you'll eventually need to do laundry, as it is impossible to pack something new for every single day.

In this post, we will explore different options for washing, drying, and storing clothes while on the road and packing light.

Where to wash

When traveling with one bag, you have a few options for washing your clothes. The most common options include using a shower, sink, or dry bag.

• The Shower. You wash yourself, why not take your clothes with you into the shower and wash them there? I find that I can never wash my clothes well, but it can be enough for items that aren't too dirty or stinky.
• Sinks are a bit more manageable, as they allow you to properly scrub or even soak your clothes. This option may be less than ideal in shared accommodations, as they can make a bit of a mess in the bathroom.
• Dry bags are a great, versatile option. There are some specialized options like the Scrubba, but any dry bag works. You fill it up with water, add your clothes and soap, swish it around and leave it to soak for a couple of minutes. Then dump the water and fill it up a couple of times to rinse your clothes, until the water is no longer soapy.
• Laundromats and hotels are also options, but they can be expensive and may not be available in all locations.

My personal preference: Dry bag. Besides washing, the dry bag can also be used to keep your dirty clothes to avoid spreading the smell to your clean clothes. If you have freshly washed clothes that didn't have time to dry, they can also be kept inside the dry bag to avoid the moisture from spreading to the rest of your clothes.

What detergent to use

When washing clothes by hand, I prefer to use a mild detergent made for washing clothes by hand. Some options include:

• Powdered laundry detergent, you can buy a box and take a zip-lock bag with some to save on volume and weight.
• Liquid laundry detergent, fill some travel size bottle with liquid laundry detergent.
• Laundry soap bars, these last a long time and are quite versatile.

In the end, it comes down to personal preference, so try several options until you find one that you're happy with.

If you really want to pack light or forgot to bring some laundry detergent, you have some options that are readily available and work in a pinch:

• Body wash or hand soap are available pretty much at any hotel or hostel and should be able to get rid of some of the dirt, grime and smell.
• Dish soap is quite concentrated, and a little bit goes a long way. It's also quite efficient at removing hard stains, just be careful with your more delicate pieces.

My personal preference: a zip-lock bag with powdered laundry detergent. Lightweight, easy to pack, and cheap. Check out our post for a more in-depth comparison of detergent options.

How to dry

Drying clothes while traveling can be a bit tricky, especially if you are short on time.  Here are some tips to ensure your clothes are dry in time to wear them.

• Picking the right fabrics. Not all fabrics are created equal. Generally, synthetics are great because they dry really fast, but they also start to smell bad quickly and are harder to wash to get rid of the smell. Wool is also great because it doesn't pick up a lot of smell and dries relatively quickly, depending on the wool and blend. Cotton is the worst offender, as it holds a lot of water and will take a long time to dry.
• Wash and let dry overnight. If you wash your clothes when you get to your accommodation and leave them drying overnight, you'll have the best chance of them drying.
• Portable clothesline. A portable clothesline will let you hang clothes to dry pretty much anywhere. You can also use a simple paracord for a cheap alternative. If you can hang it near a radiator or a breeze, you can speed up the drying process.
• The towel trick. Your less delicate clothes can be hand wrung to squeeze out excess water. A way to get even more water out is by rolling it with a towel and wringing. This will let the towel absorb the majority of water and greatly speed up drying.
• Plan accordingly. If you plan on moving about a lot, it can be useful to plan your laundry days around your accommodation. If you're staying for only a night and leaving early in the morning, you may not have time to let your clothes dry. Keep this in mind when packing and when you have to do laundry.

Conclusion

Long trips with one bag require you to be a bit creative. You can only pack so many clothes, and you can only go so long without washing your clothes. As such, doing laundry while traveling becomes imperative. At first, it may seem like a hassle, but with some planning you can get it done. Here's a roundup of tips to keep in mind:

• Be prepared to hand-wash clothes in a sink or shower
• Bring a mild detergent that is easy to pack
• Bring a portable clothesline to hang clothes to dry
• Consider the drying speeds of different fabrics and plan accordingly
• Keep in mind that laundromats and hotels may be expensive options.

By following these tips and being prepared, you can stay clean and fresh on your one bag travels without bringing a lot of extra clothes. This will make it easier to pack light for longer trips.