How to do laundry while traveling (& packing light)

[@jengreeeen]

I just wanted to say, I saw the comments in the last few videos telling you they couldn’t afford merino and it was feeling out of touch. The fact that you’re dropping options in this video is awesome and shows you really care about your viewers ❤ just wanted to add that in :)

[@athabascaheritagesociety9605]

Sometimes merino wool shows up second hand at Poshmark, Threadup and thrift stores. Kind of a lottery, but you never know!

[@dustygrrl]

I have a shawl that is basically a length of merino jersey I got from a fabric store. Pretty much everything else is Uniqlo. I travel with flat laundry tabs but also dishwashing liquid.

[@beeutiffle]

I pick up 2nd hand merino easily. $5 each. Just check for holes thoroughly.

[@jengreeeen]

Reading the replies, I’ll add that I also just picked up two merino wool sweaters ($35 and $40) from Facebook marketplace. So secondhand is the way to gooooo!

[@LoantakaBrook]

Buying higher quality items will last longer. In the long term you will save money not needing to replace them.

[@zenatime]

Nice video! I actually wash my clothes in the shower while I’m showering. May be weird but gets the job done.

[@wimurtikusman137]

Me, too. It feels less hustle for me and less water to consume.

[@anaran_]

Ain't no way

[@JimNortonsAlcoholism]

Aren't you wasting water by standing there and washing clothes

[@LARyan]

@@JimNortonsAlcoholism No. The clothes are being washed as you are. Then a few moments to rinse them as I finish. I only do this for the larger items like jeans. Shirts and unmentionables are easily done in the sink.

[@LARyan]

Not weird. Much easier to do jeans/pants while I shower than doing it in the sink.

[@ChrisGoosman]

One of my little luxuries when traveling to NYC (or any major city) is to use whatever wash-and-fold is close by, I also do this on the last day of my trip if I can, so I can carry home a bunch of clean laundry and just put it away. Usually it's US$10 and sure I could do it myself, but it's such a treat.

[@LoiteringReaper]

@@ChrisGoosman Be careful when traveling to different places, sometimes even clean can mean you’re bringing germs from that country. So I usually do my bulk cleaning when I get home.

[@Carlie12345]

I have done this for years and my husband and friends laugh at me every time. This also allows you to pack less! I am passing your video to all of them letting them know I’m not the only one who does laundry.. thank you!!!!M👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@toodutch]

A blowdryer is a great tool to quickly dry clothes in a pinch, most hotel rooms have one or you can ask for one.

[@IncandescentDaD]

Not really. A blowdryer sounds good on paper but it really takes forever to dry anything, even a pair of socks.

[@miyounova]

If there's a fan, that's a good drying booster as well. I use one at home on cold and humid days.

[@cyclicmusings2661]

It's quick for polyester, nylon items but takes forever on cotton. Most of my "travel" underwear and socks are polyester, same for shirts. I avoid packing cotton shirts and my biggest liability is the one pair of denim jeans I usually insist on bringing, besides my other pants that are polyester and other fabric blends for the most part.

[@PierreDulot]

Step on it, Maurice! Once you have rolled your garment in the spare towel,or bath mat, walk up and down on it a few times. That applies more pressure than you can do by twisting or pushing. Keep up the good work.

[@ShinbiBelldandy]

I love these options a lot! Another option to save money is looking into laundry detergent sheets, like Earth's Breeze. I put a bunch in a ziplock bag, flatten it out to get all the air out & seal it. It literally takes up no room. To do soaks, just dissolve it in water before adding the clothes. You have to handle the sheets with dry hands otherwise they will melt & stick together, so take out what you need before you wash. Then if you use all the soap, you have an extra bag for storage!

[@marceymanning9059]

I use Earth Breeze at home and on the road.

[@okashi10]

I also use Earth Breeze detergent sheets! Saves so much space and doesn't need to be included in the liquid carry-on limit.

[@luanamendes1710]

How clean you are with your shoes! I Never clean mine, I'm geologist though😂 I don't care about shoes, but watching you clean your very clean shoes made me want to wash mine before travel😂😂

[@DavidWRankinJr]

I have travelled to Scotland twice with one backpack, and I used polyester shorts and shirts. Even with large clothes (3x and 4x), and spraying Coke over my mock turtleneck on the plane first trip, i survived with hand-washing essentials, a couple washer loads, and just being careful about getting dirty. I recommend Doc Martens or similar black boots, because they are a lot more resistant to dirt than white tennis shoes. Black Docs go with everything from shorts to just short of black tie. Also, consider hostels if privacy isn’t required. Most hostels have pay washers or will provide laundry services at reasonable prices.

[@DavidWRankinJr]

I also use a back scrubber (my back makes bending over to wash challenging), so I washed my body with a bar of Castile soap, then used that bar and that scrubber in the shower to scrub the underwear and socks.

[@WilkoLV]

What previous generations did in the UK at least, was to wear cotton under shirts or vests and cotton underwear and socks that they could change each day whilst wearing the same exterior clothes each day. Keeping the external clothes from smelling bad from your sweat and oils, and it's very hygienic for anyone even if they don't shower or bath daily :) . They just wiped clean any stains or blemishes when they happened with wet cotton cloth or damp handkerchief 👍

[@Slla-th5vt]

Works for cool weather but not when travelling to hot tropical climate.

[@YogaWithGail]

When I had a gentleman touch up painting my house prior to a sale, he wore short sleeved cotton t-shirt under his work shirt. It was in humid hot Texas weather. I had asked him about it, and he said that it kept him cooler, as the sweat was on the layer closest to his body, and that he didn't sweat stain his work shirt.

[@ukelilly]

I do that for cold weather so that my thicker long sleeves need wash less often. It is a good idea

[@EnglishPersonAnon]

I use an Ortlieb PS10 drybag both as my wet gym kit bag and to do my laundry in - fill with clothes, add water and detergent (and sometimes a couple of small rubber agitator ball thingies) and seal, then happily mush the contents back and forth for fifteen minutes while watching youtube, then rinse and dry. That way i can get even quite large loads done in the same time as it takes to do small ones. And no worries about skin irritation from touching detergents.

[@barbieminimalist3109]

Thanks, Maurice, for your detailed and exacting explanations! I'm glad you added the towel trick at the end. That makes SUCH a difference in the dry time. Also, a fan or an A/C unit in the room to move the air makes a huge difference. I'm also a fan of merino wool because of all the reasons you give. Although they may be a little more pricey in the beginning, they will last and last. I've had my same four shirts for nine years, and no one else would ever be able to guess their age! Oh yeah, and one more one more thing: when I was being lazy, I'd wear my clothes into the shower, soap it down while still on me, and then do my final rinses in the sink. 😊

[@jeremiahreilly9739]

Maurice, absolutely brilliant. Wanted to give feedback for your viewers. My wife and I are on a 3 week long holiday in northern Italy traveling with only a small carry-on and a backpack each. So, laundry. Doing laundry is easy. Drying wet laundry is hard. 1. Pick the right clothing. *Absolutely essential.* Fortunately most of my clothing is merino wool or wool. 2. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Squeeze squeeze squeeze. *Squeeze more.* 3. Roll up the damp clothing in towels. Ask for more towels. I find leaving the damp clothing in towels 30 minutes or longer helps a lot. *Time is your friend.* 4. Hang out your clothing outside if possible, in the sun is even better. The only trick is that it is sometimes difficult to string a laundry line inn a hotel room. I bring several lengths of paracord and try to book a room with a terrace/balcony, if possible. Your advice helped so much. Thank you.

[@DaveM-FFB]

Great video! We use a Scrubba bag instead of the sink. We also use an extra large chamois instead of a towel to get water out of the garments. Since we have cotton instead of wool, we shorten the drying time by using the hair dryer in the room.

[@patrickphanthanusorn8803]

I was my clothes on all my trips too so that j can keep things in one 25 liter backpack when I travel. I buy quick dry clothing like the workout shirts and and shorts and just bring those with me. Whatever I wear in that day I hope in the shower and wash the clothes and then myself. I let it air dry the full day and repeat with my next outfit. I only pack two outfits so I always have fresh clothes. You take it to a whole nother level though and I appreciate that. I also appreciate the dry ex recommendation and will be going in to see what they have. Thanks for your video. I always appreciate them.

[@agentswarley]

Thanks for showing your washing routine, that was helpful! One tip I would add is to bring rubber gloves or single use kitchen gloves (which you can also use multiple times, just have to be careful). They take up hardly any space at all, but are bliss for dry and sensitive skin, as the detergent can be irritating to bare skin.

[@Losersluck_]

Been one bag traveling 15-20 times a year for the last 15 years. I only wear normal cotton t-shirts and have had zero issues with smelling bad or wrinkles.

[@le_schmii]

well I guess consider yourself lucky. I for one, like Maurice, sweat tons even in cold climate. I was running hot in a tshirt, thin fleece + Micropuff in -20ºC / -4ºF in Finland just a couple of months ago. While that was not the right environment for cotton for temperature reasons it gives you an idea on how much I sweat. And while I am lucky to not smell immediately, it definitely renders cotton useless for a second wear. Merino (or a blend with Silk / Lycocell or the likes) is my only option for wearing a tshirt more than once in any climate.

[@oldsoldier181]

I too only wear cotton T shirts. You can always use a hair dryer as a final stage drying option. I dont like synthetics next to my skin. Probably in the minority there....

[@le_schmii]

@@oldsoldier181 nope you are not. I hate synth... But merino is another matter

[@onecleangti]

I essentially do the same when traveling for work. I carry two tide pods, 3 work shirts (cotton so only wearable twice) 2 pairs of redkap work pants, a pair of jeans, and 2 Volcom collared shirts. I normally do laundry on Saturday so I bring 6 underwear and 6 socks, all fits in a carry on neatly and people wonder how I go weeks, sometimes months on the road at a time. Little bit of planning goes a long way

[@robinmuchow]

WTH??? I’m a nurse and germ phone. I do hotel laundry ALL THE TIME and it NEVER occurred to me to wash the sink first!! As an ICU nurse, one of the first things I learned was that the SINK IS THE DIRTIEST PLACE! Thank you so much.

[@Emailmesoicanignoreu]

Right and handwashing your briefs in a sink with lukewarm water will kill the germs 😂

[@kudosjp2]

I still have concerns with his method of using only laundry detergent to clean the sink. Detergent is probably effective at disinfecting with long hot wash cycles and the dryer. However for a sink, I'd want to get a bottle of isopropyl alcohol and lather for 5 minutes at a minimum. The hotel sink is a nasty place, as shown by this guy washing his underwear in it.

[@kinming]

A sailor uncle taught me this trick he used for years on 🚢. Dance on your laundry while you shower: water, soap, and rinse. i follow with a strong 🚿 stream onto the laundry at the end. Not meticulously clean, but clean enough for most purposes.

[@Pammellam]

Maurice, that was a very nice lesson on how to wash socks etc in a hotel sink. I think we forget to take care with washing and rinsing when travel. Especially in the very very small sinks in a hotel room. Also, I didn’t realize that cotton was such a problem with drying. Wrinkling I knew about but the drying issue is new to me. I think I also need to look into Marino wool. I’ve started using Marino wool socks exclusive but I’d like to find other items as well.

[@rodrigodiaz1321]

Your ability to talk so passionately about simple things is amazing

[@jooky5]

If I need to do laundry in a hotel, I bring a scrubba bag and do a larger load every few. I also use it a compression bag when packing so it does double duty

[@tadiem]

Scrubba Wash Bag is my discovery of the past year! It's just purely amazing how much easier it gets to get a laundry in the hotel. Absolute gem, worth every penny! Plus weights nothing and is a perfect dry bag for going swimming!

[@kriscarv5708]

The Scrubba bag is the best. Our washer broke when my little one was a baby and that scrubba bag was a god send so I could do the baby clothes until the replacement came. I still use it as a washboard for dirty toddler socks.

[@haphazard1342]

The key is soaking with detergent, some agitation, and good rinse. Any container you can fill with warm water and detergent, leave your clothes to soak for an hour, agitate occasionally, then rinse will work fine. A generic dry bag, a stoppered sink, or even a cheap plastic trash can works fine. A dry bag can be a helpful addition, but I wouldn't recommend one just for washing.

[@TsavoTouring]

Same here! We also use a synthetic chamois (from an auto parts store) to (mostly) dry after the scrubba

[@thebrommuters6220]

Another great video 👍 We use a so called scrubba bag for washing over the last years on our cycle tours and it works great. Cause we are on tiny folding bikes, our space is rather limited, so it also doubles as a dry bag. Gonna be with us for our tour around Taiwan in 2 weeks. We actually found Merino wool , even the high quality kind, can get holes pretty quick under our more challenging conditions, so we also use a Polyester/cotton mixed fabric wich we tread with a so called " anti stink 😂😅" softener before each long journey and it works pretty well so far. All the best Mister Moves! Ben&Sarah

[@RoamSweetRoam.]

I love the Scrubba bag! I use it to soak yesterday's clothes while I'm out...then when I return to my hotel, I agitate for a few minutes while in front of the TV and rinse in the shower. It has made traveling light so much easier!

[@JenniLevenbook]

@@RoamSweetRoam. I've found my scrubba technique to be in need of an overhaul and like your method a lot (it is more efficient). Do you soak in just water or water with detergent/soap?

[@RoamSweetRoam.]

@@JenniLevenbook I soak in water with laundry sheets.

[@cck6740]

For detergent get soap sheets, such as earth breeze or others, to bring your own detergent and avoid any potential allergic reactions to unknown soaps. They take no space, and can give you peace of mind.

[@RebeccaShanks]

How are you always making such supremely useful videos? Thank you again for this one. I've saved it to my "how to" playlist.

[@microMobilidade]

One great advice, you deserve good quality clothes because they help you stay clean, and healty. Also if something is expensive see what are you wearing and how often it wears down as lesse quality items dont last as long. And then stop buying that item and save to get the great quality one. It helps you build slowly and then pack less as well

[@menutokitchen]

After 6 months of travelling back and forth, I have mastered the art of light luggage - 😂 book hotels near walking distance to self-service laundry shops or book apartments with washer.

[@mangoandeddie]

Your communication skills are off the charts! Amazing video.

[@enhui2040]

Great video! I spot treat clothing before washing them in the sink. It’s easier to hold up the garment while still dry, and quickly find spots that need an extra spot scrub with the toothbrush. Then suds up with the other stuff. 🤓 I’m one of those lucky people who gets chilli oil stains - esp when I’m wearing a white T shirt 😅

[@yirenwang9067]

I have a habit of accumulating old and worn out clothing and use them for my trips. I may not look the fanciest but my low key appearance makes me less of a target for pickpockets, and stain is no longer an issue. I dispose my worn and dirty clothes one by one along the way. No need to wash them or you get to do less laundry if you strategically plan your outfits in the itinerary. Another benefit is the empty space in your luggage at the end of the trip that you can use for souvenirs.

[@ES-wn4oq]

Wow, this is SUPER wasteful.

[@oldsoldier181]

I have washed clothes in a sink quite a few times. I NEVER pack for more than 4 days. Washing clothing in a sink is quite simple. I use a body wash soap that I can also use for washing clothes. And, at least for me, rinsing them is usually just done when I take a shower. Best, is socks. I use hiking socks, so I can routinely get a couple days out of a pair. So long as one is dry, I am good. I usually only take a pair of socks for every 2 days I am away. I have practiced that for decades, with no ill effects.

[@achevres]

Great video. I was taught by my mother to do what you are showing here, but so many people don’t know how, and it’s so easy. Also a huge fan of Uniqlo.

[@kleek2217]

wow. so much more thorough than my hand washing. But I also found it helped with stains if I scrubbed the item with a stiff brush - like a hairbrush. That REALLY helped a lot more than rubbing the clothing item against itself

[@kenc2257]

Those "express" laundry service places are VERY convenient in Asia--they can even deliver your clothes to your hotel (usually for a small extra fee). One con is that they commonly run their dryers at high heat, which isn't too good for the elastic in your underwear waistbands (and items like compression socks, which I wear daily).

[@ilhamrj2599]

or if youre not in a hurry, you can always choose for the non-express service so they dont use dryer but using natural sunlight to dry it out…😅

[@nicolasimpsonkhullar986]

Thanks to you, I have a ton of merino wool stuff. It’s been in Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, Costa Rica, all over North America, in hot and cold weather. I call them my magic shirts. It’s way easier travelling alone, though. We are heading to Vietnam as a family today, and doing laundry for four people (especially when they don’t all have magic clothing like mine) is more challenging! We will find a service or wait for a hotel with laundry where we are staying for a few days. I travel with Castile soap for laundry and multi-purpose, and sometimes a clothing line to hang stuff easier for drying. It doesn’t have to be anything special. I’ve been known to take a bungee cord or even a long shoelace or hockey skate lace to tie up under the AC. Thanks for the great content!

[@dawnpassingthrough]

Hey Maurice, love your content, consistently solid! I’m a frequent traveller for work and often do one bag travel, whether for 4 days or 4 months. My go-to system for packing less and washing clothes is similar to yours except I use the Scrubba bag. It’s a “washer bag” that can double as a compression bag when packing and/or a waterproof bag for wet bathing suits, that is particularly good at what you describe as the fiber to fiber washing (I forget your exact words). I also always travel with a clothes line. Sea to Summit makes one with technology for easy hooking the line and hanging the clothes. It comes in handy if I do a big wash and there isn’t enough hangers or surfaces for drying. Thanks for all your amazing advice!

[@fortwoods]

Enjoyed the video and brought back travel laundry memories. one idea to consider is a small rechargeable travel fan. While you are spot on that cotton can take days to dry in SE Asia, any kind of air movement can speed up drying time. You can pretty reliably dry clothes over night with just a small fan.

[@TheCoastalLifer]

Crank up the AC in the evening as it helps with drying (at least in tropical countries) and ideally diy-hang it in a place facing the AC vents. Not ultra close but just generally in that direction. Or when it's done dripping, just transfer it in the open room area instead of just the bathroom. Even my cotton shirts dry overnight if I do this. Also , for wrinkle-prone tops, if you must bring one, let it drip dry on a hanger. Don't twist-wring it. Just press or squeeze lightly. Might stretch a bit when it dries, tho. Cons of some fabrics. Best affordable options for a frequent traveller in tropical/warm countries - uniqlo dryEx, dry fit/synthetic fabrics and the likes. Agree with Maurice. Try to always bring easy dry and non wrinkle options. I do bring at least 1 thin cotton top and bottoms for sleepwear for comfort. So you don't always have to sacrifice comfort over convenience when travelling. Find your style and balance because exploring/travelling should feel good inside 😊 and on your skin! 😂

[@heythave]

So true. We even hung our wet clothes in the path of the A/C.

[@Emailmesoicanignoreu]

Yes it’s also great for the environment 😅 instead of just packing enough stuff in the first place …

[@Oxydoz1]

Wow, thank you. I was always taking with me too much clothing to have minimal cleaning cycles, but now I will reevaluate my routine. Great video.

[@kalitzina]

I bought a set of merino base layers for winter a few years ago and they still look brand new. The upfront cost looks daunting but consider that you won't need to buy new ones for a long time. And it's true that merino doesn't wrinkle or smell and it air dries super fast.

[@KenshoQuest]

Great hand washing tutorial plus other options! We pack one week or less worth of clothing no matter how long we're traveling (even for years). We wash our laundry in all different manners: washing machine at Airbnb, washing machine at hotel, laundromat, laundry service. I could hand wash, but I haven't really needed to in years. We also pack almost exclusively Merino wool, which makes air drying so much easier! 🌸Heidi

[@SaCyner]

When I was travelling in Canada for 3 weeks, we did hand wash our clothes in the toilets which is mainly our undergarments and socks. But at the same time I chose hotels that has coin laundry services. Not all the hotels, just some in between so that we can wash our jeans, tops etc more comfortably

[@rch4014]

I hope you meant the bathroom.

[@jerrys88]

Great tips. I'll just add that when I roll my still-damp clothes in a towel, I do it on the floor. Then I step on it - step, step, step, step... all along the rolled towel. It's amazing how much water you can still wring out of your clothes this way, and how much it speeds up the drying process.

[@rebeccal.672]

Thanks for the laundry options especially how to wash your clothes in the sink if really needed. I have done my laundry while on trips and have found that cotton even doing it at a laundry mat takes Forever to dry. I plan on my next trip to just take my merino shirts and maybe some linen items too.

[@chilsafable610]

TIP : buy a portable bucket - the one used for camping. It’s light, portable and can hold up to 2 gallons of water - depending on which size u choose.. this is a life saver for me

[@RDS722]

Good tips This is what I do. 1. Invest in the right clothes. 2. Pack 1 clean shirt for each day. One set of underwear, 1 pair of socks per day. 3. Wear pants 2-3 days...3 pair of pants = 9 days. Black or blue bottoms, coordinates with every color top possible. 4. 2 sleep shirts, flip flops for casual wear, and as slippers.

[@ConvallariaMajalis143]

protip: learned this from my career flight attendant mother. For Step 10, you can make a clothing-towel sandwich (lay towel flat, lay clothing flat, then another towel) and stomping all over it in a kind of pow-wow dance. Your arms are probably really tired by step 10, and this lets you get rid of just as much moisture (if not more) with your legs instead of your arms. Your clothes will be protected by the top towel, but do this with bare or sock feet just to be safe.

[@AGirlNamedVan]

Yup i do that to especially if you want to dry quickly

[@jjualvare]

On a recent trip to Belize I took a "Scrubba portable wash bag" with me. I recommend it, but I also highly recommend that you practice using it at home, before your trip, at least 5-8 time to get it down right.

[@sabiankylelee]

Awesome content as always Maurice. I hope you also give us insight on how you pack light during colder seasons. Thanks!

[@cyclicmusings2661]

I'm a big fan of trying to carry everything into one backpack that fits under the airplane seat no matter where I go or for how long. I've done multiple week-long (really more like 8-9 days) international trips like this and prefer to use self-service laundromats. Some people make such a big deal about doing laundry but it's really not that bad if you plan it out beforehand and know what you're getting into. The benefit is not having to carry multiple bags, which is priceless. On longer trips, like the 2-week trip I am taking to Japan at the end of the year, I'll carry around a small rolling suitcase as carry-on in addition to my backpack but that's the max I'll carry for the majority, if not all of my trip there. I avoid checking bags at all costs, even if the first checked bag is free! But I have a feeling I'm going to buy a lot of things in Japan and a large spinner luggage on my last days there so that free checked bag might come in handy on the return trip.

[@Cyanotic413]

In Japan we stayed at several hotels. We tried to make sure each one had a guest laundry room.

[@haphazard1342]

Right. Most urban places you can just plan ahead for laundry available. Especially for two people, doing a load of laundry at a local laundromat or wash-and-fold or in the hotel basement, every couple of days, is a better use of time than hand-washing every day.

[@AGirlNamedVan]

It's so quick and easy to hand wash

[@cgolf100]

Thank you for this video. Have a business trip rolling into a vacation and this gives me ideas for how to pack and deal with our clothes so we don’t over pack.

[@MsNIKITA]

Interesting... I love packing light. To aid my packing I use vacume roll bags, this allows me to put more items into a smaller space without the excess air gaps between the garments. Only problem is, my streaming gear takes up half the luggage and must be carried onboard, no matter what!

[@mad2barxhst]

When washing I don’t wring (with twisting motion) the clothes to remove excess water. Wringing distorts the fibers as well as the seams. Instead, I squeeze as much of the water out and hang the clothes using a hanger in laundry clips that l’ve modified to have a hook. I carry laundry clips with hooks to accommodate just about any situation to hang stuff in the bathroom. If the hotel room has a patio with chairs, I’ll discretely hang the clothes outside to dry.

[@nmatheis]

The first strategy is basically what I do with everything but jeans when traveling. For jeans, I bring two pairs and spot treat until I get home.

[@VeryMerryLou]

Haha, that's almost how I do my laundry while on cruise or abroad staying in hotels sans the soaking and 3 cycles. I use whatever is in my disposal, bath soap or body wash that the hotel or ship provides. If it cleanses the oil and grime off my body, I believe that does wonders to my clothes and they smell good, too😀😀😀 And if it is just a piece or two, I would hang it close to the air vent or every few hours or so, I would use hair dryer.

[@cindylee3154]

If you can pick up some standard white vinegar, a few tbsp in the rinse water will help wash away any detergent that is clinging to the clothing

[@larisaserhijiw3670]

Yes all good and well if the sink doesn't leak, like it often does. Hand washing in a tiny hotel basin I find, is a poor substitue for properly laundered clothes in a washing machine.

[@kailynn4483]

I had the worst case scenario when I was in Taipei. I had hand wash my clothes, however the sink didn't keep the water, it just kept flowing out, like in most of the hotels in Taiwan I stayed at. And the room in Taipei had such high humidity and I couldn't figure out how to use the air-conditioning, that my clothes needed days to dry. 😅 Luckily the next hotel had coin laundry and I could wash my clothes again because they didn't really smell well after taking too long for drying. 😅 The towel trick with rolling the clothes in the towel is great!

[@TsavoTouring]

We’re driving a jeep from Alaska to the bottom of Argentina. We occasionally use laundry services but also often use a scrubba (to wash) and a synthetic chamois (to dry partially). Also… Latin America has bar laundry soap so if you can pickup some of that you could probably cut a bit off for air travel.

[@TsavoTouring]

Oh… and our underwear - we occasionally just wash them in the shower 😅

[@JamesShow]

One thing I learned in the Philippines is that sometimes you gotta air dry with the air conditioning on our where the exhaust fan of the air conditioning is blowing if it's otherwise too humid to dry your clothing outside. That's not something I experienced here in the States if it wasn't straight-up raining.... just 24 hours of sopping wet clothes if you line-dry outside and it's humid!

[@Ac35010]

A laundry bar is also helpful and compact and will last ages

[@barbaradace7952]

To save a lot of handwashing time, or if you have a tiny sink (I go on a lot of cruises and the sinks are usually only about 10 cm deep), carry a lightweight kayaking dry-bag and a rinse-optional laundry soap like Eucalan (which will also help your merino, cashmere and silk last longer). Pretreat stains with Eucalan, stuff dirty clothing in dry-bag, add the remaing Eucalan. Add water to the dry-bag (from shower or bathtub tap is easier), seal it, and roll it around on the tub or shower floor to agitate. Let it soak 15 minutes, roll it around some more, open the seal and stand on the bag to get most of the water out. Squeeze the remaining water out of each piece, then lay them flat on a beach or bath towel, roll them up, let capillary action remove most of the remaining water over 15 minutes or so, then hang each piece on hangers. Merino will dry overnight. PS: also get merino socks; like the shirts they remain fresh an amazingly long time and you can get 6 pairs of black merino socks from Amazon for $26 (brand name LIXIA).

[@okashi10]

I've been hearing a lot about Scrubba bags, which are dry bags with agitator bumps on the inside.

[@robinmuchow]

I carry a flat rubber pad that you use to open jars and plug sinks with it. Hotel shampoo makes good laundry soap. Like a washing machine agitator rubs ag the clothes to remove dirt, I rub the clothing against itself or other clothes, not just squeezing the soap thru it.

[@setman85903]

Love these tips! I appreciate the alternatives to wool! The Uniqlo recommendations are great! As a vegan, I avoid using animal products since there is usually animal abuse involved.

[@snkfrk10]

Brilliant tips! My tip is toothpaste is just gentle detergent by another name. In a pinch you can use to spot treat or clean. Especially shoes!

[@onimandisa7304]

I purchased wool sweaters from a thrift store. One was merino wool which was great!

[@ccgnoix]

Hi! First video I watched on your channel, as I am browsing travel-related contents. I have definitely done my wash in the hotel bathroom sink before, but wow at your detailed demo! Kudos!

[@CapCorse69]

i just came here from the geoguesser video, which was an insanely heartfelt and beautiful story on its own - but wow! insane production value. good luck!

[@evelyngrammar]

I bring a 2 gallon zip lock bag and laundry sheets for hand washing. The bag allows me to mimic a washer's agitation. And on occasion, I use a laundromat. The one I used in Milan self-dispensed soap so I did not need to use mine!

[@abkeener81]

I’d call the laundry mat best case scenario. I don’t wear wool (aside from my overcoat) because all wools make me itch real bad. I do wear cotton or cotton polyester blends. I’m Andrew.

[@josh_around]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video! Have you noticed that using laundry detergent with enzymes wears down the natural lanolin / anti-odor properties of Unbound Merino shirts faster? I'm also curious about all that wringing, do you notice it stretching out your shirts over time? I'm interested in improving my own travel laundry process based on your experience. (You were the one who got me into Unbound Merino in the first place and I've been so happy I made the switch! 🙏🏻)

[@brianmccarthy1322]

I always bring travel sized laundry soap. Clothes are always easy wash fast dry only. I have done two 14+ day cruises in the past 5 months and have never used a laundry service.

[@annw-fitz4412]

In some of the European hotels, I’ve been to there are no hangers. I actually bring along a traveling clothesline with snap on to hang wet items. There’s always a way to connect it, don’t use anything that comes with suction cups. They’re worthless. And I use shampoo, always provided by the hotel to wash out my items…

[@tamathacampbell4985]

It can be handy to keep a plastic/silicone zipper bag in your luggage, to use as a "sink" if the available sink has no stopper or is an inconvenient shape. A 4L size can be more convenient, but the 1L bag for your liquids (if you're flying, in a lot of countries) will do nicely for small items.

[@errydm]

Very informative video. Much appreciated. Laundry in the sink reminds me of the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, lol. Still in Jakarta? Well, many greetings from the neighboring city of Bogor. Also, since you are here in Indonesia during the monsoon season, maybe you could also do a video of how you protect yourself, your bags, and your gear from heavy downpour. Might be interesting for the viewers.

[@katherineandini5962]

I’ve travelled a bit by myself when I was younger & it’s not that difficult to find hostels with laundry room - they charge extra of course. In many parts of SE Asia laundromats are quite affordable, maybe not the case in the EU though. I’m also accustomed to washing my own stuffs & when I moved to NL I’m learning more about caring for natural fabrics like wool & linen. What I think also a great idea is to “slow down” your travel pace: not only it gives me some days to do laundry, it relaxes my mind a bit. If you go to a new city every other day then maybe it’s a hassle to do laundry (even the express one) & you may end up overpacking.. 😅

[@kerk6428]

For laundry service, how do they dry your clothes? I get worried that they'd use a drying machine with high heat, or rough washing methods that would shorten the lifespan of the Merino Wool clothing. Also love Taipei! It's so underrated in the travelling community!

[@achevres]

Went last year to Taipei and absolutely loved it! Going back later this year and hoping to see more of Taiwan.

[@kandiblick3822]

❤❤❤ Another AWESOME video...I use the towel technique...works really well! Heading to similar area next couple of weeks...will check out some of the local options. Thank you for your great content!

[@heymag89]

Thank you so much for this video! You’ve helped me make up my mind on clothing options. Which shoes are those?

[@anups7958]

Also seems like you haven’t heard of Supima cotton yet? :) 100% supima T-shirts are lighter and softer and while they get wet with sweat, they dry fast also…overnight full dry. I have tried the Uniqlo Airism T-shirt and while they are nice, they are thicker and heavier and adds to the weight when doing 7kg carry on only.

[@CaptCanuck4444]

Have you tried the natural detergent product Soak? It works well and makes the process a lot easier, especially for merino wool. Using a strainer/colander to rinse the clothes also saves time. Using the shower head for this is even better.

[@jaywilliams3453]

another fantastic video mr mo! your attention to detail with the cleaning of your stuff is amazing! I wish I could stay so focused. i've never heard the thigns you've said about coton and merino wool, so I'm gonna check out your links. thanks!! dr jay

[@thehuards]

Thank you for the detailed and easy to follow explanations.

[@BenR99]

I love those shoes I have 2 pairs they are way better than blazers or af1s I think they are called court vintage premium and they are cheap too!

[@alanc4264]

I soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Rub a little on certain spots. Rinse 3 times. Done. My wife taught me this and she used to hand wash everything in days gone by. But I also just found some detergenct sheets which are very light and quite cheap on Amazon. Not tested yet so we will se how good they are.

[@aiwama1]

Maurice, you convinced me to buy the Pakt Travel Backpack V2; I love it, and love your videos! 👍

[@hubbiemid6209]

need lightweight, minimal travel and work backpack recommendations!

[@The_NomadNinja]

I like The North Face Borealis. It's 28L so on the smaller end but it has served me well for several years of one bag travel. I posted a video on it but would encourage you to research and find out what bag would suit you best based on your needs. Check out the bags that Maurice recommends :) He's really into sling bags, but those aren't really my jam.

[@joshmartin1938]

Another brilliant one. Maurice-- PhD. in Traveling. Well done

[@alfonsohshk8998]

I prefer a dry bag than using the wahsbasin. For rinsing merino wool, never twist!

[@hanks_2210]

Bamboo will also have similar properties to merino for your base layers. Just keep in mind it's not as insulating. In a pinch shampoo will work as a detergent.

[@patriapahleva]

It's great to see my city in your video

[@observerinla1329]

Watching this while washing clothes in the hotel sink on a trip lol. Thanks!

[@StriderEsq]

One of the most informative travel videos I've seen! Great job!

[@Khalmoon]

I was literally JUST thinking about this when I got my Pakt V1 and CPP LOL THANKS!

[@wongjefx980]

My go to last year was expensive Scrubba laundry washing bag and Tru Eco dry laundry detergent strips.

[@adavelaar]

I like to twist the towel as well. Wring snout even more water

[@Lucretia019]

Awesome channel! I just found out about your videos and so far this is top-notch content! Love it! Thank you!

[@ernestt916]

maurice moves video just dropped 🤩