Thank you @bchaplin for the dry bag/laundry idea!

[ncb4]

I am in the third and final week [sniff, sniff] of a vacation at an Adirondack camp, which is what they call cabins in the backwoods here. It is a 45-minute drive to the nearest laundromat, where it costs a whopping $3.50 per load to do wash, and another $3.50 if you use the dryers there. I can't believe how expensive that is, and besides, who wants to spend half a day away from paradise to do their laundry? Not me!

That's why I want to send a bucket-load of thanks to you, @bchaplin, for sharing your dry bag/laundry idea in your post about your trip to Nigeria/London.

It has been a godsend! I bought a 10L dry sack and brought along some low-sudsing liquid detergent, and so far I haven't had to make one trip to the laundromat. [To be fair, my sister has, because this system doesn't work for sheets and towels. And there is only so long you can sleep on the same gamey sheets.]

I am able to wash about two shirts and two pieces of underwear per dry bag load, and all in all it takes about ten to fifteen minutes of my time in the morning. I put everything in the bag, seal it up, then use the handles on each end to agitate it back and forth for as long as my arms can stand. Maybe this could be a new upper body workout! Then I let it sit and soak for a few minutes, coming back to agitate again and even do some rubbing of the clothes through the sides of the bag. When I am done, I rinse at least twice, wring out as much as possible, and hang on an outdoor clothesline to dry. I've even done shorts and a nightgown in the dry bag, though I haven't tried it with denim jeans and am a bit doubtful of how well that would work.

Of course it's not as good as a washing machine, but it does get clothes clean enough for the camp: which means that next year, I won't have to overstuff my Aeronaut 45 quite as much as I did this year to carry three weeks' worth of clothes. Hurray!

So again, thank you @bchaplin. You're my hero.

~Nancy

[Pokilani]

The only problem with fantastic posts like these is that it makes me think I need a dry bag!


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[GoStanford]

Nice post! Thanks for linking back to the original tips. There is so much rich travel information in the posts that sometimes a new thread to highlight what worked well is helpful. This in combination with Lani's tips about airing out and beating dry clothes (to get rid of sloughed dry skin, dry dirt) should be an effective combo.

P.S. I'm now wondering if a size 4 travel stuff sack would work as a sudsing bag. These are my favorite size for suitcase packing so I have them with me anyway, but I would want to use very mild detergent to keep the fabric in good shape.

[dorayme]

I'm thinking the Solar Shower I took to Haiti would work just as well for clothes washing. One of it's functions is that is can work as a wet bag. Thanks for posting bchaplain, and hi lighting ncb4. I love the ideas I pick up on this forum!

[Frank II]

If anyone is looking for an even cheaper way of doing laundry....try a 2 or 2 1/2 gallon ziploc bag.

[haraya]

Yes, thanks for highlighting the drybag solution, and for letting us know how it worked for you. I vaguely recall reading bchaplin's post, but wasn't thinking about laundry at the time so it didn't register. Sounds like just the ticket for an upcoming trip!!

(This could be a real test of the bring less-do laundry approach. I'll be in the tropics, and I'm told that the hotel has one of those setups where the air and the lights are cut off when you leave the room, so, no air circulation except when I'm en-suite. I'm planning to bring 5 outfits for 9 days, so hopefully even under humid conditions things will have 4-5 days to dry!!)

[FrozenJ]

Yay! I already own a dry bag, so no additional purchase necessary.

I haven't used it for laundry yet, but now I will.

I bought the dry bag for kayaking, but I've used it when hiking to a waterfall. It held my TB wallet, smartphone in a waterproof case, snacks, and water bottle. I attached the strap from the Side Effect to wear it cross body. It proved its worth when I crossed a river by foot, and the bag was partially submerged. Everything inside remained dry.

[bchaplin]

Hi, @ncb4! So glad this was helpful for you! Yes, it works better with lightweight clothes (such as shirts, underwear or travel pants). Denim would probably require a larger bag, and some strong sunlight to dry in. And I wouldn't try this method for sheets! Even in my most "rigorous" travel I am usually in a hotel or airbnb.

In regard to the type of bag, the reason I like this kind of thing is that it can be sealed at the end, and as @ncb4 mentioned, agitated back and forth in your hands. A ziploc would work fine too. I used one before I discovered the dry bag and decided I preferred it. Either one takes up very little space. The trick is getting your clothes dry, particularly if you are moving to a new place the next day and/or can't hang them outside, and here is where a quick-dry towel can also help if you have room to include one.

There have been some awesome clothesline solutions posted here, but I've discovered that I can usually find a place to hang the clothes and no longer bring a clothesline.

If someone can link to Lani's post I'd be interested in reading that too.

PS: I feel so special that my handle is in the title of a thread.

Beth

[haraya]

... The trick is getting your clothes dry, particularly if you are moving to a new place the next day and/or can't hang them outside, and here is where a quick-dry towel can also help if you have room to include one.

Good tip!! I was thinking of asking the hotel for additional towels with which to roll up the wet things, to absorb additional moisture before hanging up, but then of course that generates more laundry (it's just that I won't be the one doing it ;P)). (My other concern was that, even if laundry facilities are available, I don't want to put my merino or tech fabrics in the dryer anyway.) Will be packing a microfiber towel!!

[Frank II]

I recently got a Sea To Summit Lite Line Clothesline. I weighs just over an ounce and packs into a pouch measuring 2.5" x 1.5". Seriously. Good for when I can't find anywhere else to hang my clothes. Has beads to help secure clothes to the line.

Amazon.com - Sea to Summit Lite Line Clothesline - Clothes Lines

[GoStanford]

If someone can link to Lani's post I'd be interested in reading that too.

I know I've been told before how to link to a post - but I can't remember, so for now, here is the thread in which she posted. Her tips are on the first screen: http://forums.tombihn.com/packing-li...ight=lani+skin

[haraya]

FrankII - I went to a store yesterday to price out dry bags, and decided I liked my L and XL Ziplocs just fine!! The dry bags started at 13.95 for 9L and went up from there. Plus, the light ones (S2S Ultra-sil) weren't puncture-resistant, and the puncture-resistant ones were, well, heavy. Not to say I won't pick up a dry bag if I see one on sale, or if I need one for water activities, but I couldn't justify it for this trip.

ETA: I've figured it out! I'll need to protect my camera from getting wet at the beach, yes?? Maybe I need that dry bag after all... ;P)