Okay - crazy question, maybe but here's the deal. Beck is going to Australia this summer, so she's learning how to do laundry now (using the washer and dryer, which I'm totally psyched about but I digress), so anyway, she asked me how she should do laundry in the hotel room sinks, when they don't have access to machines, things like socks, undies, etc.
So what techniques do you all use? Do you soak, scrub, cold water, warm water?
I don't soak anything unless these is a bad stain like blood. I put the items sink, squirt Dawn or shampoo over all of them. Fill the sink with lukewarm water, squish the solutin through the clothers several times, empty the soap solution out of the sink, then turn on more lukewarm water, and each time flush each individual item under the faucet while squishing the running water through it until the item doesn't feel soapy anymore, then I wring out as much water out of the itms as I can.
Often I do the same thing while I am in the shower, but I jsut leave the item in back of me in the shower. I quish the soap through the time st the end of showering,
Posts: 3561 | Location: St Paul, MN | Registered: 10 February 2006
I am an old hand at this, as I bring very little clothing on trips. I do pretty much what Pat does. I use a product called 'Forever New', which is meant for hand washing. It's powder, so you don't need to worry about travelling with liquids, and it rinses out very easily.
Sometimes when you depend on hotel sinks, you have to be resourceful. I found myself in a room last year in Rome that had a very modern bathroom sink that was basically a shallow stainless steel bowl set in a flass counter-top. It was okay for undies, but useless for anything else. Luckily there was a plastic waste basket which I washed in the shower and then used for handwashing.
Posts: 622 | Location: Toronto | Registered: 18 February 2006
I use a "technique" similar to Dragonpat's, except I try to minimize the "wringing-out" of t-shirts and other outerwear, to keep wrinkles to a minimum; instead, I try to roll them and then firmly pat them to get the water out of them (hard to describe), And, if there is an extra towel available, I then lay the items flat on the towel, roll it and press to try to remove as much water as possible.
And I DO sometimes soak socks, if they seem especially hard-worn.
Judy
Posts: 1578 | Location: Berkeley, CA | Registered: 22 March 2005
I wash my lingerie and smaller items in the sink and it's a no brainer. I like Tocca Laundry Delicates in "Touch" (the have a travel size bottle and it smells so yummy) or my new favorite, Mrs. Meyer's clean Day in "Geranium" (I use the whole line to clean as it's a green product and smells like heaven). In a pinch I also just use whatever soap my hotel has lying around.
I use cold water, scrub when needed, and then hang 'em wherever I can. I also travel with two small hangers and use them for drying bigger things like t-shirts, etc. In the Winter radiators are fabulous for drying as well!
ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS!! How sick is that? My wife finds my behavior very strange and amusing, but I will make my confession here on ST. I have been going to Italy every year for the past 14 and have never used a laundry service or coin laundry. I bring a bottle of Woolite (I prefer it to dry powder and I am not worried about the weight because I generally stay in one location) and a clothesline and plastic clothes pins. As soon as I get back to the hotel room (or wherever) I run some water in the bidet (yes, the butt-soaker) and let the dirty clothes sit for a few minutes. Some hand agitation follows and then a good rinse in the sink. I also do my wife's laundry if she likes. I hang the clothes in the tub or shower or in front of a window and they are often dry by the next morning or at least well on their way. I find some bizarre satisfaction in the ritual and always have clean clothes to wear in Italy. On one trip my students (I run art trips) made a drawing for me of a bidet with one of those red-crossed circles over it and the words - "NO BUTTS!" How cool is that? Feel free to ban me from this forum after reading this post.
Kim, Take a look for a product called "Bio Suds" -- it's a biodegradable gel detergent in a tube. The travel sized tube is light (under 5 oz.), and it's easy to use - a little squirt into water, some hand scrubbing, rinsing and you're done. I've had good results with both hot and cold water usage.
Posts: 13418 | Location: The Beautiful San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: 06 August 2001
We ALWAYS (even when visiting friends) travel with one of those flat round sink stoppers to keep water in the sink when whatever is there doesn't do the trick.
Nothing more annoying than a sink that won't hold water.
cubbies
Posts: 289 | Location: California | Registered: 29 December 2005
After my daughter and I did some laundry (probably 4 loads and then the dryers) in Florence at the local laundromat, I nearly died when it came to around $50.00!!!! After that, it was washing in the sink for me.
I had planned ahead, however, and took a small bottle of concentrated Dreft. Dreft is gentle enough for all fabrics and yet does a great job on tough stains, too. I had a universal sink stopper that is tapered so that it will eventually find a "stopping" place in any sink. I took a microfiber (once again, guys -- from Rick Steves' store ) towel which does a super job of soaking up water in the clothes by wringing them in the towel. The great thing about the microfiber is that you can then wring out the towel, and even though it seems to be sopping wet, you can still roll another batch of clothes in it to wring out.
So much for the laundry. I just wanted to mention that I also used the towel on the plane as a blanket. It takes up almost no room in your bag and it extremely light weight.
Okay from an Australian.....we don't have bidets in our hotels (at least the ones I have stayed in.)
I've never used the sink (yuk!) but wash my clothes in the shower. I place them on the floor and wash the items one by one (by hand) whilst having my shower.
As for drying, a lot of hotels have retractable clothes lines over their baths or you can hang them on a hanger over the rail. For good clothing (outer wear) place them flat on a towel. Hence no need for ironing.
Tip....don't let the washing build up, do something every night.
Elly
Posts: 1022 | Location: Western Australia | Registered: 27 March 2005
I like to put the detergent or shampoo into the sink, add water, then my clothes. This way I know the soap is well mixed and you don't get a lot on one item which then takes forever to rinse out.
Ditto with the roll in a towel and wring out. Works great and doesn't wrinkle as much. I'm going to have to purchase one of the Rick Steves towels next time.
Denise
Posts: 172 | Location: California | Registered: 12 February 2006
Yes, I always wash some things at the end of the day to keep on top of the situation. And I skip the all cotton lingerie as cotton takes twice as long to dry than lace, etc. Synthetic materials may not be the best choice, but man, do they dry fast!
Elly, you think the SINK is a yuk but think nothing of washing dirty clothes in the shower whilst being au natural? My head just can't wrap around that at all. No can do!
Since laundry mats are not alwasy easy to find, I often wash all my clothes in the sink while traveling. My grandma did it when I was little. I see nothing wrong with it. I usually pack clothes that dry more quickly which helps.
I bring a few woolite packets (although they did burst/leak once which was a mess even though they were in a ziplock bag) and I also bring a little nalgene bottle of Mela Power scent free liquid laundry detergent. It is gentle, concentrated, and eco-safe. I also sometimes use the little shampoos the hotel provides since I bring my own shampoo depending on how long I am traveling.
I use a braided travel clothesline which does not require clothes pins to hang my clothes. I do take a few clothes pins though for the items which get heavy when wet. I also take a few inflatable hangers which pack down small but help clothes dry faster since some hotels hangers that won't hang on anything but the closet rack.
What a fun experience Becky will have doing her own laundry and using our tips!
wash my clothes in the shower. I place them on the floor and wash the items one by one (by hand) whilst having my shower.
I usually go this route too as it is easiest...2 birds with one stone and I rather enjoy it. I am not adverse to using sinks though and have used some at various times. We pack light with few clothes for my husband and I ( can go a month or two with just a tiny daypack each and that includes a laptop and homeschool books and supplies) and have all/mostly quick dry, wrinkle free, stain resistant things.
I must say though, my favorite way to do laundry is to send out a big pile including sheets and have them all come back perfectly and folded for very little. If we run into cheap laundry like that..we take advantage.
What the hotels provide will depend on the type of hotel you are using. Most tourist hotels/motels will provide an iron, ironing board, and retractable clothes line over the bath. But some hotels will have shower cubicles not baths. Thus bring one of the simple clothes lines described before. Usually if you hang up clothes in the bath room in the evening, because of the air flow, they will be dry or close to dry next morning.
Water in most parts of Australia, although in short supply, is of a very high soft standard and things are easy to clean. (Again in most areas you don't need bottled water to drink - it is a fad and a waste of money. It is also bad for young people because it does not provide teeth protection).
There are mini-markets everywhere so it is easy to buy soap etc.
If there are any good clothes or bulky jumpers the hotel laundry service is the best answer.
I presume you mean your summer which will be our winter except for the top half of Australia which will be their dry season and a good time to visit.
Posts: 313 | Location: Melbourne, Australia | Registered: 16 January 2007
I presume you mean your summer which will be our winter except for the top half of Australia which will be their dry season and a good time to visit.
Yes Monty. She departs on July 8 and returns on July 26. We'll get the actual hotels in a few weeks but she'll be both in the top half and the eastern coast.
) towel which does a super job of soaking up water in the clothes by wringing them in the towel. The great thing about the microfiber is that you can then wring out the towel, and even though it seems to be sopping wet, you can still roll another batch of clothes in it to wring out. 
