Best Guide to Doing Laundry While Camping

Ready to pack your bags and head out on a summer break? Now is a good time to do lots of travelings with your families. 

But no matter whether you choose to live in the RV or are about to take a summer road trip, go camping, and go backpacking, washing laundry is, for the most part, a necessary chore that nobody can get rid of. 

There are many ways to help you freshen up your clothes when camping or traveling for an extended period of time. Here are some easy tips for doing laundry while camping or traveling so you can stay fresh and keep enjoying your trip.

Choice of Clothing 

1. Avoid Extra Garments 

First things first, don’t pack extra clothing in an effort to skip washing. Believe me, you will end up gathering increasing loads of dirty laundry that eventually clutters up your limited camp storage. 

Also, wash small loads of clothes often while on a camp trip instead of procrastinating until you completely run out of clean clothes. This will help you keep enjoying your trip. 

2. Pack Dark Colors to Wear Longer 

Dark colors of clothes are a good choice when planning long-time camping or traveling because they’re good at hiding stains and spots so that you can wear them longer without washing clothes too often.

Strong cotton clothes like denim shorts or jeans are good options to stretch out for days. Lightweight garments of skirts, dresses, and T-shirts can help you save more space and also last for a couple of days. 

I get used to one practical tip when I’m on a trip which is to sleep in what I intend to wear the next day instead of putting on my PJs. I know this solution does not suit anyone but it really can skip a few laundry chores. 

​3. Bring Quick-Drying Fabrics 

Some travel experts might tell you to avoid camping clothes made from cotton as they take a long time to dry. Actually, this is up to your mind to wear either denim outfits with longer wear life or quick-drying clothing such as polyester, nylon, merino wool, and beyond. 

Choosing denim outfits as previously mentioned is to help skip your washing efforts. If you intend on a short trip, bringing quick-drying fabrics is also one of the easiest ways for your on-the-go needs as these fabrics are more lightweight, more comfortable, and easier to clean and dry.

Wash by Hand vs Wash by Machine 

Handwash 

Washing by hand is the cheapest option while camping. You don’t need to find a laundromat on-site because local laundry services can’t always be around the corner. If you choose to handwash your clothes, there are some must-have items I’d like to say a few words about. 

1. Use Effective and Portable Laundry Detergent Sheets

For travelers, packing laundry detergents can be a challenge. 

I used to portion out powder or liquid detergents in small plastic bottles and measure how many loads I exactly need over my trip and I believe most travelers have done it before or been doing it right now. I have also brought laundry detergent pods along my trip afterward but they accidentally leaked out a few times which made such a mess. 

These days I’ve been using Clearalif laundry detergent sheets and I find this brand is budget-friendly and an ideal alternative to traditional detergents. 

These dryer sheets of Clearalif make me feel like an eco-hero when I’m using them because they are formulated with clean and green formula, and packed in 100% recyclable cardboard so each washing is environmentally-friendly with no plastic waste. 

You don’t need to worry about leakage and waste. They are perforated down the center so you can easily tear them in half to use. They dissolve quickly and completely both in cold and hot water. Definitely perfect for travel. 

2. Choose Portable Pop-up Wash Tub 

If you don’t want to invest in Scrubba wash bag which is a bit expensive, a portable pop-up wash tub is a more budget-friendly and convenient option for handwashing your clothes.

There are many collapsible wash basins on the market and they also fit perfectly in the kitchen sink from home or can be used as a storage container. A triple-win solution! 

If you are looking for a space-saving foldable wash tub for your camping, backpacking, or caravaning, go look into SAMMART. 

3. Bring Travel Clotheslines with Clips 

Obviously, it is almost impossible to survive without handy clotheslines while camping or traveling. 

Newraturner portable clotheslines are the most satisfactory option that I’ve ever tried because one set contains 2 packs and they are anti-slip with attached clips, which means I don’t need to bring extra pegs! 

Machine Wash 

No matter how convenient and easy tips we try to make washing less of a chore, washing clothes by hand for some people is still a headache.

If handwashing your clothes while camping or traveling isn’t an option for you, find a laundromat or laundry service near your campsite. Next are a few tips when you opt for the laundromat. 

1. Self Bring Laundry Detergent 

Please allow me to emphasize that you’d better bring your own detergents and needed supplies. Buying any supplies in the laundromat will be the last thing you want to do because of their excessive price. 

Previously mentioned Clearalif detergent sheets are an awesome choice as they are portable with effective cleaning power as well. You are allowed to take a whole box of detergents and drop a few paper-thin sheets in the washer depending on loads of your laundry instead of decanting a load worth of liquids or powder into a small bottle. 

2. Go to the Laundromat as Early as you can 

Avoid the peak time of 3~4 pm and get to the laundromat as early as you can in the morning. Normally a load should be done for 40~50 minutes and it takes time to wait. 

3. Use a Portable Storage Container to Carry Your Duds 

It appears that a foldable wash basin is not only convenient for handwashing your clothing but also can carry your dirty duds in and store your clean clothes on the way out. 

Also, it’s a good idea to leave the storage basket by the side of your washing machine if you want to go out for a while to have breakfast or something in case the next person pops your load out when your wash cycle finishes and gets his/her duds in quickly. 

Summary

There is no perfect solution for washing your clothes while camping or traveling either wash by hand, go to the laundromat or even have your own washer on the go (but this luxury method is better for onboarding your travel trailers).

Handwashing is what I normally do as I think packing a portable and travel-friendly laundry detergent has already helped save a lot of laundry worries for me. 

But no matter the way you choose to wash your clothes, by hand or by machine as I’ve mentioned, do try the above easy and practical tips listed and go enjoy your camp trip with your family this summer break!