thursadaysd, so true about the test washes. I've been busy doing that for the past 3 weeks. Oddly one top made of part wool dried in an hour and something else, polyester, took ages. Surprised me and pushed me to try nearly everything. I got these great dried leaves of laundry soap from REI that weigh nothing, has a nice smell, and rinses out well. Sea to Summit Pocket Laundry Wash

I've discovered that shampoo works just as well on clothes as it does on hair. I use my own shampoo on my hair, and the hotel's on my clothes.

ceezee, thanks for the laundry leaves tip. The Purell sheets that I usually use are becoming harder and harder to find!

thrusdaysd, I do the same! Always wondered if there was some reason not to...

The only reason not to would be because my hubby and I using the shampoo to wash our hair! :-)

My only, and I mean only, concern about using shampoo would be that it might not totally rinse out. Some shampoos are meant to leave in conditioning, etc. I like washed clothes to be completely free of anything. I don't even use fabric softener.

Well nytraveler, I wonder how you would manage with my kind of travel.

I have been in my current location since mid-March. Just coming up to the 6 month mark and time for me to move on. I arrived with a small daypack and will leave with the same. It is true that I bought some things here and set my travel clothes aside for when I moved on. I'll leave with what I came with and leave what I bought behind.

My landlady has done a great job on my laundry for me every week. All washed by hand and hung out to dry. No washing machines in sight, but all nicely ironed.

No Audis either, just a beat up old rag top Suzuki jeep to get me around. I rented it long term and will miss it when I move on. It's like family now.

So in a week or so, it's off I go, with my little bag I can just sling over one shoulder and walk all day with confortably. I'm thinking about Israel, Eilat to be more precise for a month or so. It will be a city experience but it is the sea and diving I want to go for so it can't be helped. No little villages to be found unfortunately.

After that, little bag back on my shoulder and on to maybe somewhere in India for a few winter months. I've got a good lead on a place to stay near Canaguinim beach.

No more 2 week, typical tourist vacations with suitcases for me thank you.

Thursday and NewbE, a common everyday 'do all' soap for body, hair and clothing is in fact Ivory Snow Soap. You know, the bar of soap Mothers use because it doesn't sting kids eyes.

Another is 'Camp Suds' sold for guess what, camping. It is concentrated and it only needs a few drops to build up plenty of suds. Again for washing anything and everything. It comes in handy little 3oz. bottles that will last for several months of travel.

Using a shampoo for everything is no different, so if you're happy with it there is no reason to 'not to' NewbE.

Thanks for the Camp Suds tip - I will look for it at our local REI.

I actually don't do much laundry in a hotel room as a rule, so am happy to know that hotel shampoo is OK if it seems OK. I wouldn't carry soap specifically for laundry.

It's interesting to read about different packing styles because they say so much about traveling styles!

You can use shampoo to wash your hair, body and clothes or you can use any other soap to do the same NewbE, such as Ivory Soap, as I said.

The advantage to using Camp Suds for all is that it is a concentrate. Which means you carry less to do the same thing. A 2oz. bottle will last a long time.
http://www.rei.com/item/407166/camps...descriptionTab

Even comes in flavours now! Peppermint is popular. Or with cintronella (lemon smell) which has the added advantage of repelling mosquitoes (somewhat).
http://www.rei.com/item/654041/camps...itronella-4-oz

No doubt using separate specifically formulated soaps for each type of use has some advantages but if trying to use an all-in-one soap you just need to realize it won't be perfect at everything. Just good enough.