What kind of detergent for hand laundry while travelling?
 

I'm travelling to the UK in August for three weeks and am wondering about what kind of detergent to pack (or buy there?) for hand washing as I go. My favorite at home is a liquid, but I wouldn't trust that to travel without leaking (It's heavy, too). What would you suggest? We're renting a car, so I can lay damp laundry in the back seat to dry. Any suggestions would be appreciated... Thanks!

My wife always packs along some Woolite. She puts some in a plastic squeeze bottle that has a strong cap, then puts the bottle into a ziplock bag. Just in case the bottle decides to leak due to changes in air pressure. When you have washed your things, place them in a dry bath towel and twist, and twist, and twist. You will find that almost all the moisture has been removed.

I don't want to niggle here but you're not going to a third-world country where the boat only comes in from the Coast every six weeks with supplies of trade jewelry for the innocent natives! There is a chain of drug stores named Boots with branches EVERYwhere. Marks and Spencer (Marks and Sparks, if you want too sound like a native) has branches in most larger towns; it has good sections devoted to such sundries as soap, etc. Food stores like Safeway, as here, have cosmetics. Don't weigh down your luggage with heavy bottles of soap. The only possible problem might be that I have noticed, from time to time, that the selection isn't as broad as you might find here in the U.S. That is, there might be only 14 kinds of toothpaste rathern the 267 you find at our stores. And, since storage space is limited in most city flats, stores tend not to carry Large Economy Sizes. Seems to me I've heard, however, that large discount stores such as Price-Costo have sprung up out <BR>in the suburbs. It's all part of the homiginization of our world, mostly to an American model. <BR> Oh, and you don't have to carry around toilet paper anymore, either. (There was a time when the t-tissue in places like the British Museum, etc., was slick, shiny, brown and inscribed "Property of the British Government" or something. I think most of it was carried off by American tourists as trophies for the Folks Back Home. <BR> <BR> Anyhow, don't worry. <BR> <BR> P.S. This sentence is for men who've had, you know, THAT operation, which didn't work all that well, or those who should: It's sometimes difficult to find Depends, although the Boots near Buckingham Palace (draw your own conclusions) did have small bundles (10 to a pack). That's one thing to carry a supply of, until you've established a source. [Anyone know about Italy on this matter?] ---Aj

I never go on a trip without my "Concentrated Campsuds." This green biodegradable liquid soap is an all-purpose cleaner that I use to wash my clothes, hair, and body. <BR> <BR>It's concentrated so a little bit goes a long way. It's made by Sierra Dawn Products, Sebastopol, CA 95472 (I have no affiliation with this company.). <BR> <BR>I got mine from REI Coop. You can probably get it at any local camping or wilderness store. <BR> <BR>P.S. Don't forget to take a flat rubber mat in case your sink doesn't have a stopper.

I have just followed the advice I have seen several times in various publications - don't take any soap but rather use the shampoo given you by most hotels. I frequently take a small bottle or two garnered from previous trips when we will be staying somewhere not likely to be supplying free shampoo, etc. Shampoo is developed to cut natural oil and is basically a soap, so it works just fine.

<BR>Heather, <BR> <BR>I too take a small bottle of Woolite. I pack all liquids in a separate zippered compartment of my soft-sided luggage. For extra insurance you could also put the bottles in zip-lock bags. If I have extra Woolite at the end of the trip I usually leave it in the hotel rather than carry it back as I usually need room for souvenirs. If you want to be more economical you could use a small bottle(s) - (I always save the samples from hotels after I use the shampoo, etc) and fill it with detergent. <BR> <BR>I agree with Arizona about wrapping wet laundry in a towel and pressing firmly to remove all excess moisture. And, I too have dried my laundry on the rear shelf in rental cars. <BR> <BR>I'm thinking of Scotland at the end of August, beginning of September. Did you find any good deals in airfare? Email me directly if you could. Anyway - have a great trip. <BR> <BR>Adrienne <BR>

<BR>Heather, <BR> <BR>I too take a small bottle of Woolite. I pack all liquids in a separate zippered compartment of my soft-sided luggage. For extra insurance you could also put the bottles in zip-lock bags. If I have extra Woolite at the end of the trip I usually leave it in the hotel rather than carry it back as I usually need room for souvenirs. If you want to be more economical you could use a small bottle(s) - (I always save the samples from hotels after I use the shampoo, etc) and fill it with detergent. <BR> <BR>I agree with Arizona about wrapping wet laundry in a towel and pressing firmly to remove all excess moisture. And, I too have dried my laundry on the rear shelf in rental cars. <BR> <BR>I'm thinking of Scotland at the end of August, beginning of September. Did you find any good deals in airfare? Email me directly if you could. Anyway - have a great trip. <BR> <BR>Adrienne <BR>

I also took a small bottle of Woolite and put it in a large zip-lock bag. I had no problems. I would do it again.

To Janice, regarding your suggestion to take a small rubber mat to use as a sink stopper in case one isn't supplied, where would one find one of those? Also at REI? That is a really good idea that I hadn't thought of before. Thanks!

I always take dry detergent because it is light- <BR>weight and won't leak. I just put some in a Zip- <BR>loc bag. The universal sink stoppers (round flat <BR>rubber disk) are available generally wherever sink plugs are sold, I believe. They are very handy, although I have thought that you could push an underpants down into the drain while doing other wash without too much loss of water, if you're careful. But the sink stopper takes up almost no space and weighs next to nothing, so you might as well take it if you can. I use the type of towel that soaks up a huge amount of water -- sometimes called camper towels -- to wring out clothes. You can then wring out the towel over and over and get alot accomplished with one relatively small towel.

Several have recommended Woolite in a small bottle wrapped in a plastic bag. However, on my last trip to Europe I was able to purchase Woolite in foil packets. Each packet is one sink-load of wash. I purchased these at a large chain drug store. They work great, plus they lay flat and don't take up any room!

Shampoo works just great!

I also picked a tip on the sink stopper from Rick Steves, those rubber gripper things that you use to open up jars is also a good sink stopper, and anything you need to use it as while you're gone. <BR>

I vote for the rubber jar opener mats and for shampoo----always use it when in Europe. Since I have it with me, why not two uses instead of one? And, when we talk about wringing well---ever try stepping on the clothes that are wrapped in the towel? <BR>

Since I am determined to pack light on this trip and this subject of laundry is open here goes--I am taking 100 percent cotton t shirts, a cotton knit jumper and knit slacks. Socks and underwear can be twisted, and stomped on but what is your suggestion on cotton? If I do any of the above, I will look like a wrinkled mess. Or do I need to start shopping for clothes made out of different fabric? <BR>

The trouble with cotton, in addition to wrinkles, is that is tends to dry VERY slowly. I would reconsider if I were you.

Heather - ivory liquid is the best stuff. I wrap mine in a ziplock feezer bag and carry it on the plane - you only need a small bottle (unless you're there for weeks) because it lasts a long time.

<BR>If I have to wash something, I always use the hotel shampoo bottles - works great. I also use those for bubble baths when I want to soak after a hard day of walking all over, or for that first bath after the long wretched plane ride over.

Thanks everybody—the sink stopoper is one of the best ideas yet., I’m going to put it in my travel bag immediately. I carry an old sample bottle with it filled with Whisk in a zip lock bag—a container of baby wipes to use—and don’t laugh—my bestever travel hint—the ends of the roll of toilet paper flattened in a large baggie—when a stall has just “run out”. Hope this helps somebody.....

<BR>Hello Parrot Mom - I've seen your name on postings before and wondered about it. I'm a parrot "mom" too and I wondered about you and if you had a parrot or just used that name. I've got a 30 year old or so green wing macaw (spoiled rotten my husband would say) and because of our love for birds, hope to get to Costa Rica, Brazil etc. someday. (I print everything I can off that msg board for future use.) And we always try to check out the "natives" wherever we go.