Monday’s Money Saving Tips: Wash Your Own Clothes!
I have to admit I’m a dirty cheapskate traveller sometimes but hey, I’d rather be like this and save money to keep me on the road longer. Today on Monday’s Money Saving Tips, I’m sharing my advice on saving money on laundry, not just in places where you can get free laundry by scamming those machines. If you read my Tuesday’s Travel Essentials Laundry Tips a while back, you might remember that I included doing your own washing as one of my tips. It’s something I’ve done over the years. I totally recommend it for all long term travellers, it’s a really easy way to save money on the road. It has cons too of course, so I’ve weighed the pros and cons for you here.
Using our hotel room sink to wash my clothes in Aqaba, Jordan recently.
Advantages of washing your own clothes
– You save money
– You clean your clothes
– You save time looking for a laundrette or asking if your hostel washes clothes
– You can wash your clothes one at a time, two at a time, or however many clothes you wish.
– You can even get into the habit of washing your underwear every day, so you always have spar pants and socks
– All you need is a sink/tub, some water and washing powder
Drying my socks and pants in Turkey recently…
Disadvantages of washing your own clothes
– The effort taken to wash them
– They are never as clean as they will be if you put them in a washing machine
– In cold places they take longer to dry
– You still need to spend some money as you have to carry your own washing powder
All in all though, it’s a really good tip, and an easy one to do. I haven’t used a washing machine in over 6 weeks now on this current adventure yet I’ve always had clean clothes as I’ve washed them myself along the way.
Here’s my guide to washing your clothes on the move:
– I always carry a small bag of washing powder.
– I wash my clothes by hand in hot water with the washing powder (normally in a hotel or hostel sink or bath)
– I wring them out
– I dry them on balconies or out in the sun if it’s hot
– I dry them on the radiator or hang them up if it’s cold
– When I feel they need a more thorough wash, I get ready to bundle them all together and do a full load in a washing machine.
So next time you tell yourself you’re on a strict budget when travelling, just ask yourself if you are paying for laundry. If you are, then you’re not budgeting enough. Buy some washing powder and start washing your own clothes as you go.
Radiators come in handy for quick drying.
I’ve just washed a batch here in Tehran Iran as I plot my next journey. Internet here is horrific. It’s excruciatingly slow and really hard to get any work done. I’m spending my spare time watching Michael Palin documentaries at night these days!!
With my endless money saving travel tips and stories, I want to help you all save money as you travel the world! Check my advertising page if you have an idea for my Monday’s Money Saving Tips, and don’t forget I welcome free trips, free clothes and even free laundry…
I used to do this a lot too, but I’m really too lazy. I’m willing to pay for laundry in most places, and it’s usually not that expensive (unless you do it in one of those hotels that charges by item, then it’s just ridiculous!) I’d also add that it can be difficult to wash clothes in places which are very humid, as they’ll take forever to dry! In Arequipa, southern Peru recently, I had no problem washing our clothes in our apartment because there was a massive sink just for that and because it’s so dry (some days the humidity was only 15%!) they’d dry in an hour or two!
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Thanks for the comment Sam – I actually reckon it’s more lazy to do your own washing!! As it means you don’t leave your hostel room to get them washed and dried! Good tip about the humidity as well – had that problem in Hong Kong would you believe! Safe travels. Jonny
What are the things to consider when purchasing commercial washing machines? Not like another piece of equipment, there are crucial things to know that will help you get the ideal laundry system for your demands especially if these machines will be used for business purposes.
Hi Daniela, thanks for the comment. I have never actually bought a washing machine, I just use many different ones on my travels to wash my clothes. Safe travels. Jonny