TV host Rick Steves says he always washes his clothes in the hotel sink when he travels — here's everything you need to do it, too
Rick Steves: How to wash clothes in the sink while traveling
How does Rick Steves, host of the travel show "Rick Steves' Europe," manage to spend months at a time traversing Europe with nothing more than a carry-on bag? "I just wash my laundry in the sink," he said in an exclusive interview with Insider.
"I use the shampoo that comes in the hotel room," Steves added. "My philosophy about washing clothes on the road is you don't need to have the high standards that you have at home. If you get to 65% clean, that's dang good when you're on the road. Don't stress out about that."
Whether you're in a hotel room with just shampoo or you packed some of the useful products below, here are some helpful tips for cleaning your clothes on the road.
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These products will come in handy when you're doing laundry while traveling:
Step 1: Choose the right travel clothes
"Part of my joy, believe it or not, is being able to wash out shirts in the hotel room," said Steves. To do that, he looks for clothes that are made from materials that dry quickly. "When it's super, super hot, I go to REI, and I buy a shirt that you can wash and wring and put it on, and five minutes later, it's dry."
In addition to the REI shirt, Steves likes clothing made of hemp, a durable, porous material that dries quickly. He also relies on Patagonia pants and Meriwool shirts, made of moisture-wicking, odor-resistant Merino wool.
These clothes have the added benefit of being lightweight, so they don't take up too much space or weight in your bag. You should avoid heavier clothes like thick jeans or dry-clean only items if you plan on using your hotel sink as a washing machine.
Insider Reviews freelance writer Mary Marlow Leverette recommends packing darker clothes since they will hold up better than lighter clothes after multiple wearings. Also, choose clothes in one or two color families to easily mix and match outfits.
Beyonder T-Shirt - Men's, $14.83 at REI (normally $29.95)
Los Cabos Hemp Twill Walking Shorts, $79 at Dash Hemp
Step 2: Spot treat with a stain-removing pen
Spills and stains happen. The faster you treat them, the easier it is to get them out. We have several tricks for removing stains right away. The key is to remember not to rub the stain. If you do, it can penetrate more deeply, making it harder to get out.
A stain-removing pen is a great tool to pack since it doesn't take up much space and can treat stains before you wash them.
Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover Pen (3-pack), $8.99 at Amazon
3. Fill the sink with warm water and add detergent
First, try to get in the habit of washing your clothes each day of the trip, so you aren't stuck with large loads. This will also help you get faster at the task, freeing you up for more enjoyable activities.
Plug the sink and fill it with warm water. If your room has a tub, you can use it for larger loads. Next, add detergent. You have a few options here. Steves just uses the small bottles of shampoo that come in hotel rooms. But, there are several alternatives specifically designed to help clean your clothes while traveling, including bar laundry soap, liquid detergent packets, laundry detergent sheets, thin leaves of soap, and a travel-sized detergent for delicates. These are also handy when camping.
Once you've added detergent to the water, add your clothes and swish them around. Let them soak for about 10 minutes and agitate the clothes again.
Fels Naptha Laundry Bar & Stain Remover, $9.95 at Amazon
Sea to Summit Trek & Travel Pocket Laundry Wash, $9.94 at Amazon
SinkSuds Travel Laundry Detergent, $8.47 at Amazon (normally $14.99)
Step 4: Rinse the clothes
Step 5: Dry the clothes
To help your clothes dry faster, consider wringing them out in a hotel towel or a quick-dry towel of your own. Next, hang the clothes to dry. When doing this, think of how much contact the clothes will have with any surface. For example, if you hang your items over a curtain rod, the part coming in contact with the rod will dry slowly. Instead, you might consider packing a travel clothesline. Set it up near your room's air conditioner or dehumidifier for even faster drying.
Waffle Towel, $49 at Parachute
Hawatour Portable Travel Elastic Clothesline, $9.99 at Amazon
Step 6: Use a laundry refresher on lightly worn clothes
If your clothes are clean for the most part, use a laundry refresher to keep them smelling good. Febreze is a great option available in travel-sized containers. Lightly spray your clothes after changing out of them and hang them up.
Febreze To-Go Fabric Refresher (2.8 Oz - 4 Pack), $12.68 at Amazon
Insider's takeaway
Having a plan for washing your clothes can save a lot of luggage space. And, most of the time, you can get away with not having perfectly clean attire. But, even Steves will carve out some laundromat time when his duds are particularly ripe. There's no shame in that, and it can offer a new experience in a foreign land. After all, isn't that what traveling is all about?
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