Dirty Laundry Management Tips to Tide You Over

Teenagers and laundry rarely mix, but youngsters are bringing detergent to the forefront with the latest Internet fad: taking the Tide Pod Challenge. While adults struggle to understand why teenagers are ingesting or vaping these handy little packets of pre-mixed laundry detergent, various businesses have found opportunities to capitalize on the recent hubbub by launching safe, edible versions such as Pied Pods and Tide Pod shots.

As the laundry brand struggles to restore Tide Pods to its intended function, we asked our TPG Lounge travel experts to, ahem, air their dirty laundry for us by sharing their best tips for cleaning clothes on the go.

"I find laundromats tell you a lot about a country. When I found the laundromat in Brisbane that you pay for via PayPal, I truly fell in love with Australia." – Serenity F.

Find Laundry on the Go

TPG readers share how laundry considerations influence their choice of stay:

• Airbnbs with a washer/dryer in-unit: "If I am traveling to several different cities, I make sure the accommodations at the middle of the trip has washer access." – Shaley F.
• Laundry services: "I use Foursquare, Yelp and the hotel concierge to find a local laundry place when I'm on a big trip." – Krista N.
• Look for laundromats that will pick up from your hotel.
• Ask if the place offers laundromat facilities, such as extended-stay Residence Inns.

Give Your Laundry the DIY Treatment

TPG readers had a number of creative suggestions for dealing with the laundry itself:

• Rent clothing for your trip. You get to return it as-is at the end of your trip.
• Pack dirty clothes, then launder them upon arrival to ensure they're fresh and wrinkle-free.
• Pack old clothing that can either be discarded or washed and donated when you leave.
• Buy new clothes on-location, especially if you are going somewhere fashion-forward like Italy or New York, or especially affordable like Bali.
• Throw dirty laundry into the hotel's dry cleaning bag, then launder them back home.
• Leave clothes hanging in the bathroom during a shower, use a travel steamer or use Downy wrinkle-free spray to keep clothes crisp.
• Wash underwear in the shower.
• "I lay my items flat on top of one towel, put a second towel over it all, and then roll it up, stepping on it with each fold. Most things are 80% dry at that point and no wrinkles." – Rachel H.
• "Roll your sink-washed clothes in a towel and twist. Seriously cuts drying time." – Michael S.
• Re-wear clothes a few times before washing.
• "My friend offers the housekeeper [at five-star hotels] $20 to launder a load, and says he has never been turned down; the clothes always come back the next day nicely laundered and folded." - Lee-Ann M.
• Bring your own clothesline.

Pack Products That Help Keep Clothes Clean and Neat

• ExOfficio underwear comes highly recommended by a number of travelers for its durability and quick-drying qualities. "Wear one, pack two" is a common motto. While ExOfficio isn't cheap, the products can be purchased on sale at REI or Amazon, and the Seattle airport even has a dedicated ExOfficio store for your convenience.
• The Scrubba is a packable washing bag recommended by a number of TPG readers.
• "Try Downy wrinkle release spray. They have it in the travel aisle. Even the clothes that say wrinkle-free will bunch up after a 5+ hour flight. Spray gets wrinkles right out." – Artem M.
• Merino wool shirts are naturally sweat-wicking and odor-reducing, and hold their shape well under all kinds of washing conditions.
• Travel-size laundry sheets simplify sink-washing for travelers who pack light.
• "Wearing silks and other hand-wash fabrics at home feels like a hassle, but when traveling? I'm washing clothes in the sink anyway, and silk dries quickly." – Alice P.

Do you have any tricks, tips or techniques we've missed? Share your ideas in the comments below.

Feature photo by Shutterstock.com