Dirty Laundry Management Tips to Tide You Over

Jan. 27, 2018

•

4 min read

Dirty Laundry Management Tips to Tide You Over

The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.

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

Daily Newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts

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

TPG featured card

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

3.5 / 5

Go to review

Apply now

at American Express's secure site

Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.

Rewards rate

3X	Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases.
1X	Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer

Earn up to 125,000 Bonus Miles

Annual fee

$650

Regular APR

19.49%-28.49% Variable

Recommended credit

Excellent to Good

Pros

Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
Ability to earn MQDs through spending
Various statement credits for eligible purchases

Cons

Steep annual fee of $650
Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories

Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
$240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
$120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
$650 Annual Fee.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.
See Rates & Fees