Extra towels, please - travel laundry

If you’re doing in-room sinkwashing you’ll need extra towels. Ask for them when you check in to the hotel so you’ll be sure to have them when laundry time rolls around. Some clothing will dry overnight easliy. Other clothing items need extra help. That’s where the towels come in. After rinsing your sink laundry and squeezing it out gently, lay it out on the the extra bath towel, then roll it up in the towel, then unroll it and hang it up. With all the moisture the towel soaks up, air drying overnight is a cinch. And no more puddles next to the bathtub. Your clothes may also dry more wrinkle-free since using the towel means you don’t have to wring them out so brutally, which probably also makes the clothes last longer. I like to pack a couple of plastic hangers in addition to a bungee clothesline - more space efficient and makes shirts dry with better shape/fewer wrinkles.

Comments

[LJT]

What do you think of MSR travel/camping towels as an option?

[Brad]

I have a friend who swears by the MSR - but if you carry a towel you have to take it with you, wet or not. Might be a good idea for long term stays in one place or if you know there won't be any if you don't carry them in. For most trips an extra hotel towel is best.

[Paula S]

I bought a large size microfibre travel towel (courtesy Rick Steves), I use it to wring out handwashed clothes, it sucks the water out so well the clothes dry in half the time. The towel dries pretty quickly too but should I have to travel with it damp, I put it in a large ziplock baggy until I reach my next destination then hang it up to dry. If I'm really lucky the bathroom might have a heated towel rail.....they're prfect for drying towels and clothes.

[Frank@OBOW]

I believe the MSR towels are highly regarded too. I had wondered what to do with them if they were wet - a ziploc bag would be the answer. Maybe a little spritz of Febreze too? I just got a message from a vendor who had promised to send me a towel like you describe but it has never arrived. Hopefully it will show and I'll have something to experiment with.

http://www.ultralighttowels.com/

[Dan]

If the hotel where you are staying has a pool or gym you can often find towels there you can borrow for laundry.

BTW, the gym is often a good place to fill your water bottle with good filtered water.