Washing clothes with Shampoo or Soap ?

I, too, didn't want to use up space in my valuable carry-on baggie carrying Woolite. So I bought a big bar of Fels Naptha laundry soap (a VERY good stain remover I use at home), then took a knife and cut off a small chunk since a little piece lasts forever. Fels Naptha is a very effective stain/odor remover which works great for handwashing laundry, unlike shampoos and bar soaps found in hotel rooms.

Works fine with shampoo. I've never tried bar soap. FYI, I keep a few travel-size shampoo bottles at home and fill one with detergent, to bring on a trip. Making sure that I put a piece of masking tape on with the word "detergent". :) By the end of the trip it's half-full at the most. Point being, it gets lighter as the trip progresses.

Shampoo is very similar to the special liquid sopa sold for hand-washing wool and fine fabrics. I use it often on my clothes when traveling.

Shampoo it is! The old backpackers' tip. It really works. Alternatively buy "Rei in der Tube" at any German supermarket. It's made for use with cold water in sinks and works almost as good as your laundry machine back at home.

Shampoo is designed to remove oils and grease. Don't forget the travelers clothes dryer--the hair dryer.

Barbara

I have used shampoo, also, which is ok for more delicate, lightly soiled laundry. However, Fels Naptha (recommended by the Queen of Clean), costing less than $2 a bar at the grocery, is far superior in removing stains and sweat odors than shampoo. Since hand laundry doesn't have the benefit of a washing machine's agitator, it is sometimes more difficult to get laundry clean. I read about Fels Naptha several years ago on the Graffiti Wall and have been grateful for this improvement to my travel laundry.

Good to see so many people also use shampoo for laundry! Remember that a little goes a long way (you don't want to rinse forever).

I've used shampoo to do socks and underwear in my hotel room. It works well enough. Depending on the hotel you stay at, you can't always expect to have shampoo provided. I usually pack a travel size and replace it along the way at hotels that do provide toiletries. I found a really nice book of laundry detergent sheets at REI. They're the size of a book of matches and have fifty sheets (3 or 4 sheets does a full load). They don't weigh much or take up space, and they don't need to be in my liquids bag for inspection.

I always take along a single hand sized bar of Ivory soap (no, this is not a commercial) and use it for everything. I use it in the shower and to wash my hair. I also use it to do my laundry. I carry a ziploc bag in my toiletry kit to carry the bar of soap when I am traveling so the wet soap doesn't get on other things.

This post is 5+ years old and was resurrected by someone who wanted to advertise a product called a "Vapper." That post has been removed.

Lee I cannot even begin to fully comment on bar soap in hair,, I assume you have short short hair, otherwise you like dry ( bar soap is alkaline not ph balanced) stiff hair.. lol I use the hotel shampoos to sink wash too, I also bring this stuff called "Forever New" its wonderful, so easy to rince out, its sold in department stores lingerie departments as a hand washing POWDER( so better then carrying Zero or other like liquids).. it comes in a small plastic container the does not leak( I have packed it along for 3-4 weeks at a time) and it only takes a little to do a sinkful. I totally recommend that stuff!

Like Pat, I use Forever New. However, I buy the 32 oz size at Macys and then measure & put in snack baggies when I travel. They fit easily in nooks and crannies of your carry on bag and it is one less thing for the liquid's bag.

They sell travel size small packets of liquid laundry detergent. They are similar size to the packets of shampoo you sometime get in hotels. They probably hold less then 2 oz each. They take no extra space. All you need is no more than 2 packets for each week you are away. I have a bunch of both "Tide" and "Woolite". You can find them in most stores.

Why take up valueable space in your quart baggie? I carry a full size bar of ivory soap. I have found it is the best at cleaning and removing stains. Works really well on socks and underwear. I also use a microfiber towel to help draw moisture from cloths after wringing them out.

Why take up valueable space in your quart baggie? I carry a full size bar of ivory soap. I have found it is the best at cleaning and removing stains. Works really well on socks and underwear. I also use a microfiber towel to help draw moisture from cloths after wringing them out.