Laundry detergent within TSA limit

There are times when I think, it would just be easier to check a bag.

A lot of us like Forever New which is a powder. Nordstrom used to carry it but discontinued. Now you can get it from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Forever-New-Fabric-Care-Wash/dp/B001R33TZW/ref=pd_sim_121_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0JXWPGZKB50Z144RK9VS

Thanks for the tip about Forever New. I was not familiar with that powder product. It sounds great according to the customer reviews on Amazon!

We actually did end up checking our larger bags (1 per person) even though theoretically we could have carried them on board. Our to- and from-Europe flights each had a stop & change of planes, so it would have been a pain to keep track of the luggage in the en route airports. Checking it through to our end destinations was just simpler. Even so, I wanted to keep the weight as low as possible. My DH would bring 8 oz bottles of shampoo, body wash, shaving cream etc. if I let him think this was going to be allowed, LOL.

I've seen more than one article talking about how the laundry soap companies spent the past 70 or so years convincing us all that we needed to use more laundry soap than we ever really did, and how they're seeing falling sales now because the new generation of front loaders actually are encouraging people to use less soap.

So I wouldn't be surprised if, unless you need to work a stain out, you could get away with a smaller amount of laundry soap in every hotel room wash than what you're using now and the clothes would seem just as clean the next morning.

We've had some great moments in the laundromats. Yes, we also do some stuff in the sink but we never mind spending 2 hours now and again to repack the suitcase with clothes that are REALLY clean and dry. Want to meet some locals and/or travelers just like you? Go do some laundry!

You might consider Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets while they are still available from Amazon. I like them because they are neither liquid nor powder.

I cut them up into 1/4 or 1/3 strips, making sure to follow the curve so as to get all the benefits of the 3-in-1. For sink washing, I use 1 strip. For the laundromat, I use 1 or more strips depending on the size of the washer.

On our last trip we took care of our laundry weekly and every way possible except paying the outrageous prices per item many hotels charge. Those methods included sink washing, having everything done at once by the hotel, taking it to a service to do it all at once for us and using the laundromat ourselves. All worked and all were cheap.

The laundry sheets don't make a lot of suds but they do work. Put the into the sink and "swish" the water around until they dissolve. Then put in your clothes.

You could try Zote soap--97 cents at Wal Mart. Cut it into pieces and take that.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zote-White-Laundry-Soap-14.1-oz/16935506

I used to use the liquid travel wash found in the Rick Steves store. Or you could try Campsuds. Or Dr. Bronners soap--bar or liquid.

Plain shampoo (not the kind with conditioner) or even plain hand/body soap (bar or liquid) will also work as a substitute for laundry detergent. A few drop or a few rubs on the bar will clean several outfits. Multi-use products rock! Take 2 or 3 bottles of shampoo or throw in a small bar of soap (less for the little 3-1-1 bag).

I've also seen powdered Tide and other detergents in very small packets (travel sized) at the travel section in my drug store (Rite Aid) and grocery (Food Lion) and at Walmart, Target and some Dollar Trees. A single packet would do several sink-loads or giant ziplock baggie loads.

I do believe they sell laundry detergent in Europe.

Lots of great ideas here, thanks, everyone!

The main thing I wanted to share was that the "Method 8X" concentrated detergent was not as smart a choice as I had anticipated. It didn't impress me.

@JKC, yes of course they sell detergent in Europe. But we had a very full itinerary and didn't want to have to spend time going to a store for detergent.

Forever New is sold in Macy's--Lola FYI. Bought it near some underwear if I remember. A tiny bit in a sink does the trick.

We don't waste space and weight taking detergent with us. Along time ago we found out that at least in France, Germany and Switzerland the stores have some great cold water detergents that were even better than our old stand-by Woolite. So why bother taking what you can get there?

lrv, the French have laundry detergent? I never would have guessed. Shampoo works pretty well too. At least for what I transfer to my clothes. Then, there is the lady over on Ó utca that will do a load for about $7 and will do it in one day.

Yes, you can purchase laundry detergent in Europe....as long as you know what you're buying. During our first trip to Europe, we stopped in a small grocery store in Verona to pick up a few things along with some laundry detergent to wash items in the sink. My hubby grabbed what he thought was a small box of laundry detergent; it had a graphic of a T-shirt on it. Luckily, I looked back at the shelf and noticed the same graphic in a different color. He had picked up a box of black dye! Whew, we almost had a monotone wardrobe for our trip to meet up with a RS tour - ha!

And to answer your question, I bring along the packs of Woolite and also use shampoo if/when we run out.

We love Forever New.. the little canister lasts us three weeks easily.. I even come home with some.. and it rinses out nicely. We do not bring things like blue jeans .. they would be a nightmare to wash !

I'm with Kent and Kathy! I don't want to spend a bunch of precious holiday time stressing over laundry. Especially the washing it myself kind. While on different trips, we have found a laundromat , paid a few bucks and gone and had a lovely coffee or wine and visited with other fellow travellers while waiting to pick it up. It's part of the trip that your clothes get a little tired, aside from undies that can be done in a sink, go to a laundromat. Don't get too carried away with the idea of minimalism in packing , you do want to be comfortable in your clothes and for us, freshly laundered clothing every several days is worth the trip to a laundromat when packing minimally.

If anyone is looking for laundry soap specifically made for sink washing, and can wait to purchase it in Europe, there is a British product called Dylon Travel Wash that comes in a 75 ml tube. It's a cream so It will have to go into the 3-1-1 bag but the stuff isn't bad. There is an equivalent product made in Germany but I don't remember the name.

http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-34999-Dylon+travel+wash

We've never paid someone else to do our laundry. It's been pretty easy (so far) to find self-serve laundromats when we've wanted them, and we usually do a washing-up just once during a 3-week trip. It might be twice only for the benefit of a dryer if the climate is humid enough to have trouble getting even lighter-weight, hand-washed item to dry well. It's never been a waste of time, and we've met such interesting people doing the same thing!

I pack a little powdered Oxyclean for any stubborn stains (great stuff) but otherwise use whatever is available for sink washing, and soap from dispensers at the laundries.

I use Charlie's Soap for all my laundry needs. It is safe for sensitive skin and for high efficiency washers. One small scoop does a large load. When I travel, I usually take a couple of scoops. When doing sink wash I will use a three/four finger pinch. I love this stuff. This will last a good three years. Try here to find retailer near you.

@Debra, thanks for the info about Charlie's Soap! I had not heard of it before!

I see they have a website
http://www.charliesoap.com/laundry_powder.html

We have had good luck using a chunk of Fels Naptha Laundry soap. A large bar at the grocery store costs about a dollar. I break it in half because the bar is rather large. No liquid for the 3 1 1 bag. This soap works great for sink washing.

We have had good luck using a chunk of Fels Naptha Laundry soap. A large bar at the grocery store costs about a dollar. I break it in half because the bar is rather large. No liquid for the 3 1 1 bag. This soap works great for sink washing.

I've been bringing small containers of plain old powdered Tide detergent. And the others are right, you don't need nearly as much as what the manufacturers would want you to believe you need. If there is a nearby self service laundry, that's the route we usually take and these days, the machines are very easy to use and are "all inclusive" in that they include the detergent and everything.

Hi, I spent too much time in France this year shopping for laundry detergent. I finally found some and used it for a few days before I thought to google the product and found out it was fabric softner. It smelled nice but didn't clean the clothes very well. Will bring some from home next time.

I've used these Travelon laundry sheets in the past and they worked just fine. Be sure your hands are dry when you're separating them or you will end up with one solid block of sheets!

http://www.amazon.com/Travelon-Laundry-Soap-Sheets-50-Count/dp/B000Y0CL8K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436574431&sr=8-1&keywords=laundry+detergent+sheets+travel&pebp=1436574419313&perid=10VWYX02YWM53R97AVTD

@Donna, I hear you about accidentally sticking the dry detergent sheets together! Luckily I saw a warning about that before I used any of mine or I'm sure I would have made the same mistake with wet/damp fingers.

Another vote for FOREVER NEW powder (we buy ours on Amazon) - we've bought the individual packs & the little container & both have worked very well for us.

LOVE Forever New!!! I use it all the time at home, too. I just put some in a snack-sized Ziploc bag (double-bagged; its fabulous scent is very strong, and you don't want powder all over your bag). I just put a pinch in the sink...a little dab will do ya ;-)

There's no reason to stress (someone else' sword) over doing your own laundry! It just takes a few minutes every other night or so with a powdered detergent (no airport security issues). That's it!

And yes, shampoo is a great laundry soap. Very clean-rinsing.

I'm curious about Charlie's soap since the website advises you to detox your clothes when you first start using it. What if you bring it on your trip and you haven't detoxed your clothes at home ahead of time? Will you get weird effects using it for hand washing in hotel sinks?

I have used Charlies Soap for years, so sorry, I don't recall if there were any strange odors. But I don't think so, I probably wouldn't still be using if so. I did read information on the website and it just stated it helps to remove residue from other laundry products. CS itself has no odor(scent). I have never favored detergent or soap that had flowery scent.

Another vote for Forever New. But even just powdered detergent like Tide or Cheer will be fine. Consider that a hotel sink holds, at most, a gallon and a half of water. Your washer at home holds 10-12 gallons for the wash cycle. So one scoop of Tide in a baggie will last you for 7-10 sink loads.

(I still use powdered detergent. The other people in my house don't believe they should have to measure liquid detergent, so they just pour it directly into the machine. If I buy powdered, the most they can put in is an overflowing scoop. But at least they do their own laundry! 'Cuz I sure ain't doing it.)

@Debra, thanks for the reassurance about Charlie's soap. I may try it at home, especially now that I've tried to use up the bottle of Method 8X and found that it leaves an invisible but sticky residue on towels unless I add white vinegar to the rinse compartment.
@Karen, that is too funny about the liquid vs powdered detergent in the household. Good for you!

We use CampSuds. It is a highly concentrated designed for the backpacking crowd with limited access to water. A couple, three drops in a sink is all that is needed. Almost no suds, and raises out easily. You seem to focused on the need for lots of Suds. You don't need suds as evidences that the clothes are being cleaned.

PS Forgot to add. The standard 2 oz will last forever at 3 or 4 drops per use.

@Frank, I would not say I'm "focused on lots of suds," but I admit I don't care for the super-low-suds detergents. I'd rather use an ecologically responsible small quantity of a laundry soap/detergent that provides evidence that it's working and with which I can tell that I've rinsed it out at the end of the wash.

Our Family used Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets on our recent trip. They worked great, or so my Wife said.