Sink plug

Hi Sunny, some people bring a small flat rubber plug. I wash a few items each night, and I have rarely had a sink without a plug. (I move hotels often - 12 in this upcoming trip.). Some leak water slowly, so I wash them quickly. When needed with no plug available, I just rubbed the soap into the items & use one hand to cover the drain while I added water and then go quickly. Or, some people like to just wash them in the shower, if needed.

There are a wide range of sink options in Europe, so I usually pack a medium sized flat sink plug (like this one) that works most of the time. Some people also pack a 1.5-2 gallon heavy duty ziplock bag to do washing in the case the sink is too small (it often is). That bag could come in handy to store dirty clothes on the way home.

I also take a small braided clothesline and two inflatable hangers as sometimes hotel hangers cannot be removed from the closet. But while looking for a link to the hangers I use, I noticed these interesting foldable ones that are an intriguing alternative too. Off I go down the rabbit hole :)

CL, I have a flat plug like that and it seems really big for a sink. Does it really fit in a bathroom sink?

Hi Sunny, I went to Home Depot before a trip to the UK in October and bought that flat sink plug. Upon our return at LHR my suitcase was flagged and had to go through extra security using the high res machine. I couldn’t imagine why, but then the agent showed me the plug was the item that triggered the alarm. He said bc it is made of rubber it is examined like an explosive. After they took a look at it, they returned it to my case and off we went. It was weird that it was flagged there and not at IAD. Maybe the way it was packed? Who knows, but I don’t think I will use it again. I think I will use a gallon plastic bag to put water/detergent in within the sink basin. Just food for thought.

Some travel bloggers take along a dry bag or sac to either keep something dry or to separate wet clothes from dry in transit.

They also use it to wash clothes.

Then there is the Scrubba which is essentially a dry bag with nubs inside to scrub your clothes.

You could buy many boxes of 2-gallon freezer zipper bags for that price.

I like this. It has worked for any sink I've encountered:

https://www.amazon.com/V-TOP-Stopper-Silicone-Bathtub-Bathroom/dp/B076JD153W/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=BFU4STQ6MV0G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Xu_Lu-c6u_3WoSr1sJbDo7HEGIzpJbOo6iPEqFQrbBQL9FQSHAaQ5hQXIscyzvEv4q_jgQ7UYvTwn94N6dgyJMxUclRjmnZgHjmi8t0fKqknDLpfH6GhUYoW1dCY2OeC0WBuxn4ac4fr9bDb4qd8VIgChomnWRbVE96RdwX8fCCD9qy8o4pyAfs_g7Ik_YeIv-Jnhzm2qP5HrRYkWBaUtpehhbz62gIaXN6MwRHVBwE7PJ92b_C9aKRy_BkCqwSsdylfn4YlPMhCCHGAU-6PfJCg2kwS6Q_0NnyXewWNarI.6Z4WqRjzyZlbJ9c_9iuFK_yKlVGNGCITPf_Q94EE2xE&dib_tag=se&keywords=travel%2Bsink%2Bplug&qid=1746116190&sprefix=%2Caps%2C982&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Also, I wash a fair amount of my clothes in the shower as I shower.

ABOVE EDITED, Sorry, Sunny, not sure how that happened.

Jules M, that link goes to a makeup page, can you try again please?

I take a 3” flat sink plus because it will work on all size drains. However, I use 2 1/2 gal ziplock bags to hand wash in. They slosh water less.

Vote #2 for the 2-2.5 gal ziplock bag. That way I can put in a "wash", move it to the shower/tub to soak and still have access to the sink. I reinforce the ziplock with mailing tape so the seams won't split.

I've looked at that Scrubba washbag - has just recently started popping up again on my FB feed, lol. It's nice BUT it weighs about 5oz and the REI reviews are pretty varied. The ziplock weighs less for those of us who count every ounce.

I used to travel with a sink plug but now wash clothes in the shower along with myself.

I use an 8 liter Sea to Summit Ultra Sil dry bag. It has lasted for years and weighs under an ounce. I sometimes find bathroom sinks too small to wash more than a pair of socks.

I got mine at Amazon.

CL, I bought a pack of those hangers in multi-colors, and they work well. Items with thin straps don’t slide off because they sit down in the indentation, or you can just bend up the wings of the hanger.

I have a flat plug like that and it seems really big for a sink. Does
it really fit in a bathroom sink?

As I said, it works most of the time and actually something slightly bigger than the drain will give you a better seal.

Jean thanks for the endorsement of the hangers! I ordered some today.

CL, the folding hangers are great. Used them on 5 trips; pack 4. Easy to configure to hang pants, shirts, undies, socks. I wish the tops swiveled so drip dry shirts would hang better in tiny showers.

My recent trip to Paris, the sink was a modern type that didn’t have the place for a plug. It looked similar to ones I’ve seen in restaurants and airports. The sink was like a rectangular trough with a slight incline and the water just went down one whole side of it. So, I just washed some undies by hand rubbing the soap on them and then rinsing them under the running water. It would be harder to do a shirt that way.

I took a flat sink plug on many trips and never needed to use it so I got rid of it.

a filled plastic bag or baggie can work as a plug in a pinch.

Never used mine. Now i take a 2 1/2 gal ziplock

The flat plug didn't work in the sonks where I needed it.

A long time ago I read a tip--maybe in a guidebook--about taking a small, squishy toy ball that could be squeezed into the opening to block the water flow. Not having children or grandchildren, I don't go to toy stores, so I don't know how easy it would be to find something of the appropriate size.

I’ve taken a sink plug exactly like the one in the link to Amazon on several trips and never used it. It’s not going anywhere in 2025. I will take the stretchy clothesline.

Vote #2 for the 2-2.5 gal ziplock bag. That way I can put in a "wash", move it to the shower/tub to soak and still have access to the sink. I reinforce the ziplock with mailing tape so the seams won't split.

I do what Pam does, except I use bright orange duct tape. The bag works extremely well, I know what's been in it, and it is multi-purpose.