Backpacking can be a liberating experience, and it can help you become more self-reliant. One of the key elements of backpacking is learning to manage your own laundry.
While it may seem like a minor task, doing laundry when backpacking can be surprisingly difficult. Here are some tips on how to do laundry while backpacking.
Choose the Right Laundry Supplies
The first step in doing laundry while backpacking is to get the right supplies. You’ll need a container for washing and rinsing, such as a bucket or a sink stopper with a handle.
You should also consider getting biodegradable soap, as it will have less of an impact on the environment. Additionally, you may want to bring along some extra clothes pins and line or rope for hanging your clothes out to dry.
Find an Appropriate Place to Do Laundry
Once you have all your supplies, you’ll need to find an appropriate place to do your laundry. If you’re camping out in the wilderness, make sure that you’re far enough away from any water sources so that you won’t contaminate them with soap or other products. If you’re staying at a hostel or other accommodation, make sure that you check with them first about where it is acceptable for you to do your laundry.
Wash Your Clothes
Once you have found an appropriate place, it’s time to start washing your clothes. Fill up your container with warm water and add the soap. Make sure that all of your clothes are submerged in the soapy water and give them a good scrub before draining the water and refilling with clean water for rinsing.
Hang Your Clothes Out To Dry
Once all of your clothes have been washed and rinsed, it’s time to hang them out to dry. Depending on where you are staying and what kind of weather is available, this could mean hanging them up inside or outside using line or rope. If possible, try to hang them up somewhere where there is good airflow so that they will dry quickly.
Conclusion:
Doing laundry when backpacking can be challenging but by following these tips it is possible!
Make sure that you choose the right supplies such as biodegradable soap and extra clothes pins for hanging up wet items. Additionally, find an appropriate place for doing laundry such as far away from water sources if camping outdoors or checking with accommodation if staying indoors. Finally make sure that once everything is washed and rinsed that there is plenty of airflow for drying out wet items quickly before packing up again!