View Full Version : Best way to wash clothes?
SwingLow
06-01-2010, 20:32
What is the best way to wash clothes on a thru hike?
gunner76
06-01-2010, 20:33
Wait for it to rain and start scrubing what you are wearing.
BigFoot2002
06-01-2010, 20:43
I basically just wear them until I get to a town with reasonably priced accommodations,which usually have laundry facilities available.
On the trail, this can vary between every 3 to 10 days, depending upon what you find to be reasonably priced.
Socks I wash in streams, always making sure I have one dry pair of the 3 or 4.
Mrs Baggins
06-01-2010, 20:45
I keep an empty plastic bag with me with tiny holes in it. I put my clothes in it with water and some soap (Camp Suds), squish it all around in the bag, let it drain out the holes, add some water to rinse it,let it drain, and then hang them up to dry. That's only when real laudromats aren't available. When traveling overseas I use the hotel/hostel room sink/tub. We take nothing that can't be washed out that way and dry overnight in the room.
BigFoot2002
06-01-2010, 20:50
I think mine is the reply by the average single guy.
BigFoot2002
06-01-2010, 20:50
Gunners is good too
Toolshed
06-01-2010, 20:55
...Socks I wash in streams, always making sure I have one dry pair of the 3 or 4.
I don't wash any articles of clothing in streams. I prefer to either do what Baggins mentions - 1 gallon ziplock and warm water - squish around for a while and let soak and then rinse throroughly away from streams and campsites. I then twist the article tightly until the water is almost gone and then wrap in a camp towel to soak out most of any remaining moisture. This seems to work fairly well for me.
The other option is to throw on rainclothes and wash everything when I get to a laundromat in a town.
PS - I usually wash only my underwear and socks every couple of days with this method. The ex-officio's dry overnight. Socks take a little longer, but they feel good when putting on!!!!
Appalachian Tater
06-01-2010, 21:04
Laundry detergent gets clothes cleaner than soap does. Best to use a washing machine when in town and consider the handwashing a way to get your clothes cleaner, but not clean.
Laying them out in the sun will also help to reduce odor because UV kills microorganisms.
I am not sure that soap is really needed. If water is not scarce, water should be sufficient. Hot water helps alot, but fuel can be scarce. Up here biofuel is less scarce, but this summer might be a very dry one so there could be fire bans. Still, cold water will work, it just takes longer to work, and to dry.
It also helps to limit your clothing. It is easier to keep one set of clothes clean and dry that several sets. A loose light wool sweater can be worn for several days, and even then a good soak and rinse is usually sufficient. Easiest to dry while wearing. Socks and underwear need to be washed more regularly. I don't think undershirts are neccessary.
BigFoot2002
06-01-2010, 21:13
Plenty of large streams to swim in.
I'm not taking my clothes off before I get in.
Might as well wash my socks while I'm there.
Lone Wolf
06-01-2010, 21:16
What is the best way to wash clothes on a thru hike?
at a laundromat in a town
Blissful
06-01-2010, 21:50
at a laundromat in a town
Ditto
I thought I would do "laundry" trail side. The only time I washed was some socks out in the restroom at Newfound Gap. And got weird looks and a little girl who said, Mommy, something stinks. :D
The rest of the time you're too tired to do it. And the stuff sometimes doesn't dry. So wait until town.
Blissful
06-01-2010, 21:52
Plenty of large streams to swim in.
I'm not taking my clothes off before I get in.
Might as well wash my socks while I'm there.
Where?
Not really that many on the trail, actually. And when you're out on a thru, its too cold to do it anyway, unless you are in the right area with the right temps.
And the ones there are, you need to check you aren't polluting the water source.
I have dunked in water in winter, as long as they aren't frozen over. In summer, clothes on works. In winter, clothes off is best, and it really should be sunny. For laundry in winter, a soak in boiling water is sufficient, and one small item per day is enough. Boxers one day, a pair of socks the next. Maybe both on days where they are both already wet. I don't wash my sweaters or fleece in cold weather. I might wash an undershirt on a long trip in winter but I haven't done a long trip in a while.
I like the routine of doing daily laundry and personal washing though.
I consider it part of the experience, even if its just a single overnight.
I like to live like I would if it were permament, even if its just temporary.
The only thing really different is the food will run out.
SonrisaJo
06-01-2010, 23:24
You'll stink worse than your clothes. No worries. :)
vonfrick
06-01-2010, 23:25
hike nekkid- problem solved :sun:D
garlic08
06-02-2010, 00:08
On the AT, there are lots of laundry facilities along the way. It can take a noticeable portion of the budget at over $3 per load (wash + dry + detergent). If you stop and wash every four or five days, which is very possible, it adds up.
It's nice to rinse out your socks or maybe your shirt on a hot day sometimes between laundry loads, whether at a municipal tap or a fast-flowing stream. Definitely don't do this in the spring boxes at AT shelters.
The only time I did a complete laundry in the woods on the AT was at Upper Goose Pond. Basically I took a swim with my filthy clothes on, took them off and wrung them out, and put them on wet and wore them until they dried. The hut caretaker watched with great interest--he was wondering how thru hikers did laundry, too.
A few times there was a heavy enough rain storm to do a pretty good job of laundry and showering, with excellent soft water.
At night I try to hang my clothes on a clothes line(Sea to Summit) to cut down on odor, and use a cut off bottom of a milk jug and Dr. Bronners peppermint soap if I need to wash something.
Trailweaver
06-02-2010, 02:09
Please, please do not wash your clothes in (or near) the creeks. Even a small amount of soap is pollution of the water, and it all adds up. I do water quality testing on our area creeks and rivers. . . you simply wouldn't believe how this destroys the water quality. If you want to do your laundry, take your soapy water away from the creek to dump it.
Father Dragon
06-02-2010, 02:28
I find washers and dryers seem to do the trick.
fiddlehead
06-02-2010, 04:40
Laundromat.
Who has time to wait 8-24 hours (or longer) with the high humidty on the AT.
PCT and CDT is a different story and easy to wash your clothes on the trail (when you have a pond/lake nearby) as they dry in an hour or so.
The only time I did a complete laundry in the woods on the AT was at Upper Goose Pond. Basically I took a swim with my filthy clothes on, took them off and wrung them out, and put them on wet and wore them until they dried. The hut caretaker watched with great interest--he was wondering how thru hikers did laundry, too.
Ha! I did the same thing there! Only time I did a full wash on the trail too! I walked right into the pond with all my clothes on, then took the canoe out to the island and hung my pants and tank to dry while I laid in my undies to dry on the big boulder. My pants were still wet so I laid them over the bars on the canoe and let them dry out more as I paddled around.
BigFoot2002
06-02-2010, 07:01
I dunked myself in too many places too count. Never brought any soap.
BigFoot2002
06-02-2010, 07:04
Wear them dry. There is a great pool on trail at the Bear Mt. Zoo. Never heard anybody else mention it.
BigFoot2002
06-02-2010, 07:27
When doing laundry in town, instead of buying a little box of soap from the machine on the wall, offer the money instead to one of the nice ladies doing her laundry. Also get a quarter cup of bleach from her. Add it to the wash water before you put your clothes in. Really cuts the hiker funk, and won't hurt your poly pro.
If you can't find a nice lady, just grab a couple of empty soap jugs out of the trash and rinse them out with water. All the soap you need right there. Those soap machines on the wall all too often eat your money.
Good recycling suggestions there. I think if you do just one item every other day on the trail, without soap, and a good laundring in town every other resupply, you should be good to go. Sponge baths on the trail make a real difference also, again without soap, and a good dunking or swim when you have the chance, and dancing in the rain. A little wood ash with water will help cut some of the grease in your hair. Make sure the wood ash and water is not too strong. It forms potash lye, Potassium Hydroxide, wh
... which is similar to Sodium Hydroxide, and can be used for making soap, or quick bread, but will work as is, well diluted, for cutting some of the grease in your hair and on your skin and in your clothes.
Interesting reference on the use of weak lye water from wood ash for doing laundry and dishes. It doesn't mention the use of lye for washing hair. I would think it would need to be much weaker for hair and skin as it can disolve and damage the cuticle if it is too strong. It is used in stronger concentrations for pre-shaving products, hair remover products, and drain cleaner, so go easy. Also used for making pretzels, so its all a matter of concentration.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=KpUEAafnpkYC&pg=RA1-PA47&lpg=RA1-PA47&dq=weak+lye+water+for+bathing&source=bl&ots=V2E7TRvGFQ&sig=Jzp0dwTBkEsk22oLmLvNNjzGW44&hl=en&ei=LEsGTMDYDcOAlAfH9-X6Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDoQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=weak%20lye%20water%20for%20bathing&f=false
I noticed that almost immediately after I set foot back on the trail I was just as stinky and dirty as before washing my clothes, so I pretty much stopped worrying about it so much. I think I went 3 weeks once between washing in a washer. Usually I would just opt to wash my clothes in the shower since it cost less. It's not like having clean looking clothes meant anything anymore. I just wanted to not smell so bad, and I could do that by washing my clothes in the shower.
BigFoot2002
06-02-2010, 18:25
I agree. As long as my socks are semi - clean, the rest doesn't really matter.
Appalachian Tater
06-02-2010, 19:58
Being clean is not just for your own pleasure, it is for the consideration of those around you, especially in town.
BigFoot2002
06-02-2010, 20:23
Towns with reasonably priced lodging are further apart in a lot of northern sections. Laundry without a shower doesn't last long, as noted above. Maybe I was just spoiled by a lot of southern sections.
On the PCT Milkjug Express(MJX) carried a plastic milkjug with the top cut off, but the plastic handle still attached. Hung it off the back of his pack. Washed his clothes in that jug quite often, but sad to say, not often enough. He still reeked from hiker funk.
WILLIAM HAYES
06-02-2010, 23:53
i use a gallon zip lock and camp suds i only wash socks and boxers on the trail and always away from water sources i save the other stuff for town
Anumber1
06-03-2010, 02:23
When you get to town (any town) there will be a bunch of other hikers usually willing to split a load of laundry at a laundromat with you.
Seriously good advice: Either prewash your socks, or do a completely seperate sock load. The foot smell will make the rest of your clothes ( your shirt ) smell worse than before.
I only washed my sleeping bag once in 500 miles because I got drunk and pee'd in it.
Also, if you wash your socks with your underwear you can get athletes crotch. I am not sure if this applies so much when hiking though. I think you are more likely to get athletes foot in a gymnasium, or on a ship, than in the woods. I think the dirt and stuff in the woods actually helps keep stuff like foot fungi at bay. Not sure. Of course there are other stuff you can get in the woods. Walking in bare feet now and then is healthy though, if you pick the right section of trail.
With practice, you should be able to stay clean and reasonably odour free without using soap, by doing some sort of daily ablutions and washing and drying just 1 or 2 items each day. It should become part of the routine. The ideal should be to only depend on towns for resupplying food, and fuel where biofuel is not an option. A laundromat can still be useful now and then though, and a hostel or motel stay, but the ideal should be to be able to live clean and healthy without depending on them.
randyg45
06-03-2010, 19:05
I take a Nalgene and Dr Bronners for underwear and socks. Stuff in the clothing, add some soap, fill partway with water (warm if you have it), and suspend it from your pack with string and duct tape (horizontally if possible). an hour later you have clead socks and boxers... Rinse and dry....
When in town, has anyone tried those Purex toss sheets that have detergent and fabric softener in them? K2
Send me a dollar and I will send you nothing, which is all you really need to stay clean.
What is the best way to wash clothes on a thru hike?
I generally prefer laundromats. But I carry a two quart cooking pot for clothe washing emergencies. There is nothing like washing out a couple of hanker chiefs and a pair of socks to get the pot really clean!
I wash my clothes in a laundry machine like most Americans. I just wear what I have each day as they slowly (sometimes not so slowly) get dirtier and dirtier until I reach the next town where I machine wash them on the heaviest cycle.
Sometimes I'll rinse my shirt out in a stream (no soap used) to remove some of the more obvious dirt from it before going into town in an effort to look more presentable to get a ride, not offend as much at a resturant before doing laundry, etc. But thats only if my shirt is pigpen dirty.
With practice, you should be able to stay clean and reasonably odour free without using soap, by doing some sort of daily ablutions and washing and drying just 1 or 2 items each day..... JAK
Not sure how JAK is defining "reasonably odor free" but I don't think he has ever thru-hiked. I don't care how many times you wash off during the course of the day. If it's 90 *, you're constantly sweating, and getting grimy, you are going to SMELL!!!
When you get to town (any town) there will be a bunch of other hikers usually willing to split a load of laundry at a laundromat with you..... Anumber1
DON"T DO IT!!! You may cause a run away chemical reaction ending the world!!! or at least not be able to smell anything else without first having the smell memory of your combined washed hiker duds come to mind!!! I have actually thrown away what would otherwise be perfectly fine hiker apparel because even after repeated washings of just my own clothes the combined wretched strench that was embedded in my clothes from sharing previous hiker wash loads was still just too much!!!
UMM, there have been many documented cases of laudromats located near major trails that finally had to shut their doors because the washers and dryers had become permenently encrusted with hiker funk and odor. It's a fact!
This sounds like an opportunity for some enterprising hiker: solve the hiker funk wash problem, and offer it as an option at all the trail-side laundromats and hostels. For a start, we know that the problem begins with bacteria, so the first step is to neutralize them. UV does the best job, probably, but a combination of detergent, bleach, preferably non-chlorinated, like H2O2, a hot wash, and a really good rinse seems like a beginning. Then either hang it on a clothes line in the sun, or tumble it in a UV lit drier, if there is such a thing. Of course, the bacteria funk may outlast the clothing fabric, but you've got to sacrifice something, right?
I found this interesting: http://lifehacker.com/5554390/build-a-simple-off+grid-laundry-machine
K2
strayerkl
06-27-2010, 09:35
I am suprised to see that only one other person mentioned the nalgene method. I carry a 1 liter nalgene just for clothes washing and general water used for dish cleaning etc. Stuff whatever into the nalgene, but dont stuff it more than halfway, i only usually do a pair or two of socks at a time etc. Pour in water , but leave at least an inch or so of space from the top. 3 Inches works the best. Add camp soap, close lid, shake good to mix soap into the water and hang it from or put it in your pack. Or you can stand there and shake it for a while by hand if you really want. After a couple hours of hiking, the up and done bumping and sloshing in the nalgene cleans your clothes VERY well. Then all you have to do is rinse and dry. I usually wash a pair of socks every day at least. Clean socks=happy feet.