August 2023

One of the great things about the apartments and townhomes at Erie Station Village is that each one comes with a washer and dryer. That makes doing laundry a breeze because you never even need to leave your apartment on laundry day.

But if you’ve been doing any traveling over the summer, or plan to over the Labor Day holiday, you know that doing laundry while you’re out of town can be a problematic. Most people try to pack enough clean clothes that laundry doesn’t become an issue. But as more people try to pack light to avoid checking bags on an airline, it can cause travelers a challenge. Packing light is great, but it also means doing laundry while you’re away.

If you ask a seasoned traveler, there are a lot of ways to make doing laundry easier when you’re on the road. We thought we’d share some of the best tips to help make your next trip easier.

Hotel Laundry Services. Many hotels offer a laundry service and if you’re willing to pay for it, you can have your clothes cleaned in a day or two. While many would consider the cost excessive, we’d be remiss if we didn’t point it out as an option.

Laundromats. While no one dreams of spending their vacation time in a laundromat, they’ve improved a lot in recent years. Most offer mobile (app-based) payment, so there’s no need to dig for quarters, and their large commercial machines mean you can wash and dry all your clothes in a load or two. If you go this route, be sure to bring small containers of detergent and dryer sheets or pick them up when you get to your destination. Another thing to keep in mind is that some hotel chains have washers/dryers that guests can use. So, you might factor that into your decision when choosing a hotel.

Handwashing. Washing a few key items in your hotel sink or bathtub is a classic way to handle laundry on the road. Bring a small bottle of laundry soap or use the hotel shampoo or shower gel. Just fill the sink with water and soap, immerse your clothes and let them soak for 10-15 minutes, then drain the water and refill the sink to rinse. Wring out your clothes and place them on a clean bath towel. Roll up the towel and wring it out to get as much water out of your clothes as possible. Then hang them up to air dry on hangers or a shower rod. If there’s an exhaust fan in the bathroom, leave it on so air circulates and your clothes dry faster.

Washing Bags. If you’re camping and don’t have access to a sink, washing bags are great for doing your laundry. Just fill up the watertight bag with clothes, water, and soap, seal it and use your hands to roll and twist your clothes clean. Because they make it easier to agitate your clothes, you might even prefer a washing bag to washing in a sink when at a hotel.

Synthetics Dry Faster. One additional thing to keep in mind if you’re hand washing is to pack clothes that dry more quickly. Synthetic fabrics, like the quick-dry clothes used for athletic activities are great. Avoid thicker, cotton fabrics that could take days to fully air dry.