When traveling, people often give up the conveniences of home that they take for granted, such as access to a washer and dryer. If you are staying at a hotel, and find the need to wash your clothes, you may have to resort to old-fashioned scrubbing and air drying unless a coin-operated laundromat is nearby.

Separate your clothes just as you would at home. White clothes, for example, may need to be washed in hotter water than dedicates.

Clean out the sink or bathtub. The bathtub provides the option to wash more clothes at once; however, the sink may be more convenient if you only need to wash a few small clothing items. Regardless of which one you decide to use, be sure to scrub it out first and remove any hair around the drain.

Fill the sink or bathtub with water of the desired temperature. Add soap as you fill the sink or bathtub. Liquid laundry detergent is best; however, powder laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, shampoo or even bar soap will suffice in a pinch.

Place the clothes in the water and make sure they are completely submerged. Allow them to soak for ten minutes before you begin to scrub.

Scrub the clothes by hand. Pick up each article of clothing with both hands and scrub it against itself to try to get any dirt, sweat or stains out. Put the article back in the water after scrubbing.

Rinse the clothes after scrubbing. Swirl the clothing around in the sink or bathtub first to get any soap out, then empty the water in the sink or tub. To be sure the clothes are rinsed well, run additional water and rinse each article through the water as it runs, ringing out any remaining soap as you go.

Remove as much water as possible by twisting and wringing each piece of clothing. Hang the clothes to dry over the shower rod, on a balcony or over furniture.

Tip

Just as you would at home, pre-treat any noticeable satins on your clothes will soap before adding them to the water. Use the hairdryer found in your hotel room to dry small items if you need them dried faster. You may also be able to drape items over or near the heater in the room to dry them faster.

Warning

Do not hang expensive or important pieces of clothing over a common balcony or railing. Heavy clothes, such as jeans, can take up to two days to dry. Only wash clothes such as these when absolutely necessary and when you have the time to allow them to dry.