Taking Care Of Your Clothes On The Go

Every journey begins with this decision; what clothes to pack. Once you’ve chosen what you’re taking, you’ll want to make sure your clothes stay looking as fresh as the day of departure.

Start by choosing garments that are easy to wash.

Check labels for fabric care instructions and look for wick-away, quick-drying materials that will keep you cool and wrinkle-free. You can scrunch the material in your hand to see if it creases easily. Gauze, ruched jersey, seersucker or a busy print helps to camouflage fold marks.

Ex-Officio Give-N-Go® underwear are lightweight, breathable, odor resistant, moisture wicking and air-dry quickly. You’ll have clean underwear within hours of washing them so you won’t need to bring a different pair for each day of your trip.[/caption]

Tilley Endurables Travel Socks dry overnight and have an 'All-Holes-Barred' guarantee for 3 years[/caption]

Washing options: hotel laundry, coin operated Laundromats, drop-off laundry service or sink wash?

The hotel laundry service requires time and is expensive and probably not your first choice. If you have a big load of laundry, some hotels have do-it-yourself coin laundry machines on site or hopefully you can find a local Laundromat that is close by. Drop-off laundry services are available in some cities. They usually charge by the pound and will wash and fold your clothes within 24 hours. (Here’s a tip; take a photo of the clothes you leave at the drop-off laundry to make sure you get everything back) 
Otherwise, there’s the hotel room sink!

Sink Wash:

Bring laundry detergent or in a pinch use shampoo or regular soap. A universal flat sink stopper comes in handy when your hotel sink is missing a plug. Before hanging your clothes on a travel laundry line, roll them in a highly absorbent travel towel to speed the drying process. Hang the clothesline anywhere you can, preferably in a well-ventilated area.

Design Go Wash It All Multipurpose Travel Wash. You can use it as body soap, shampoo and for washing dishes too![/caption]

Austin House™ Travel Laundry Kit contains a sink stopper, Woolite detergent and a laundry line.[/caption]

Travelon® Laundry Soap Sheets are biodegradable and dissolve quickly in water. Use them to comply with liquid restrictions for carry-on bags and avoid the risk of laundry soap leaking onto your clothes in your luggage[/caption]

Sea to Summit Travel Pocket Towel is made of super absorbent lightweight microfiber that soaks up liquids and dries fast[/caption]

If your clothing is wrinkled, there are solutions!

One possibility is to steam the garment by hanging it in the bathroom while you shower. It might take awhile but it will usually eliminate most creases. Dual voltage travel irons are efficient and can also spot steam if needed. If there is no ironing board you can lay a towel on a flat surface that can take the heat, such as a firm bed or a clean floor and use the setting just below the recommended one. A dual voltage travel steamer steams the garment on the hanger and eliminates the need for an ironing board. For quick touch-ups there are fabric relaxer sprays like Wrinkle Wiz™ that eliminates wrinkles without ironing or steaming and also reduces static cling. If you’re traveling with a straightening iron you could improvise and use it to touch up minor wrinkles.

Design Go Travel Garment Steamer works worldwide and provides 15 minutes of continuous steam with a single fill.[/caption]

Hamilton Beach® Travel Iron and Steamer has a stainless steel soleplate and is ready to steam in one minute[/caption]

Wrinkle Wiz™ 2 oz size is safe for airline travel[/caption]

Take precautions when packing.

1. Store your toiletries in a leak-proof bag to avoid liquid spilling on your belongings. 2. Separate your soiled garments in a laundry bag to keep your clean clothes looking and smelling fresh. 3. Pack your shoes in shoe bags to prevent scuffing and safeguard your clothes from dirt. 4. Bring a reusable inflatable plastic bag like the Vinnibag® for fragile souvenirs that can leak. Once filled, pack it in the middle of your suitcase under soft clothing for better protection. 5. Roll your clothes instead of folding them to minimize creases and maximize space in your luggage. Fold garment in half lengthwise and roll from the bottom up. 6. Use Packing cubes and folders to compress and organize clothing and keep it from shifting in your suitcase. Shop the Eagle Creek™ Pack-It system.

Eagle Creek Pack-It™ Clean Dirty Cube separates clean from dirty, wet from dry with a breathable mesh compartment on one side and a water resistant lining on the other[/caption]

Sea to Summit Traveling Light Laundry Bag have breathable mesh panels and packs flat[/caption]

Eagle Creek Pack-It™ Specter Folder 18” includes a special folding board with simple instructions explaining how to easily fold your garments over it and tuck them securely into a see-through mesh envelope[/caption]

Quick fixes for some common clothing mishaps:

Stains

-Dab some ice water or carbonated water using a clean damp cloth or stain remover as soon as possible before the stain sets. -Squeeze a bit of white toothpaste (paste, not gel) on a grass stain and scrub it with a wet toothbrush. -Wet a bloodstain then sprinkle salt on it. Rub one half against the other to work in the salt then wash as soon as you can. -Remove a ring around the collar using regular shampoo. Rub the collar together to work the shampoo in well and rinse. -Use white bread to remove lipstick from dark fabric. Make a wad of the dough and rub it gently until the stain has been lifted -Ballpoint pen marks can be removed with a squirt of hairspray or soaking the garment in milk overnight -Red wine stains can be removed by pouring a small amount of white wine over the red wine stain and blotting gently (don’t rub or wipe) with a clean, absorbent towel. Or combine one tablespoon of liquid soap, one tablespoon of white vinegar and two cups of lukewarm water to make a cleaning mixture

Your zipper is stuck.

Rub a bar of soap, a candle, a pencil or lip balm along the zipper’s teeth on both sides and slowly work the zipper free.

The button pops off a shirt or pant.


Keep a mini sewing kit on hand
. They often include a spare button and a few safety pins (bring extra!) to either sew the button back on or pin the opening together.

Your hem needs repair

A mini sewing kit comes in handy here too. Or you can use safety pins, any kind of tape (duct tape, scotch tape, fabric tape), paper clips, bobby pins, self stick Velcro dots or white school glue that washes out to temporarily hold the hem in place.

Travel Club Travel Sewing Kit includes needles, thread, snaps, safety pins, buttons & threader in a small hard cover case[/caption]

Tide® To Go instant stain remover pen works without water and stores easily in a purse or travel bag[/caption]

Protect standard 750ml wine bottles, VinniBag is also great for liqueurs, perfume, shampoo, grandma’s preserves or a delicate vase[/caption]

Keep shoes away from clean clothes with Eagle Creek’s Pack-It™ Shoe Sac. It has a convenient carry handle and is constructed with LinkSeal™ Mesh for both dirt resistance and easy visibility[/caption]