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Laundry on the trail

Laundry on the trail


Postby ondrejstrnad » Wed Nov 14, 2018 6:32 pm

Hi there!

Since I am considering to do a long backpacking trail across Scotland (the Cape Wrath Trail is at the top of my list!), I have come across the obvious question of how to manage my laundry. I have read several articles online, however, they all only seem to consider warmer climates.

So my question is: how do you do your laundry on a long trail (3 weeks or so) if there are no laundry facilities available? How many items of clothing do you take along and do you also wash your soft shells?

Your responses will be very much appreciated! :wink:
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby walkingpoles » Wed Nov 14, 2018 6:55 pm

Various options.
Usually somewhere inbetween of
- Don't worry and rather don't talk about it
- Rest days in a place with a drying room (there are plenty of these on the CWT)

There are soaps in outdoor shops that according to their description work equally well for body, dishes and clothes.

Don't bring any excess of clothes, as the additional weight to carry will hurt you too much.
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby ondrejstrnad » Thu Nov 15, 2018 12:16 am

Wait a minute, you do that with underwear as well? No offence, but I am NOT GOING TO use my boxers for more than two days which would leave me with some 10 pieces of underwear! Surely there must be a way and don't tell me I am a chicken! :wink:

I would like to not use laundry facilities as:

A. I am worried that my delicate baselayers would get damaged in heavy-duty washing machines
B. I go to the mountains partly because I want to avoid people (but can still be disgusted by my own odour)

I was hoping to hear that someone has tried washing their clothes in a drybag at which point I would ask how you go about drying your clothes afterwards and not freezing in damp underwear.
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby al78 » Thu Nov 15, 2018 9:37 am

Use the lochs to wash your clothes and yourself. That is one of the joys of escaping on a wild camping trip, figuring out how to use the natural resources around you. You'll soon get used to the water temnperature, 10C isn't that cold.
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby walkingpoles » Thu Nov 15, 2018 1:26 pm

I prefer not to talk about it :)

You won't be able to carry 3 weeks of food. Unless your second name is Hulk or you go during winter and haul a sledge. So you have to hit civilisation anyway from time to time.

I've never seen a laundry machine for use for hikers. Warm running water and a sink is certainly more common. Most places feature a drying room, though, as soaked hikers are a frequent phenomenon.
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby whiteburn » Thu Nov 15, 2018 1:29 pm

For long trips I’ll minimise carrying spare clothing; a base layer, under crackers & a pair of socks which double as nightwear & laundry time.
It’s easy to wash out socks & under-crackers daily & dry overnight if the weather’s suitable. If it isn’t, I’ll hang off the pack during the day from old-fashioned stainless-steel nappy pins. If the weather really crap only the socks will get a wash & then put on wet the next morning, one of the upsides in trekking in non-waterproof trail shoes, it doesn’t matter.
For a couple of week trip on something like the CWT I’ll normally not bother washing anything else unless I’ve been bog wading & then it’d probably boil down to giving the Terra’s a quick sluice during the day & putting them back on.
On longer trips I’ll take the opportunity at camp sites/ hostels (nominally every 7 – 10 days) to give me & the clothes a good wash in warm water.
I don’t bother with proprietary ‘back- country’ soaps & just use olive oil soap for me & the clothes (washing & rinsing away from the water source).
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby Graeme D » Thu Nov 15, 2018 11:40 pm

For multi-day trips (including Gold DofE assessments where we usually travel by pubic transport) I wear the same underwear. My wife and daughter don't speak to me for a day or two after I return home but it usually passes. Come to think of it, fellow travels on the train or bus seem a bit reluctant to engage with me as well.......... :shock: :lol:
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby Steve B » Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:10 am

Merino and latterly bamboo base layers tend to deal with not being washed without offending too much.
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby Robinho08 » Fri Nov 16, 2018 10:51 am

Merino base layers are excellent for not smelling, sadly the trade off is expense and the underwear in my experience doesn't last long. Didn't even get a full year out of a pair of Rab Meco boxers or the Icebreaker equivalent.

As others have touched on, wash base layers in streams and Lochs, attach your underwear to the back of your pack to dry if the weather is good. Take advantage of drying rooms at any hostels you stay at.

You can only walk a max of 4-5 days without reaching any civilisation.

In general, just prepare to be a wee bit smelly. :lol:
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby Ben Nachie » Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:15 am

Day 1: right way out, right way round.
Day 2: inside out, right way round.
Day 3: right way out, wrong way round.
Day 4: inside out, wrong way round.
Day 5: repeat day 1...

Seriously though, as others have said, wash in streams or lochs, dry on pack. Use merino undergarments. I also have a pair of pertex boxers which dry very quickly but I've never actually used them for an extended trip so can't really say how well they perform.

Alternatively, wear a kilt, then the whole thing becomes a non-issue.
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby Pastychomper » Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:57 am

Ben Nachie wrote:Day 1: right way out, right way round.
Day 2: inside out, right way round.
Day 3: right way out, wrong way round.
Day 4: inside out, wrong way round.
Day 5: repeat day 1...


It helps to carry a sturdy walking staff to beat the stiffness out of them after the second week.
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby mluiesp » Fri Nov 16, 2018 12:14 pm

Ben Nachie wrote:
Alternatively, wear a kilt, then the whole thing becomes a non-issue.


Incidentally, is it OK for foreigner to wear kilts?
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby Ben Nachie » Fri Nov 16, 2018 12:21 pm

mluiesp wrote:
Ben Nachie wrote:
Alternatively, wear a kilt, then the whole thing becomes a non-issue.


Incidentally, is it OK for foreigner to wear kilts?

Yes, of course. Just be sure to wear it properly. Pleats to the back, bottom of the kilt to lie between the top and the middle of the knee cap. No lower!! Hose (socks) not too high. Leave a couple of fingers width gap between top of hose and bottom of kneecap.
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby neil684 » Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:07 pm

The always the Ranulph Fiennes Cross Antarctic Walk method:

2 Pairs of underpants.
Wear first pair for 1 day
Wear 2nd pair for 2 days
On Day 4 the put on first pair, only worn once so cleaner than second pair, wear for 3 days
On day 7 put on 2nd pair, again cleaner than first pair as only worn for 2 days. Wear for 3 days
etc etc
This way you will always have a pair of pants that are cleaner than the ones you are taking off. :roll:
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Re: Laundry on the trail

Postby bydand_loon » Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:19 pm

Anything from 3 days to 3 weeks I wear a pair of and carry a spare pair, same with base layer tops, socks I splash out and carry 2 spare pairs.

I'm planning 16 days on the CWT early next year and that's pretty much my packing list. Couple of days on, rinse out in a burn and take into the sleeping bag + hang from bergan while walking if it's a dry day,

There are one or two places along the CWT that offer the opportunity for getting a dhobi done, but for me weight over waft rules
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