If you are travelling around Southeast Asia for an extended period of time, you will need to do laundry. Here are some top tips on how to do so.

• Pack smartly
• Travel with mini laundry detergents
• Don’t forget a laundry bag 
• Never use hotels
• Bring a makeshift clothesline 
• Dry your clothes inside
• Carry plenty of coins 
• Plan your laundry time
• The bag method 
• Laundryheap

Pack smartly

The most important thing to remember is to pack light and pack materials that are easy to wash. There are several ways to do laundry in Southeast Asia, from using a launderettes to washing your clothes in the sink, regardless of the method you decide to use you don’t want to spend an extended period of time, or money, doing it. In addition, it’s best to pack clothes that are durable and easy to wash, such as cotton. 

Travel with mini laundry detergents 

There are several launderettes across Southeast Asia that you can use. To make your laundry experience quick and easy, travel with mini laundry detergents. They are pre-measured for one or two washes, and will prevent you from having to carry, or buy, a full-sized detergent that you will not use. 

Don’t forget a laundry bag

Laundry bags are handy to take wherever you travel to. As soon as an item of your clothing is dirty, simply put it in your laundry bag so that you can differentiate between your clean and dirty clothes. As soon as your laundry bag is full, or you are running low on clean clothes, you can decide how best to clean them. In addition, if your clothing is still wet or damp, but you need to pack them away, putting your clothes in your laundry bag will prevent the smell of damp clothing spreading to your other packed belongings. 

Never use hotels 

If you are staying in a hotel whilst travelling around Southeast Asia there will more than likely be a laundry service provided. Do not use it. Hotel laundry services will usually charge per item of clothing that needs to be laundered rather than by weight. This can result in an extortionate laundry bill by the time you have washed all of your clothes. It may be convenient to use the hotels services, but, if you are looking to save some money, its best to look around for local launderettes or alternative ways to wash your clothes. 

Bring a makeshift clothes line 

Unless you know that there are tumble dryers available where you are planning to wash your clothes, it’s always best to pack a makeshift clothes line. Your clothesline can be something as simple as some strong rope, as long as you have something that you can hang your clothes on to dry. Some laundrettes will have clothes lines available for you to use, however, this is not a guarantee so it’s always better to bring your own.

Dry your clothes inside 

Southeast Asia is known for its warm and sunny climate, however, it is also extremely humid. If you are planning on hanging your clothes out to dry, it’s best to do so indoors rather than outside. The humidity from the air will slow down the drying process, making it more time efficient to simply hang your clothing in your hostel/hotel room. 

Carry plenty of coins 

There is no shortage of coin-operated laundrettes in Southeast Asia, but you have to make sure that you have the coins to use them. There is nothing worse than turning up to a laundrettes, filling a machine with your washing, only to find out that you don’t have enough coins to operate the machine. To save yourself the hassle, make sure that you have plenty of coins with you to get your washing done. 

Plan your laundry time 

If you are going to do laundry whilst in Southeast Asia it’s best to plan your time effectively. There are a lot of things you need to consider, such as drying times, pick-up times, and when laundrettes are opened. Plan your method of laundry prior to going on your travels and it will help you manage your laundry time much more efficiently.

The bag method 

This is a slightly unusual method for doing laundry, but is a handy alternative if you do not have access to a laundrette. 

For the bag method you will need a vinyl bag, water, and laundry detergent. 

Begin by filling your vinyl bag until it is half filled and put your clothes in it. Next, add in your detergent and let your clothes soak for a few minutes. After a few minute, use a plunging motion to rotate your clothing. Once you are satisfied with the cleanliness of your clothing, take each item out and rinse off the detergent with water. 

Laundryheap 

If you don’t want to take care of your clothing yourself whilst travelling in Southeast Asia, use Laundryheap. We will pick up, dry clean, and re-deliver your laundry to you, completely contactless, and on you schedule. 

To book your Laundryheap service head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.