How to Wash Your Clothes While Camping

If you’re going on camping you’ll obviously want to wash your clothes at some point during your camping trip. Doing laundry while camping with your friends or family is the best way to pack less clothing. here’s a guide to doing your laundry while camping. 

How To Handwash Your Clothes While Camping

We know that you don’t want to hear that this is the way to wash clothes while camping, but washing your hands is one of the easiest and safest ways to keep your clothes clean, and it takes more effort.


From staying in a camp where you can use washing powder to taking away important hand-washing products (such as plastic tubs, washing powder, and water) You will add water in the kettle and add detergent. Get the dirty clothes in the trash can directly.


Then rub it and it will be as clean as new clothes in a few minutes. First put water, cleaning fluid, and suitable clothes in the bag, then press the air once to tighten the hole four to five times, and then fix it in place.


Rotate the flap on the side of the bag to open it and expel unnecessary air from the inside. Wipe the inside of clothes. Washboard for about 30 seconds. Drain the dirty water and add clean water.


Then shake the contents of the laundry bag to rinse and drain the water. Your clothes are now clean and can be dried by hand. 


1. Bucket Wash Method

Carry a collapsible wash bucket that’s made up of synthetic fabric material. They are lightweight, easy to pack, and easy to transport.

If you don't like the smell of oatmeal soap, please use them only for washing. This method is the same as washing clothes in the sink. 


Just add water and a few drops of soap, throw away the clothes, and wash by hand.


When finished, you can fill them with clean water to rinse everything off. Use soap as little as possible to make washing easier.


2. Scrubba Wash Bag Method

Scrubba laundry bags were funded by Kickstarter in 2012. Although he now has a Scrubba mini, I recommend buying a larger bag because it weighs only a few ounces. 


This is a special bag used to wash clothes for hiking and camping or only on the road. It is very similar to a backpack, except that it has a flexible washboard and an internal non-slip surface.


Newer models also have an improved flap on the side to drain water and deflate the bag. It is difficult to open when hands are wet.


It works like a packaging bag, but the disadvantage is that it is thinner compared to a high-performance packaging bag made of PVC tarpaulin.


For ultralight hikers, this is great, but you limit the mini alternatives that can be used for backpacks. 


3. Trash Bag Method

A quick and easy trick for washing clothes while camping is to bring a sturdy garbage bag and some soap and water-three tools can help you clean your clothes easily, no matter how much the clothes are piled up.


A bag of clothes, then soap and water, can only partially fill the bag. Here, you act as part of the washing machine and slide the bag like a simulated spin cycle. I just don't get tired.


After you are satisfied with the delivery, please empty the bag and its contents. Finally, rinse the soap from the clothes and dry them. 


4. Ziploc Bag Method

If you only need to clean a few small objects, then one large Ziploc bag per gallon is a feasible method. Compared with a dedicated travel laundry bag, this is a good way to save money.


However, it is best to bring a few extra pieces of luggage when hiking. If you don’t want to risk damaging the zipper, wrap the seams of the bag with a piece of tape. Washing clothes with Ziploc bags is very easy and convenient. 


5. Disposing & Drying Clothes

All three methods allow you to reuse soapy water and wash multiple items as needed. When finished, spread the dirty water around the washing area so that the soap does not soak the dirt and kill the roots of the plants.


Throw the clothes on a stone to dry, put them on the fire, or hang them on the rope between the tent and the tree.


You can also kill two birds with a stone and tie everything tightly with the same cable system hanging on the backpack. Wrap the clothing in a hiking towel or antelope skin and squeeze it again to remove more water.


Repeat this step until no more water is absorbed. If you don’t have time to dry your clothes overnight, wring them out and tie them to the outside of the bag when you move.


Likewise, make sure you don’t use scented soap, otherwise, you may become a moving target for animals such as bears and cougars.