How do you wash your kit when on holiday

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Sunny Portrush

Veteran
Location
Musselburgh
Just wondering how everyone wash their kit especially shorts when on holiday. This doesnt apply to those who have access to washing machines but i`ll be staying in a hotel (and although it does have a laundry service, that is rather expensive)

I always take some detergent and just wash them in the sink but always worry that I`m getting them clean enough bearing in mind how you wear the shorts. I also try to leave them in the sunshine in order for the UV light to do it`s business and kill any bacteria

Is there something else I should be using?
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
I tend to do what I suspect you do - wash then in the sink / shower / bath, rinse them as well as I can and wring them out in a towel. If I'm going for more than a weekend I'll have two sets of cyclewear. So far I've never got any kind of skin infection or whatever.
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
You can also get travel tubes of clothes washing detergent.

I wash my kit in an Ortlieb collapsable bucket/trug/bowl thing. I have read of some use an Ortlieb pannier. Water and detergent in with the clothes, roll it shut, shake it about and taa daa.
 
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Ian H

Ancient randonneur
I take two sets of shorts and vest: wash one, wear one. I use a minimal amount of whatever soap is available (so as not to spend hours rinsing it out), and dry as mentioned above. Never suffered any rashes or other nastiness. I don't use chamois cream unless it's pretty much a continuous event such as Paris-Brest-Paris.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Yes washing and rinsing under foot in the shower works best. No need for fancy detergent, hotel shower gel isn't much different. Then tread it between two layers of towel and hang up to dry.
 

Julia9054

Guru
Location
Knaresborough
This is useful. Am going on my first little bike tour of Belgium in May and working out how to pack light - not my forte! How do you dry your spare kit whilst cycling or will it dry overnight?
 

StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
For washing, I'm one for shower gel (or liquid soap). For drying, a key thing is to get as much water out as you can before hanging it up. Easiest way: wrap the wet item in a towel, as tightly as you can, and wring/stomp/ as you see fit. Mesh washing bags can be handy for carrying damp stuff on the bike & (hopefully) getting it dry.
 

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
This is useful. Am going on my first little bike tour of Belgium in May and working out how to pack light - not my forte! How do you dry your spare kit whilst cycling or will it dry overnight?

Depends on where you stay overnight

Heated towel rails
Travel washing line and drip dry
Spread out in the heat of the mid day sun (in Europe) whilst you eat your lunch
String bag tied on top of rack on bike.
 
This is useful. Am going on my first little bike tour of Belgium in May and working out how to pack light - not my forte! How do you dry your spare kit whilst cycling or will it dry overnight?

If you do the towel roll technique after washing it, and then hang somewhere with a bit of airflow it should be nice and dry by the morning - assuming you're talking nylon/lycra rather than wool/denim of course...
 
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