The Cheapest Way To Do Your Laundry When Traveling Abroad, According To Rick Steves

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Travel plans often include laundromats or hotel dry-cleaning for dirty clothes. But a simple, low-cost hack gets overlooked; hand-washing your laundry in the hotel sink. Many travelers don't even think to try it, even though experts like Rick Steves and Adventures With Sarah recommend it. When you run the numbers, washing in a sink can deliver the same clean clothes as a laundromat or hotel service — and it saves you money.

Instead of paying €7 to €10 per load ($7.94 to $11.35 as of June 2025), at European laundromats, the travel expert who once said you should fly "open jaws" encourages travelers to hand-wash clothes with a low-cost travel detergent you can reuse two to three times. After that one-time detergent purchase, each wash costs way less than at a laundromat abroad. Besides saving money, you also save time because you don't have to hunt for coins or stand around waiting for a washing machine to free up.

Rick Steves points out that some hotels remove sink stoppers to discourage travelers from washing clothes. Therefore, you should pick up three specific items for washing clothes in a hotel sink — a universal rubber stopper that fits any drain, travel-size detergent sheets, and a portable clothesline. For the rubber stopper, XAJOON Silicone Washbasin Drain Plug is available on Amazon for $12.99. There is also CARUUYI's 3-in-1 Kitchen Sink Drain Strainer for $12.99. Travel-size detergents at Walmart will cost between $2 to $12. For a portable clothesline, you can explore HONGYUTAI $9.99 Retractable clothesline; it comes with 12 clothes clips.

To begin washing, fit the rubber stopper into the sink and fill it with warm water. Then, add your detergent or drop in a detergent sheet until it dissolves. Soak your clothes for about 15 minutes to loosen dirt, stains, and odors. Then, work the fabric with your hands — focus on collars and cuffs. Once that's done, drain the soapy water, refill the sink with fresh water, and rinse each item until the water runs clear. Condé Nast has a clever trick for drying your clothes after washing. It says to hang damp clothes in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. The steam can remove odors and keeps fabrics fresh for days. If you don't fancy this method, you can use the portable BEAUTURAL Travel Steamer for Clothes, which is available on Amazon.

When sink-washing just won't fly, start by booking beds that come with their own machines. Airbnb lets you filter for listings with a washer/dryer (often no extra fee), and some European hostels tuck coin-operated washers in the basement for about €3 to €5 ($3.43 to $5.72) a cycle. For instance, a guest review of European Rooms hostel on TripAdvisor says you can wash your clothes in a washing machine for only €3. There are also a few, like the Council of Europe's Strasbourg youth center, that even throw in detergent and let guests wash for free. Rick Steves notes these in-house options beat hunting for change or spending an hour in a launderette.

If your room lacks a washer, keep an eye out for supermarket parking-lot machines. Carrefour-branded "Laverie" kiosks charge just €4 ($4.58) for an 8kg wash and €2 ($2.29) for a 15-minute dry. If you still don't want to hover over a machine, drop-off wash-and-fold shops across Europe charge by weight, not by load; chains such as 5àSec advertise €4 per kg with 24 to 48 hour turnaround, as seen on Rick Steves Europe Community. You will need money for each of these. While you go to withdraw, Steves advises that you be mindful of some ATMs you use in Europe.