Follow These Essential Steps When Packing Dirty Clothes To Stop Bad Odors

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As any avid traveler knows, packing a suitcase is something of an art form. However, while it's relatively easy to prepare for an upcoming trip, like following the simple packing mindset recommended by Rick Steves, there's another problem travelers run into during their trip: smelly clothes.

Sure, you can mitigate this problem by separating dirty laundry. In fact, one popular travel product is designed to do just that. However, odors can and will seep into clean clothing, which can sour any extended vacation or travel plans, especially if you're moving from one hotel or vacation rental to another. Ideally, you'll be able to utilize on-site laundry services, but that's not always available or affordable.

Thankfully, with a few tips, tricks, and handy products, dirty laundry doesn't have to ruin your trip. Whether you're traveling for a weekend, a week, or a month-long journey into the unknown, knowing these vital hacks can keep your clothes (and your luggage) smelling fresh until you get back home.

Unless you're traveling for months at a time, the problem of smelly clothing is thankfully a temporary one. This means that, in most cases, covering up the odors is a sufficient workaround until you're able to wash everything thoroughly.

One of the quickest and most effective ways to mask any unpleasant scent is to utilize essential oils, such as eucalyptus, tea tree, lavender, or lemongrass. Best of all, just a few drops should be more than enough to work, so you can pack a small vial and not worry about getting stopped by the TSA. Another unexpected benefit of packing essential oils is that they can deter unwanted hitchhikers, aka the creepy reason travelers might not want to leave their luggage on the floor.

There are a couple of ways to use essential oils for fresh-smelling dirty clothes. First, you can put a few drops on a cotton ball and toss it into your luggage. Alternatively, you can create a simple spray solution by mixing the oil with water, allowing you to mist your clothing as needed. Finally, you can add some oil to a piece of fabric and keep it in your dirty laundry bag during your trip.

When it comes to sprays that reduce or eliminate odors from clothing, Febreze is probably the most well-known. However, there are other options, such as Tide Antibacterial Fabric Spray, Sweat X, and Funk Away. In each case, the spray is designed to trap and remove odor-causing elements, rather than mask them like an essential oil.

This option works best if you're traveling for a long time, such as when you're packing for your next long road trip. Because of TSA restrictions and luggage sizes, it doesn't necessarily make sense to bring a bottle of Febreze on a plane.

Fortunately, there's a suitable workaround, assuming you don't want to buy a fabric spray on vacation, only to have to toss it before returning home. Most dryer sheets absorb odors, so packing them in your luggage or dirty laundry bag can have almost the same effect. However, since dryer sheets are not exactly designed for this purpose, they won't be quite as effective. Also, make sure to keep them in a plastic bag so the waxy oils they contain don't dry out too quickly.

Back in the old days, the only way to dry clothing was to hang it out in the sun for a few hours. While modern dryers have rendered this practice obsolete for some, it's still a viable option for those on an extended vacation. Hotel balconies, bay windows in a vacation rental, or just an open window can all work in a pinch, provided you have something on which to hang your clothing.

But what's even crazier is that hanging clothes to dry outside actually makes them smell better, whether they're dirty or clean. According to a study, the combination of fresh air and sunlight adds more pleasant aromas to the clothing, even when compared to items tumble-dried in a machine.

So, whether you're using Rick Steve's game-changing hotel hack for doing laundry while traveling or you just want to eliminate odors the old-fashioned way, hanging your clothes outside can be a quick and easy fix. That said, make sure they're in sunlight and that there's no danger of them flying away or getting stolen.

For most travelers, dirty clothes on vacation are no different than those created while at home. So, a bag of dirty laundry won't necessarily become a biohazard, requiring a mask and tongs to handle properly.

However, not all trips are created equal, and there may be occasions when your clothing requires more than just essential oils or a short bout of outdoor hanging. For example, if you travel to China at the worst time of the year, the country experiences high heat and humidity, meaning your clothes will get drenched with sweat much faster than normal. Similarly, if you're hiking, biking, or doing other excessive outdoor activities, your clothing will be much stinkier than normal.

In these situations, hand-washing your clothes is probably the best option. Most modern clothing can handle a cold rinse, and even regular soap is better than nothing. But what if your hotel or hostel doesn't have a sufficiently-sized sink? In that case, you might consider showering with your clothes. In a worst-case scenario, you can also look for a local laundromat, ideally one located near a spot on your travel itinerary, so you can cross two items off your to-do list.

When looking through most lists of trendy travel essentials that are all the rage, the items listed typically make traveling more comfortable or entertaining. However, a portable steamer, like the Nori Press, should make the cut if you value clean and fresh clothing on your vacation. These devices are great because they don't require an ironing board, and you can pair them with fabric refreshers to ensure your clothes smell their best.

Typically, a portable steamer is designed to remove wrinkles from clean clothes. However, in a pinch (pun intended), they can also work to eliminate odors from dirty laundry and make it easier to pack.

In this case, the best way to utilize a portable steamer for managing clothing odors is to steam each item, let it air dry (outside if possible), and then pack it as tightly as possible in a laundry bag. Or, if you listen to Samantha Brown, you can use a vacuum bag to save space and keep all odors from escaping. However, vacuum-sealing your laundry only works at the end of your trip, so you don't have to keep opening and re-sealing it.