I am a guy. I hate doing laundry when I’m at home and I hate it even more when travelling. Washing and drying clothes in hostels or hotels is just so much faff. As I spend much of my time camping and travelling by bike, it is a downright nuisance! Or, should I say, it was…!
I recently stumbled across the ‘Scrubba Wash Bag’, which seemed to solve my problems by offering a simple fix of washing clothes, to the same standard as a washing machine, and all in less than 5 minutes.
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Scrubba Wash Bag Features
Scrubba.com
Also, on a side note, to the environmentally conscious readers, consider what a brilliant product this is for our planet too! Only 3 – 6 litres of (cold, not hot) water are needed to wash a bag of clothes, reducing both water and electricity usage over a washing machine considerably. (READ: Why We Choose to Support Sustainable Tourism)
When I first started looking at the Scrubba Wash Bag, I realized that it had bold claims. I reserved my judgment about this ‘pocket sized washing machine’ until it arrived in the post and I could actually review it. When it arrived, I was impressed with how durable it felt; clearly important to prevent punctures or snags when washing clothes outside with twigs and stones around. Yet, at the same time, it remained lighter and smaller than I expected, vital characteristics for virtually every traveler; after all, there’s a reason why you don’t travel with your washing machine!
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Scrubba Wash Bag Specs
Weight: 145 grams / 5oz
Folded Size: 13 x 7 x 5cm
How the Scrubba Wash Bag Works: 6 Simple Steps to Clean Clothes
(Also printed on the bag so you never forget!)
1) Fill the bag with water and a little liquid detergent – shampoo or body wash works well too, which is something you’re (hopefully!) carrying already. Transparent plastic on one side allows you to see how much water you’ve added. And an indicator marks how much water to add depending on how much you’re washing! They’ve really thought of everything in the design.
2) Roll the bag down from the top and seal it using the buckle. I have used a variety of dry bags when kayaking which also close in this same way, and I was impressed with the quality of this seal. This is a good thing, reducing the likelihood of you ending up with soapy water all over your hostel floor.
3) Deflate – Use the valve to expel remaining air, which ensures the bag will be firmly in contact with your clothes inside. 
4) Begin massaging. The bag is filled inside with highly flexible but resilient plastic nodules which act like a washboard against your clothes as you rub the bag. After 30 seconds you will have ‘travel clean’ clothes. After 3 minutes, you will have a washing machine quality wash as if by magic!
5) Remove the dirty, soapy water and add clean water to rinse your clothes.
6) Leave them to dry. In the full Scrubba pack, you receive some travel accessories to help you dry your clothes, including a small, lightweight clothes line, two inflatable clothes hangers and a travel towel to roll your wet clothes in to dry them faster.
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Scrubba Wash Bag Review: Our Verdict
The bag is most beneficial to those travelling solo or with a partner because you can only fit 1 – 2 days of clothes per person in at a time. When travelling in a large group or with family, washing clothes using the Scrubba Bag could become very time consuming and involve repeating the procedure several times every couple of days.
I was concerned the bag would be too big and too heavy, and I was dubious about how well it would actually work. Already, after using it several times, I have been impressed with the quality and simplicity of the bag, and it has done enough to justify a place in my bags. When I am cycling around the world, space and weight is at a premium! I’m looking forward to taking it on trips with me, and actually hope it may reduce my overall weight by allowing me to take even fewer clothes in the first place!
Product Information
The Scrubba Wash Bag
Website: The Scrubba
Email: [email protected]