People who travel for longer than a week or two usually fall into two categories when it comes to their dirty laundry—wash it in the sink or send it out (it goes without saying that the GIY Guide takes a dim view of the practice of simply buying new cheap clothing and disposing of dirty clothes as you go, which is, unfortunately, also a traveling trend in certain circles). Sending out the laundry is also less than ideal, since waiting around for your clothes to reappear can take longer than you expected, and paying someone else to do what you could easily do yourself always feels a bit unrewarding. But can you really get your clothes as clean in the sink as a pro? Of course you can.

You Need

*Non-allergenic, preferably biodegradable soap. Castile soap works really well for this, but free hotel soap combined with indoor plumbing is fine too.

*Sink, washtub or large basin

*Access to running water

*Optional: nail brush or water bottle with corrugated surface

How To

• Fill the basin with water and let garments soak for five to fifteen minutes.
• Apply the soap, paying special attention to seams, cuffs, collars and stains.
• Work the soap in by gripping the fabric in two handfuls and rubbing briskly together. Scrub stains and seams with a nail brush, or use the side of a corrugated water bottle as a washboard.
• Do a first rinse by agitating the clothing in the basin with your hands for up to five minutes. Agitation is the secret key to getting clothes clean rather than merely passable. If you’re using a washtub instead of a sink, consider getting in and stomping the clothes around with your feet like a medieval winemaker (which is not only fun, but surprisingly effective—especially on heavier items like jeans or towels).
• Wring the clothes out by twisting from the middle to the ends (be careful not to stretch out your t-shirts) then do a second rinse in new water. Repeat if necessary.
• Wring out the clothes a final time and hang up to dry.