Choosing and using a travel laundry bag

Start with three questions

Before comparing bags, answer these for your trip. The answers narrow the catalog quickly.

• How long is the trip? A weekend needs far less room than two weeks or a full semester.
• Will anything be damp? Swimwear, gym clothes and hand-washed items need a bag that keeps moisture away from dry clothes.
• Do you want one bag or a set? A set lets you sort by type — lights, darks, delicates — instead of one mixed bag.

Capacity: match the bag to the trip

Product titles state sizes where the listing provides them, so read the title rather than guessing from the photo. For scale, the Hsei four-piece set is titled 24 x 18 inches, and the LOFEE two-pack is titled 39 x 45 cm. A bag described as extra large or 50L will hold considerably more than a small drawstring sack.

As a rule of thumb for a carry-on trip of a few days, a medium drawstring bag is enough for worn clothes. For a dorm, camp or long trip, look at the larger bags: the Best House extra large zippered bag or a backpack-style bag such as the 125L Caroeas backpack. If you are packing a suitcase, packing cubes organize clean clothes while a separate laundry bag holds the worn ones.

Drawstring versus zipper

Drawstring bags close by cinching the top. They are quick to open and close, fold flat, and suit dry worn clothes. Examples include the foldable square drawstring bag with handle and the 3-pack travel laundry bags for suitcases.

Zippered bags close along a zip, which keeps the opening flatter and is common on wet and dry bags. The Travel Essentials zippered bag and the CANBOX two-pack waterproof bags are zippered. Choose a zip if you want a defined opening or a bag that can sit flat in a case.

Wet and dry: keeping damp away from clean

Wet and dry bags are the most misunderstood item in this category. A bag described as waterproof or splash-proof is designed to contain damp contents and limit transfer to what is around it. It is not a dry bag for submerging gear, and it does not dry clothes. Use it for a damp swimsuit, a sweaty gym top, or a hand-washed item on the way home, and empty and air it out as soon as you can.

If your trip includes swimming or the gym, a wet and dry bag alongside a plain drawstring bag for dry worn clothes is a sensible pairing. See the wet and dry collection.

Mesh wash bags for delicates

Mesh bags serve a different purpose: they go into the washing machine with the clothes inside. They keep small items together and reduce snagging. The NAHADS six-piece organic cotton mesh set and the HEALLILY five-piece cylinder mesh set are examples. Use a mesh bag for underwear, socks, tights and delicate tops, and follow the care label on the garment itself.

Multi-packs: when a set is worth it

A set is useful when you want to sort by category or when more than one person is packing. The Hsei four-piece bulk set and the purple three-pack cover clean, worn and damp in one purchase. A single bag is simpler if you travel light and wash as you go. See bulk and multi-pack bags.

Using the bag on a trip

• Pack the empty bag flat in the base of your case; it takes almost no room until needed.
• Put worn clothes in at the end of each day rather than letting them mix with clean ones.
• Keep damp items in a separate wet and dry bag, never in the same bag as dry clothes.
• At home, empty bags fully and let them air before folding them away.

Care notes

Wash bags according to the care information supplied with the product; where none is given, hand wash in cool water and air dry. Do not tumble dry a waterproof bag, as heat can affect the coating. Mesh bags can generally be machine washed with the load.

Still deciding?

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