Staying offsite with a washer and dryer

[proud_canadian]

What do you do about laundry soap?

Hand soap should be easy enough to transport, and we could even use barred soap for hands while there, and I know you can get small dishsoap bottles at the dollar store that would last the week. There are tabs for the dishwasher too. But what about laundry soap?

Bringing a baggie full of powdered laundry soap might be a little suspicious when flying if we get searched!! And to buy a whole box when we get there seems like a waste. We'd only do a few loads during the week we'd be there. Any other suggestions?

 

[Befferk]

We plan on buying the new Purex things that go in the washer and the dryer. Can't remember what they're called. Much simpler. You can just bring home what you don't use.

 

[formill]

I did just that.......baggied up little zip loc bags of powdered laundry detergent with each bag being for one load- then put them all in one giant zip loc- my suitcase was not opened for extra screening. Worked great- now in Canada we have just gotten the purex 3 in 1 (if that is what it is called) so I would look into those if the price difference not too much. I also packed the dishwasher detergent- we always buy a huge tub of the little cubes so they were easy to throw a few in a bag. I also bought little containers in the craft section at the dollar store-think people might use them for beads or something- I put garlic/some spices I thought I might need and small quantities of rolaids,kids tylenol etc. For some reason I love doing all that packing stuff long before the trip- makes it seem like we are really going. I also buy and take foil,saran and lots of ziploc bags. I prefer to buy and take from here as much as I can as grocery shopping takes a long time with the whole family and while it is fun too if I can cross all that stuff off the list long before than we can get poolside a lot faster . We have stayed in villas the last 3 trips and eat most of our meals there and end up doing LOTS of laundry.

 

[Beccabunny]

The townhouse we're staying at has a front-loading washer. Is there some special type of detergent needed for that kind of washer?

 

[Sammy]

I just bought the new Purex sheets yesterday at my local Target. They were $5 for 20 sheets in a plastic dispenser. So much easier than transporting liquid or even the baggies of powdered soap which I've done in the past.

As far as the question about the front loader, yes, you do have to be careful to use low-sudsing detergent. They all recommend using the "HE" soap, but I just use regular powder in mine at home....and use 1/2 as much. The Purex container says they are safe for both top and front loaders.

 

[Brian Noble]

I *love* the purex sheets for travel.

 

[sjanus]

I've put the powdered laundry detergent in the baggies before and packed them in my suitcase that I checked in. Also have taken coffee, packs of sweet'n low, dishwashing cubes, box of wine (but weighs a lot), trash bags, zip lock food bags, etc.

Problem now with flying is you are so limited with your luggage, so if you have to take an extra suitcase, not worth it. With the powdered detergent, for example, it may put a smell into your clothing items if not separated.

Southwest is still generous, allows 2 bags per person without a charge (love Southwest!). Recently went to Hawaii and was limited on our luggage with United, as had to pay for all suitcases.

We had a couple of condos there and I just bought the laundry detergent there and left for next guest. Basically, I bought two smaller tide unscented (fussy about my detergent!), and overall used equivalent about one of them but 2 different condos, had to take small planes between islands, couldn't take with me. Still was nice for the convenience of a washer. Also left some dishwasher tabs for next guests, but oh well. By the way, had front loaders and used my regular laundry detergent, didn't know about the low suds thing.

Sandy

 

[moongirl]

The townhouse we're staying at has a front-loading washer. Is there some special type of detergent needed for that kind of washer?

You should use HE (high efficiency) laundry detergent because it does not foam as much as the regular stuff. Alternately, use about half as much of the regular liquid detergent. You should be okay.

 

[ftahir]

We stayed at Parc Soleil, 2 packs of laundry detergent was supplied on the first day and randomly after. They will deliver more when asked. I bought 12 load liquid detergent for $2 at nearby walgreen. No dryer thingie supplied though so we bough a pack of 40 ish for $2 at walmart. I personally thought it should be supply by the hotel as with other soap, heck some even supply tooth paste. Depends on where you stay.

 

[annacali]

Travel container section at Target has small bottles/boxes of laundry detergent now too.

 

[TrustedTraveler]

We've stayed in two different homes over the past 5 years. At sjsvillas in Rolling Hills there has always been detergent and dryer sheets in the laundry room.
At casagrande in Indian Creek there was nothing there so I purchased laundry detergent and left behind quite a bit of it. I brought my own dryer sheets packed in a zip lock bag.
My theory is that different management/cleaning firms have their own policy on what they will leave from one guest to the next.

 

[ttfn3]

I pick up a bottle of Woolite when we are shopping for groceries after we have checked into our condo. That, plus some of those dryer softener sheets will do the trick.

 

[steelebug]

Love the Purex 3 n 1 sheets!

 

[dyna]

Travel sized box of tablets of whisk, sometimes when on the harley we buy after there an leave what is leftover or when in car take part of bottle from home. This time I hope to find the purex sheets.....(note to self start looking for coupne an store that carrys them)

 

[Peanut Giggleface]

We used the Purex washer/dryer sheets on our last trip and they worked wonderfully. The clothes came out great with just the right amount of scent. Prior to this trip we would buy the small travel sized pkgs of detergent, but those are so expensive for what you get. What's great about these all in one sheets is that you can take them home with you, they pack nice and flat with no worry about leaking baggies.

 

[Beccabunny]

Are the tablets and washer/dryer sheets good for front-loading washers as well?

 

[Befferk]

Are the tablets and washer/dryer sheets good for front-loading washers as well?

The Purex 3-in-1 sheets are.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

A few weeks ago there was a coupon in the sunday paper for BOGO on the Purex sheets. I also had a $1 Target coupon that I could stack, so I got 40 sheets for less than $5. I always used to bring travel size Tide packets, this time we brought the sheets and it was so much easier! I brought 7 in a ziploc and we ended up doing 2 more loads since we needed fleece tops at night and wore jeans more than planned. For the other loads I got small Tide powder boxes from housekeeping. I did bring a few of the new Tide laundry booster packets for whites since I don't think the small stackable washers at Marriott Harbor Lake does a good job at washing as my machine at home.

The Purex sheets say they are good in top loaders and front loaders and the scent wasn't too strong.

 

[Brian Noble]

I *love* the purex sheets for travel.

I'm going to go back on this. I had an ice blue dress shirt ruined on a recent trip---I thought I had just packed one of my toiletries poorly, and gotten some oily stains on it. But, it turns out this can happen if the detergent in one of the sheets isn't completely used up in the wash; the dryer seems to melt and set it. Several other people have reported similar problems---mainly only with dress clothes, not casual wear. But, I won't be using these anymore. Instead, it looks like I'm back to either using powder, or buying a small cheap bottle of liquid from garden grocer or a store when I get there.

Too bad, too. I really loved the convenience of the product.

 

[dioxide45]

We always just buy the smallest bottle of Tide that the store sells. Usually around $5. If we have some left over, we leave it behind. Problem is that we can't get our preferred scent when we do this, usually have to take the original with Downey.