andrewclaus

I've done a lot of wringing, and I've never thought of this. Thanks for the great idea. Now I can leave my salad spinner at home!

I often use body heat to dry a few things if I'm camping. In some conditions (low RH and good ventilation) I might even wear a few damp items to bed. A pair of dry socks in the morning makes everything better. I've also put wet clothing under my sleeping pad and sometimes that small amount of body heat will dry them out.

The few times I stay in motels, they're generally not the type that have hair dryers. You're lucky to have a working light bulb. It's more like Motel 5 1/2 for me.

tarwheel 

If you wear synthetic, quick drying clothes, it is easy to wash your clothes in a sink or shower and dry them overnight.

staehpj1

I am fine with one set of clothes. I wash and dry them when I can, but wearing them for a few days without washing isn't that big of a hardship IMO. Also putting them on damp isn't a big deal either. They often get soaking wet with sweat soon enough any way.

As far as them smelling bad... I find that some synthetic garments are much better than others in that regard and I take ones that are better.

cyccommute 

That doesn't look like a normal "campground" so I'm assuming that you are staying in a hotel. Most of them have laundries with dryers. Contrary to popular opinion, bicycle clothes won't melt in a dryer as long as you don't set the dryer to "blast furnace". Lycra even likes the heat as it restores the stretch to the molecule...the heat makes the molecule "wad" up and become stretchier. I've got bicycle clothes that are 15+ years old that have been machine washed and machine dried nearly every week (that's around 800 washings) and they are still going strong.

The light bulb, by the way, is going to be far hotter than any dryer (as long as you don't use "blast furnace")

Tourist in MSN

Use campground sinks almost every night, or motel sinks if indoors.

I carry a small bottle of soap and a generic type sink drain stopper since most campground sinks do not have a drain plug. Some clothes (undies, socks, jersey) get washed after one day, some things get washed maybe once a week.

Use coin op laundry when convenient.

Doug64

[QUOTE=andrewclaus;17137663]I've done a lot of wringing, and I've never thought of this. Thanks for the great idea. Now I can leave my salad spinner at home![QUOTE]

You can also remove a little more moisture from your clothes by placing the towel, with your clothes wrapped in it, on the floor, and stepping on the towel with your bare feet.

robow

Yea, a friend of mine who used to tour on the international tennis circuit showed me how to wring the garment out first, then lay a towel on the ground lengthwise, lay the garment out flat on the towel, and then roll the towel up tightly. You then step repeatedly on the rolled up towel, turn it over and step on it again and you'll be amazed at how dry the garment will be when you unroll. Repeat if necessary. Of course this only works in a hotel-like set up where you have access to multiple towels but it is very effective and less chance of damaging the garment due to excessive heat.

Edit: sorry, didn't mean to repeat what was stated above.

imi

I ride in cotton t-shirts (cut off arms) and cotton underwear under nylon running shorts. Clothes line air overnight or just hang over bike. Good to go, no washing.

IMHO, the outdoor clothing industry has duped many people into believing synthetics are waaaay superior to cotton and into paying 10 to 20 times more for a t-shirt! : facepalm:

In extremely cold weather synthetics have many advantages, but otherwise, they just stink.

On rest days I'll shower with clothes on, or wash them in my bear vault.

arfer1

I've tried using one cleaning product, but I've had a problem with my dishes smelling like body wash, or my clothes smelling like shampoo.

mm718

Thank you for saying this. Cotton is so much more comfortable to me and I've been thinking of trying it on the bike. What are the downsides of a cotton shirt?

cyccommute 

If you have access to a Helmart (and who in the US doesn't) or a Target' or even a supermarket, they sell liquid detergent in the travel/sample section. Most laundromats sell similar products in vending machines. Most shampoos and body washes are too 'sudsy' for machine washers.

Doug64

Also, beware of using shampoo on anodized aluminum bike parts like chainrings. The shampoo has some reaction with the metal and can make a good looking crankset look like crud.

Machka 

Nothing wrong with that. Just pick an inexpensive fruit-scented one and you're set.

Machka 

We used a cheap mixed-berry shampoo for 3 months in Europe with no problems at all.

staehpj1

Not sure if that smiley means you are kidding or really have found this to be a problem. I found baby shampoo work well for washing hair, body, dishes, and clothing. If it imparts an odor I never noticed.

Edited to correct error that completely reversed my meaning.

cyccommute 

Use whatever works for you. I've tried riding your way years ago (like 30) and near found it anything but painfully uncomfortable. I've used wool shorts and jerseys as well as more modern technical fabrics but I wasn't "duped" by the clothing industry. I made a informed decision. There have been a few bicycle clothing items that have been failures...just about any rain jacket I've ever tried...but I if it doesn't work, I don't buy it again and/or return the item that doesn't work.

Yes, I pay more for bicycle clothing but how many t-shirts do you have that have been used and laundered once a week for 15 years that are still in one piece? I don't have regular clothes that last that long much less t-shirts.

I also have a 3 drawers full of bicycle clothes (enough for 7 days per week of riding in all seasons) and none of it "stinks". Bicycle jerseys are made of polyester cloth that has a special weave to it but is very much like any dress shirt or polo shirt which hang in my closet and none of those stink either. 20 years ago there were lots of bicycle clothing...especially winter clothing...that was made of polypropylene and it did develop a rank odor but that may be more a function of the polymer and it's degradation products than of a bacteria.

staehpj1

I used to think that, but have since used shampoo (usually but not always baby shampoo) in washing machines a number of times and it wasn't a problem. It may have helped that I use it pretty sparingly, but it didn't suds over, rinsed out fine, and the resulting clothes seemed clean and odor free.

wheelinthai

+1 Same here. I also use hotel service or commercial laundry service. Fee charged very reasonable in Thailand. If necessary, I'll do laundry in hotel's bath room, and let clothes dry over night. But I get back ache doing so. I don't dry clothes on bike, while riding. They get road grime all over.

Leebo

I use a 3 gallon zip lock bag with some soap. I usually carry 2 sets of riding clothes. Hang on bike at the start of the day to dry while pedaling.

boomhauer

Wow. 44 posts on how to wash clothes. I think I'll just ask my mom.

Machka 

Over-suds-ing has never been a problem for us. We too use it relatively sparingly in the wash machine ... you don't dump a whole bottle in or anything ... and it seems to work very well.

Rowan

I have to say this is all quite true. I have cotton shirts of various sorts, but my go-to shirts for some years have been man-made fabrics, and I have a heap of cycling jerseys, none of which stink. All my workshirts are polyester, and I work outdoors -- none of them stink.

And if they ever do start to stink, I just use Borax in the wash to kill off any errant bacteria. But I haven't done that in ages.

djb

chuckle
you get points for that one.

tarwheel 

I've got numerous synthetic jerseys, shorts and base gear that I've used for years and none of them stink. I wash them after every use. Although I love the comfort of cotton for street clothes, I find it awful for dealing with heat, high humidity and sweat.

Rob_E

Whatever works for you. In my younger days, I wore whatever I had, and it worked. These days, either because I'm not in as good of shape or because I live in warmer, more humid climate, I tend to sweat a lot. My cotton shirts soak up that sweat like sponge, and I can be damp for hours after I stop riding. That may not bother everyone, and that's fine. I prefer the feel of cotton to any synthetics, and I often bring a cotton shirt to sleep in, but I don't wear it when I ride unless it's getting nice and cool outside. I never thought I needed special clothes for biking, but once I tried some athletic shirts, I was hooked. I feel dryer, I dry quicker, and the clothes dry quicker on the line.

For cleaning, I usually stay at campgrounds. If there's a shower, I use it. I wash with my clothes on and just run my bar soap over them. Then I take them off and rinse and ring them out. Hang them under the tarp of my tent, and usually they're dry enough to pack in the morning. If not, they ride outside the bag for a while.