Sustainable laundry hacks for travelling athletes

Whether it's warm weather training in Lanzarote, or an event across the country, travelling as an athlete can be super stressful and tiring. One thing you don't want to have to worry about on top of all the other logistics, is how you're going to keep your kit clean, especially if you're trying to be more eco-friendly. We've collaborated with our friends at ecoswash to put together some helpful tips to help you keep your kit looking and smelling fresh on the road. 

Cleaning tips and tricks

Maybe you're away for a long time, or maybe you just want to wear your favourite trisuit for multiple events at one weekend, but you might find yourself needing to wash your kit whilst you're away. Here are our top hacks for cleaning your kit on the go.

1. Throw some ecoswash sheets in your bag

There's nothing worse than having to lug around extra liquids, especially if you're trying to travel light. Ecoswash sheets are the perfect eco-friendly alternative to liquid detergent, as they're lightweight and sustainable, without compromising on freshness! They're specifically designed for activewear, so are gentle on fabrics, yet tough on stains and odours. 

2. Use a mini washboard or the innovative Scrubba wash bag

Hand washing your clothes doesn't have to be hard work. Scrubba's wash bags provide a machine quality wash in minutes, no matter where you are. Simply add water, clothes, and your ecoswash sheet, before closing the bag and deflating. Rub the clothes against the internal washboard for up to 3min, rinse, and hang to dry. It really is that quick and easy!

3. Use a travel clothesline to dry your kit

Speaking of hanging things to dry, there's nothing worse than trying to drape wet clothing off of every surface you can find in your room. Pack a small travel clothesline to string above the bath, or even better hook it up outside (if you can) to let the sun do its work. There's a reason our activewear care instructions are 'wash cool, sun dry' - there's nothing better than freshly washed clothing that's been dried out in the fresh air. 

General Travel Laundry Tips

It's not just washing your clothes that can be difficult when travelling, so we've got some more tips below to help you make caring for your kit when you're on the road as easy as possible. 

1. Use a microfibre towel

Microfibre towels are much lighter and more absorbent than their heavier cotton alternatives. Make sure to roll your towel tightly and squeeze to get as much water out as possible before hanging it to dry.

2. Get all of your kit out of your bag whenever you can

Rather than leaving your kit crumpled in your bag, hang it out in your room, or lay it flat on a table so it's out in the fresh air.

3. Try to avoid eating smelly food in the same room as your kit

We know space may be limited if you're travelling for an event, but if you have to eat in the same room as your stuff then try to open the window to get some airflow inside.

4. Keep your shoes in a separate bag to the rest of your kit

This one seems like a no brainer, but it's easy to forget that your shoes are definitely more prone to odours than the rest of your kit! 

5. Bring a wash bag to keep dirty clothes in

Just like your shoes, odours from dirty laundry may well contaminate your freshly cleaned kit. Make sure to take a small laundry bag to keep dirty kit separate. 

Head over to ecoswash to see their top tips, and get 10% off their sheets with code SUNDRIED10.