Holidays are all about making yourself at home in a new place, putting down your phone and enjoying time with friends and family. It’s refreshing to get away from it all and have a well-earned break, but it’s much more difficult to stay clean and organised when you have limited storage and household supplies! If you’re sleeping wild this summer – or jetting off without the contents of your cleaning cupboard – the team at ACE has some advice.
The Essentials
We asked you for your top tips and, unsurprisingly, there were a few items that almost everyone recommended!
- Baby wipes or antibacterial wipes – good for wiping sticky fingers from melted ice lollies, cleaning muddy shoes, freshening up hotel surfaces or just about anything really. For those of you who are eco-conscious, you could pack some water, flannels and resealable bags to use, and reuse, on the go.
- Hand sanitiser. Particularly important if you don’t have regular access to showers or will be going on long day trips to explore the local sights, keeping a bottle on hand will keep you feeling fresh and stop the spread of germs.
- Dry shampoo. As handy after an early-morning weekday alarm as it is if you’re going from beach to bar! Top tip – spritz dry shampoo onto your roots before bed and it’ll absorb greasiness as you sleep, so you’ll only need to touch-up your hair in the morning.
- Toilet paper: one thing you never want to run out of. That and clean socks/undies!
- Bottled water (or refillable bottles if you’ll be near a clean water source). You’ll need lots of water to stay hydrated, as well as wash yourself or brush your teeth in an emergency. It’s also handy for rinsing scraped knees, picnic utensils and cooling yourself down in the heat. When travelling abroad, do your research and check the local water to ensure it’s safe and drinkable – you might also want to skip the ice in some places.
- Flip flops – they’re light, cheap and take up almost no space, but they’re perfect to slide on if you’re sharing a communal shower, taking a midnight trip to the toilet block or slipping on when leaving your sunbed to get an ice cream.
- Fresh air. Okay, you can’t pack this one, but remember that bacteria thrive in damp conditions so keep wet or dirty clothes and towels separate from the dry ones. If you’re camping, Helen Wright says you should air the bedding and tent out each morning if possible, and definitely before storing them away for the next trip.
Less Essential, But Handy!
- Melissa Dobson on Facebook recommends using travel bottles for more than just toiletries. A little bit of laundry detergent or stain remover could be a lifesaver if you need to rescue an item of clothing ASAP in the bathroom sink – without paying for a laundry service! For campers, don’t forget washing up liquid too.
- Roz Yates takes microfibre towels on holiday. As well as being soft, they’re super absorbent and quick-drying so you’ll only need a small one to save space – what a winner!
- If you’re taking a car or a van on a camping trip, this one could be for you. Jess Howliston suggests picking up cheap doormats from a local pound store and leaving them by the tent door – it’ll give everyone space to wipe their feet and stop too much mud and grass getting walked in.
- Fed up of sand in the tent, the car, the bathtub, the bed? Talcum powder is great for getting sand off of skin, so you can brush everyone down and get back to the hotel without bringing half of the beach back with you.
Packing Hacks
- @petmad53 on Twitter had the genius idea to pop tumble dryer sheets among your clean clothes to keep them smelling fresh in the suitcase – perfect for long-haul flights.
- @TripleDuluxe can’t go away without a multi-compartmental backpack, easy for keeping everything in the right place.
- Failing that, @beachrambler on Twitter recommends packing everything in clear plastic bags (toiletries, travel documents, socks, swimwear etc.) so you can find things without reducing the rest to chaos, and keep dirty washing separate.
- You can never have too much Tupperware, so Caroline Hemple on Facebook uses tubs for everything when camping, from cutlery to toiletries to food in order to keep everything clean and bug-free. They’re easily cleaned and can be reused for years.
Lynsey Crombie, the Queen of Clean and ACE’s brand ambassador, shares her thoughts:
“Going away doesn’t need to be stressful. Follow a plan, write yourself a packing list and start to get organised early. If you pack well you will have space for all your home comforts, like your favourite mug for you morning cup of tea!
“I take cleaning products away with me but reduce them down into smaller size bottles. A stain remover is a must, especially if you don’t have access to a washing machine, as well as a good multi-purpose spray. Bedding is my biggest issue and I always aim to take my own (even if it’s just the pillowcase), and don’t forget a laundry bag for that build-up of dirty washing!”
Being clean shouldn’t dictate what’s supposed to be a relaxing holiday, but there’s nothing worse than the stress of getting all your things muddled or having an ‘oops’ moment and not being prepared.
Do you have any more tips? Let us know at @ACECLEANUK on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
