Have you ever been out camping or overlanding and needed to wash your clothes? During hikes and long drives, our clothing can get sweaty or dirty quite easily. Well, we might be able to show you a solution: welcome to our Scrubba Wash Bag Review.
Thankfully, the Scrubba Wash Bag was created to help travelers easily wash their clothes, wherever they are.
Today we’re going to talk about everything you need to know about this portable, human-powered washing machine.
If you don’t want to be left with stinky, sweaty and dirty clothes on your next trip, be sure to keep on reading!
Scrubba Wash Bag – Reviewed
The Scrubba Wash Bag just might be your new favorite travel accessory. It’s lightweight and compact, so you won’t have to worry about it taking up too much room in your pack.
Folded up It’s just 2 ⅖ inches high and 2 ⅖ inches wide, weighing in at around 5 ⅖ ounces!
There is a washboard inside with an extra large valve to give you a high-quality wash, without using an actual washing machine.
One of the best features is that it’s multi-functional!
It can also be used as a dry-bag
When you’re not washing your clothing, bedding, or towels, you can use it as a dry bag to keep things like your phone, wallet, and keys dry.
This is a great feature if you’re camping or hiking in places where it rains a lot or if you’ll be spending some time out on the water!
It was designed in consultation with a former Australian Special Air Service team leader and is made out of polyether TPU material. This means it’s a tough wash (or dry) bag!
Instructions are clearly stated on the packaging and on the washbag as well
Now that you know a little bit about what the Scrubba Wash Bag is, let’s talk about some of the top pros and cons to the product to give you a better idea of what it’d be like to own one.
We will then go into some details.
Pros:
- You can wash clothes anywhere as long as you have access to water
- It’s easy to use
- You don’t need much water
- It’s not tough on your hands or arms to use
- It’s lightweight and easy to compress
Cons:
- There is only enough room to wash small loads
- Clothes are left soaked after washing and requiring ringing out after washing
What to Know Before Using the Scrubba Wash Bag
You may be wondering how exactly you’re supposed to wash your clothes in a small bag. Earlier in this review, you read that it has a washboard inside.
This feature helps to get your clothing thoroughly clean, and saves your hands and arms from getting fatigued.
There are a few things to keep in mind before you start using the Scrubba Wash Bag.
Firstly, don’t use water that is hotter than 122 degrees (around 50 degrees Celsius).
Since people rarely travel with a thermometer on them, a good rule of them is to remember that if it’s too hot for you to hold in your hands, it’s too hot to use in the bag.
Try to use warm water that ranges between 85 degrees and 122 degrees.
Now that you know what water temperature to use, what about detergent? Does this washing machine require specific detergent? Yes and no.
The creators of the Scrubba Wash Bag reviewed and tested a number of detergents and have decided that liquid detergents are the best.
Things like powdered detergents take a long time and more work to dissolve, whereas liquid detergents great suds immediately and take less time to wash clothing.
If you’re concerned about detergent taking up too much space, you can use a 3 in 1 body wash or shampoo that you’re already packing.
If you can, please use bio-friendly products. Nowadays, they are widely available.
It is advised that you try not to use bleach inside the Scrubba Wash Bag. You can, but it will eventually wear down the material over time.
How to Use the Scrubba Wash Bag
Now it’s time to get your clothes clean and refreshed! The process of using the bag is fairly easy and can be done just about anywhere. And, in this section of the review, we will be sharing how to use this wash bag in a step by step manner.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take much water and requires no power so it’s a great product for on-the-go travelers.
Follow the step-by-step instructions below to use the Scrubba Wash Bag properly.
Scrubba Wash Bag Step-by-step Instructions
1. Open the bag and place in what you’d like to wash
2. Add in detergent (as mentioned above, preferably liquid)
3. Fill it with around one gallon of clean water for a precise wash
4. Make sure to release any excess air
5. Roll the top down and clip the ends to avoid any water spilling out
6. Carefully open the valve to get rid of any air that’s still left
7. Close the valve and lay the Scrubba Wash Bag flat
8. Press down and rub clothes against the washboard for 30 seconds to 3 minutes
9. Unroll the bag and drain out the dirty water
10. Rinse by adding clean water in the bag
11. Leave the Scrubba Wash Bag out to dry (avoid sunlight & dry it in the shade)
When you’re done, your clothes will be very wet. You can wring them out or use a towel to help them to dry quicker.
Make sure that all detergent is out of your clean clothes and that they are rinsed thoroughly before you dry them.
Once your clothes and the bag are dry, you can pack up and be on your way to your next destination!
FAQ
What is a Scrubba?
The Scrubba wash bag is a portable, user-friendly, and powerful hand washing machine wash bag.
Who Is The Scrubba Good For?
Are you an overlander, outdoor enthusiast, hiker, traveler, or a frequent camper? Then the Scrubba wash bag is for you.
If you don’t want to go to a Laundromat or will not have access to any laundry services because of the location of your campsite, the Scrubba will come in very handy to wash your clothes in those situations.
Also, if you are looking for an environment-friendly wash bag that can save water, detergent, and even your money, then the Scrubba would be the best option for you.
How Do You Use A Scrubba?
It is very easy to use the Scrubba portable wash bag. In just 5 steps, you will be able to wash your clothes using the Scrubba.
The 5 steps are to fill water, roll+clip the bag, deflate the extra air, start scrubbing, and rinse+dry. For your convenience, you will find the instruction in detail in the package of the Scrubba.
How Does The Scrubba Wash Bag Work?
The Scrubba wash bag is a human-powered wash bag machine. It has a large twist-style valve and a flexible washboard inside, which allows it to wash your clothes like an actual washing machine.
Better yet, it can wash twice as effectively as compared to hand washing.
What Cleaning Liquid Do You Use In A Scrubba?
From the review above, you can see that you can use any type of cleaning liquid to wash your clothes using the Scrubba.
If you don’t have any cleaning liquid at your disposal at that moment, you can try to use either a 3-in-1 shampoo or body wash as well. It might not work as good as the liquid detergents, but it will do the job.
In any case, you can also use powdered detergent with the Scrubba wash bag. However, there are a few issues with using powdered detergent instead of liquid detergents.
According to the users, the powdered detergents take a lot of extra time to dissolve.
On the contrary, a liquid detergent works immediately. That is why the manufacturer recommends using liquid detergent with the Scrubba washbag.
But as you can guess, it is up to you whether you are going to use liquid detergent or powdered detergent.
One important thing to note is that you should not use bleach in the Scrubba wash bag. It will impact the lifespan of the wash bag negatively.
How Much Can You Wash In The Scrubba?
The Scrubba wash bag is specifically designed to wash lighter clothes. For instance, it is perfect for washing shorts, T-shirts, shirts, underwear, bathing suits, towels, socks, etc.
In addition, you can also wash heavier items like jeans or trousers one at a time. So, if you are washing lightweight items, you can wash around 4 to 5 items at once in the Scrubba wash bag.
However, for larger and heavier clothes, you have to wash one item at a time.
Is The Scrubba Wash Bag Worth It?
Yes, the Scrubba wash bag is definitely worth it. It could be a bit pricey but for its performance, it is hard to find a good alternative to it.
Apart from the performance, it also comes with some useful features that are not available in many other similar products. For instance, the size and weight of this wash bag make it incredibly portable.
So, it is worth it to get this Scrubba wash bag.
What We Don’t Like About the Scrubba
The Scrubba wash bag is a great product, to say the least. However, like every other top-notch product, it has some drawbacks. First off, it doesn’t allow you to wash multiple heavier clothes at once.
If you want to wash multiple large clothes, you will have more work to do in your hands. Thus, you can say that if you are using the Scrubba for a large load of clothes, then it will be very time-consuming.
As it is a hand washing machine, you will have to wring and rinse the clothes by hand after you have washed them. Otherwise, they will be left wet. Plus, you cannot use powdered detergent or bleach to wash your clothes using the Scrubba.
This might not be a huge issue, but whenever you don’t have access to liquid detergents it would be a challenge to use it.
Another negative about the Scrubba portable washbag is that it leaks. Again, it might not be a problem for everybody. Also, some people might get used to it. However, for some users, it could be annoying.
Last but not the least, for a wash bag it is a bit expensive. Then again, a lot of buyers have said that the price is reasonable. So, it could be true in your case as well.
What We Like About The Scrubba
Now that you know the drawbacks of the Scrubba, let’s get to know all the positives about it in this section of the review. Truth be told, it has far more positives compared to the negatives. For instance, you will like the build quality and size.
It is a durable product, for sure. As it is made with polyester TPU material. Plus, as it is just a bag, it can be compressed to a very tiny size, which comes in handy to save space. It is also very lightweight at just 142 gm.
Another good thing about this is that it needs very little water and detergents to wash. Moreover, it actually works and cleans the clothes properly. Thanks to the flexible washboard inside, it can wash any type of clothes perfectly.
You will also like the ease of use of this product. Matter of fact, you can wash any clothes in just 5 steps. So, even if you are using this for the first time, you will get used to it pretty fast.
Besides, it is not hard on your hands or arms to use. You will be able to wash clothes more comfortably using this wash bag compared to hand washing.
Lastly, you can use this wash bag as a storage space to keep your wallet, phone, keys, etc. when it is dry.
Final Words – Scrubba Wash Bag Review
The Scrubba Wash Bag is a product that you can use whether you’re camping, hiking or overlanding all around the world.
When you’re preparing for a trip, space in your luggage or backpack is often taken up by all of your essentials.
Luckily, the Scrubba Bag is lightweight and compact, so it won’t take up too much room and is easy to fit inside your luggage or pack.
It uses a lot less water and power than your washing machine at home. It is also very easy to use.
So when you use the Scrubba Wash Bag with the right detergent, you’re taking one small step to help the environment.
If this sounds like a mechanism that will come in handy on your next excursion, be sure to get one up before you head out the door!
This solution basically means, you won’t need to rely on finding a laundromat or a hostel with a laundry service to clean clothes.
In addition, there is no more washing your clothes one-by-one in a bucket! Do these sound familiar?
We wish we’ve had one with us back in 2018!
- FAST & CONVENIENT: The patented washboard-in-a-bag design gives a machine quality wash in just minutes and you can wash anywhere – perfect for hotels, hostels, camping, backpacking, dorm rooms, RVs and scout trips.
- SO SMALL AND LIGHT: Weighing just 5.3 oz. and folding to pocket-size, this world’s smallest washing machine takes up no space and lets you travel clean, light and free.
- EASY TO USE: Space, water and time-saving, and electricity free. With the simple six-step instructions displayed on the outside of the bag, anyone can wash clothes quickly, hygienically, and effectively and reduce their impact on the environment
- VERSATILE & MULTIFUNCTIONAL: Ideal for small to medium loads including T-shirts, underwear, socks, bras, delicates, dishcloths and more. Between washes use it as a dry bag to keep gear dry or as a dirty laundry bag.
- JOIN 300,000+ SCRUBBA WASH BAG USERS WORLDWIDE: Grab yours and travel cleaner, lighter and with more freedom. Plus have the peace of mind that it’s backed by our 1-year manufacturer’s warranty. If something goes wrong, we will make it right.
