For most travelers, suitcases are normally packed with just enough changes of clothes for your trip. However, the typical hostel guest is an experienced traveler who for the most part travels light. There comes the occasion where one encounters no more clean laundry, so let’s talk about how to manage your laundry when staying at a hostel.

The best advice is to hand wash your laundry around the same time you shower. Get into this habit to build a useful skill when you’re backpacking. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should wash your laundry as you wash yourself—though it’s not uncommon for raw denim wearers to do so—but you should at least wash your unmentionables/underwear after you shower so that you can hang dry them as soon as possible before the next wear. For other simple articles of clothing, like light shirts and tops, you can do the same.

You could always accumulate enough dirty laundry to wash all at the same time using a washing machine. Most hostels have washing machines available to use, but it’s recommended you still have something to wear just in case the washing machines are being used for washing hostel linens or even worse by a line of others. In China, drying machines are very uncommon, so you’re suggested to pack light clothing that dries quickly. Some hostels not only make washing machines available but also offer full-service laundry service. You can expect to pay more for this service though, paying a few RMB for each article on top of a service fee.