Scrubba Wash Bag - portable travel washing machine

I really wanted to love the Scrubba Wash Bag Portable Washing Machine because on paper it solves a very specific travel problem I have.
I fully recognize that I could just wash clothes in a hotel sink with soap and hang them dry. But for some reason that always grosses me out a little — what if the sink isn’t actually clean? What if it’s too small? What if I’m washing underwear in a questionable sink and then wearing it again? My brain goes down a rabbit hole. I wanted something self-contained that felt cleaner, easier, and gave me peace of mind while traveling.

I bought this for a 15-day trip to Egypt because I wanted to pack light, rewash basics (socks, underwear, shirts), and avoid paying hotel laundry fees.
Before using it, I did my homework. I watched multiple user reviews, YouTube tutorials, and even videos from Scrubba themselves. Unfortunately, actually using it was way more confusing than it should’ve been.

My biggest issue: the instructions are far too vague.
The water fill lines were frustrating because they rely on little clothing illustrations to estimate load size, which honestly didn’t help me at all. I wish they gave clearer guidance like:

- X socks + X underwear = fill to this line
- 1 shirt + undergarments = fill to this line
- Small load = use this much detergent sheet

Instead, I filled it to the lowest water line for just a few small items and it took forever. I kept thinking, is this really how much water I need just to wash a few socks and underwear? It felt especially wasteful while traveling in Egypt where I was already mindful of water usage.
I also had no idea whether using less water than the fill line was okay.

Then there’s the scrubbing instructions — they say use the internal washboard for anywhere between 30 seconds and 3 minutes, which is a massive range. How am I supposed to know what’s enough? If I scrub for only 30 seconds, are my clothes actually clean? I ended up doing the full 3 minutes every time because I didn’t want dirty clothes.

The rinsing instructions were also unclear. How do you know all the dirty water is actually gone? Should you rinse once? Twice? Empty the bag first? Rinse each item separately? Refill the entire bag? I found myself Googling basic questions that should’ve already been answered.

Then there were the water temperature instructions, which somehow made me even more anxious. The instructions specifically warn not to use water over 122°F / 50°C. That sounds simple until you’re traveling and using random hotel sinks and showers — and suddenly wondering: how exactly am I supposed to know if this water is 122°F? That warning honestly stressed me out because it made me feel like I could accidentally damage the bag. Clearer instructions would help a lot, like:
- “Don’t use very hot water”
- “Warm tap water is recommended”
- “Cold water is also fine”

And even better: recommendations by fabric type (cotton, synthetics, delicates, etc.) so people don’t accidentally shrink clothes or damage stains.

Speaking of stains — I had pants with a stain during my trip and wasn’t sure whether this bag could help treat it or whether washing it incorrectly would set the stain. There were no stain treatment recommendations, so I ended up paying for hotel dry cleaning instead.
Another thing I wish they included: clear instructions for cleaning the bag itself.

This is supposed to be reused during travel, and one of my biggest concerns was mold or lingering bacteria buildup. I couldn’t find clear guidance on whether the bag should be cleaned after every use, after every trip, or after a certain number of washes.
Something simple like:
- rinse with soap and water after use
- wipe/pat dry with paper towels
- hang upside down to dry completely
- store only when fully dry
would’ve been really helpful.

Instead, the only guidance I remember was hanging it upside down to dry (and I think using their hook system — which leads to another issue).
For nearly $60, I was surprised it doesn’t include the hanging cord/clips shown in some of the marketing. You have to buy your own setup. I ended up hanging clothes on the hotel bathroom towel rack, and thankfully everything dried overnight.

At the end of the day, this product created way more mental effort than I wanted while on vacation. I wanted something simple and low-maintenance, but instead I kept replaying instructions, Googling best practices, and stressing over whether I was wasting water or washing things incorrectly.

Honestly, I would’ve been better off buying a cheap sponge, cleaning the hotel sink myself for peace of mind, and handwashing everything there.
2 stars because I genuinely think the concept is great — they’re close — but the execution and instructions need serious improvement. A QR code linking to clear tutorials, better written instructions, cleaning guidance, and more specific recommendations would make a huge difference.

I use to have one just like this and man was it useful until it got a hole in it and I had to throw it away I would love to get another one

I’ve never been excited to do laundry until now

We camp off the grid for months at a time and love the ease of being able to wash small items in between trips to town.
I would love to know if there is some adapter to use on our air release valve to make bleeding the air out a little easier. Our bag has the older style, which is similar to the fill valve on a kids blow up raft. I noticed the bags have a different type of release valve.

If all you're worried about is your clothes getting a little smelly from sweat, then this is perfect for you. If you have a stain of any kind, including simple dirt on your clothes, this scrubba will not help. Also, my clothes always end up with some soap residue on them after I wash them with this. It'll do, I guess.