This tiny bag claims to clean your clothes as well as a washing machine in 3 minutes
Trying to find the time or place to do laundry while traveling can be difficult, but it's a little easier if you have a washing machine with you at all times.
The Scrubba wash bag claims to offer an alternative to over-packed suitcases or smelly clothes. The lightweight bag easily folds or can lay flat at the bottom of a suitcase, and claims to clean clothes as well as a washing machine in as little as three minutes.
The waterproof bag has a transparent window, which makes it easy to see how much water and laundry detergent you're adding to your clothes. Once it's filled up, you simply close the bag and get rid of excess air with a valve on the side. Then it's time to get washing.
There are "nobules" inside the bag that act as a flexible, modern washboard. As you rub the outside of the bag, the clothes brush against the nobules, causing the friction and scrubbing action needed to get out stains. After 30 seconds, the clothes have had a quick wash, but after three minutes, the company says your fabrics will be as clean as if they were put through a washing machine.
A quick rinse afterwards to remove excess detergent and soiled water is the last step before leaving the clothes to dry.
We were skeptical too, but 120+ Amazon customers were raving about the tiny bag, giving it four out of five stars overall.
One Amazon customer used the Scrubba while on a business trip for their workout clothes. "I no longer have to pack so much stuff because this is handy, cheaper than hotel cleaners, plus safe/gentler on clothes than coin machines."
"I seriously had fun cleaning my delicates," said another reviewer. "Rolling this little guy around on the floor was a blast!"
Many of the negative reviews are from people who didn't buy the product or mention the air valve breaking or cracking, a design flaw that most recent reviewers seemed to have escaped, as review from December 2015 mentioned that the product had an "'improved' air valve."
Top-ranked Amazon reviewer Beau Chevassus even made a Youtube video in which he used the Scrubba to clean a Nutella stained towel. He ultimately gave the bag five stars.
The Scrubba is available on Amazon for $50. While that price may seem a little steep for a tiny bag, it could end up saving you time, water, electricity, and money, as well as offer you an option in a pinch when you may not have access to a washing machine.