$9 Kmart find solves annoying caravanning chore: 'Worked great'

Many Aussies dream of quitting their jobs, buying a caravan and heading off for a road trip adventure around Australia. The allure of the open road, stumbling across stunning swimming spots and campsites and getting a taste of life off the grid is certainly pretty tempting, but it also takes some planning and problem-solving.

Whether it's how to still make delicious meals on the go, how to maximise storage space in a small caravan or how to stop things from sliding around when you're driving, Kmart shoppers often have handy solutions for the common grievances that caravanners know all too well. And if you've ever wondered how to wash your clothes when travelling for an extended period, the budget retailer and its fans have a fix for that too.

In a popular online group, one caravan owner asked, "How do fellow travellers wash clothes if they don’t have a machine? I only want something for our daily clothes, not sheets and towels."

$9 Kmart item solves caravan laundry problem

Among the many replies they received, one person explained they used a $9 item from Kmart to get the job done.

"We use a Kmart dry bag instead of a bucket," they said. "Seals perfectly. Use wool wash and then squeeze and drip dry in the shower. I think it was about $15" (it's actually only $9!!).

"Us too," someone else replied.

"Used one of these while overseas...worked great," someone else added.

"And it folds up nice and light and small too," yet another wrote.

The 15L dry bag is waterproof double stitched and tape seam sealed and, according to Kmart's website, is ideal for keeping your belongings dry when camping, hiking, kayaking and on other adventures. The popular product also has an almost 5-star rating on the website, with plenty of people singing its praises and citing how useful it is.

Kmart item $56 cheaper than alternative

The idea of using the dry bag is a much cheaper alternative to the Scrubba Bag, which is also extremely popular with campers, caravan owners and backpackers.

At $65 the Scrubba is $56 more than the Kmart option, although it does come with the benefit of internal scrubbing "nobules" which can give you a machine-quality wash in just 6 steps.

Although the Scrubba has rave reviews, if the price tag is a stretch, the Kmart dry bag option could be just the ticket.

Another inventive suggestion in the comments was, "Order a commercial salad spinner. They have an internal basket, so you can soak, agitate, spin, then rinse and repeat."

Bunnings shopper's caravan laundry hacks

Other suggestions from campers and caravan owners included simply using a bucket and wool wash while driving.

"I use a 10lt Bucket with a 'tight' fitting lid," one person offered. "Clothes in, cover with water, add powder, fit the lid and put the bucket in the back of the Toyota while travelling for the day. At the day's destination, rinse and hang... Job done..."

"Using a bucket with a really good lid put clothes in with wool wash before heading off. The wool wash prevents you having to use precious water rinsing, just give them a squeeze and hang out," echoed another person.

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"20lt white bucket with lid with wool wash on the back of Ute. No need to rinse," said a third.

Considering a 20-litre bucket will set you back only $10 at Bunnings, this also seems like a pretty good deal.

And while you're at the hardware retailer you can pick up a $12 gadget to take laundry day to the next level.

"I use a bucket with a lid and a paint masher, (from Bunnings) if we are camped up for a few days each time you walk past the bucket give it a mash and they come out great," suggested another clever person.

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