“You’ve been gifted what to review?” Dave asked with laughter in his voice.
“A washing bag. A Scrubba,” I replied
“But you don’t like doing laundry?” he said before we both fell about laughing.
Now while the world’s smallest washing machine might have an unusual name it’s probably because it is unusual by nature.
It weighs less than an apple, but it washes your clothes.
It’s actually quite amazing.
Table of Contents
What is The Scrubba Wash Bag?
The Scrubba Wash Bag is a pocket sized device that you can pack in your suitcase and still travel light and clean. It’s been designed especially for travellers, trekkers and campers and its secret lies in the resilient little nobbles that act like a flexible washboard.
Clever really. A fusion of the old and new. An invention that allows you to get your clothes clean in minutes.
If you read on, you’ll arrive at a crazy little video my daughter helped me to put together (thank you Em!) and you’ll get the gist of how the Scrubba Wash Bag works.
You can, if you watch carefully spot the obvious mistakes.
Like how I used too much laundry liquid for the socks I was washing, and how I nearly let water out as I deflated the bag, and how I scrunched and shook as a washing motion, rather than rubbing, as if down by the river. But that’s because I’m not good at reading instructions.
I’m a wing-it kind of person, hope for the best and get on with it. Anyway, the Scrubba Washrag did get on with it and here’s how …
MY VIDEO
For the VIDEO Click here: Scrubba Washbag… The Movie  I challenge you not to laugh at our antics 😉
But for the real deal about this smart little invention and how to use it properly, read on …
Fast Facts
The Scrubba Wash Bag takes up the same space as 2 pairs of socks and weights 142g – great for when you’re trying to cut down on your packing.
It only requires 2 litres of water to wash clothes.
You don’t need power.
You can wash your clothes clean in only a few minutes.
How to use the Scrubba Wash Bag
I washed a pair of dirty socks as an example.
Remove bag from packaging. Add cleaning liquid and 2 – 3 litres of water.
Roll down and then seal the bag. You probably don’t have to roll the bag down as far as I did especially if you are washing more clothes.
Expel the air from he nozzle (watch the video above for this) and rub for as little as 30 seconds. 3 minutes provides a machine quality wash.
Rinse clothes in the sink or in the shower. Wring out clothes and hang out to dry.
Voila! Clean socks!
So who invented this nifty little device?
The Srubba Wash Bag was initiated by Ash Newland in 2010 who took a four month break from his job to travel to Africa and climb Mt Kilimanjaro. He pondered the problem about packing very light and keeping clothes clean, and he began to think about wash boards. This prompted his idea to incorporate a flexible washboard into a waterproof sealable bag which didn’t require a sink or bucket.
Disclaimer: I was gifted a Scrubba Wash Bag for editorial consideration.
Giveaway!
One lucky Lifestyle Fifty reader stands to win a Scrubba Wash Bag ($64.95)
Tell me in the comments either: Were you are going that you might use one OR Where/when in the past you would have found one handy OR What tickled you about the Video?
Comments will be judged by an outside adjudicator.
Closing date is March 15th, 2016 at 5pm Perth, Australia time. Readers must live in Australia or have an address in Australia to which the Srubba Wash bag could be sent if they win.
For further conditions of entry please see Giveaway Entry Conditions.
UPDATE: 30 March 2016 : WINNER: Well Done Jenny (A Taste of Travel) you’ve won a Scrubba Wash Bag! An email is winging its way to you.
Will Princess Cruises help you Come Back New?
We do a lot of camping and with teenage girls moaning about dirty clothes and wet muddy socks, this would keep them happy 🙂
This would be awesome for our camping trips, no more smelly clothes to have to rewear!
I have two young boys….need I say any more 🙂
I wish I had this nifty gadget during our camping trip at The Kimberly. So much red dirt and so little amenities.
I know Mara, that red dirt in the Kimberley gets everywhere doesn’t it? I can remember for months after finding it in hidden corners of my bags, and the bottoms of my white cut offs where never the same again!
Hi Jo, we are travelling for seven weeks in May and June, visiting Canada, UK, France and Italy. I would love the scrubba so I didn’t have to waste a moment of this much awaited holiday at a laundromat washing clothes. Having said that, I think some of the ladies who are planning on camping with young children might need it more than me! Thanks for your great blog Jo.
This would have been PERFECT when we were living in our building site/renovation without a laundry!
I KNOW the kids would have cooperated with washing their smalls with something so easy, leaving just one occasional trip to the laundromat with the sheets.
Now, I’d commandeer it myself for leggings and smalls!
This would be perfect for all our upcoming travel with our young kids, from camping trips to a family holiday in Bali (with carry-on luggage only!).
Not only is the Scrubba great for travel, but it would be useful for doing a quick wash of my kids smelly, sweaty sports gear in between big weekly washes.
The Scrubba would have come in useful when the airline lost my baggage and the only jocks and socks I had, was what I was wearing. If I had a Scrubba I could have washed and rewashed until my luggage reappeared.
I am traveling overseas in June and this would be ideal to wash basic undergarments. What an amazing concept
Could most definitely use one of these on any of our many impromtu weekends away, be it camping, staying somewhere swanky or a quaint little B&B. To be honest I’m the grot in our relationship, the one who always drops something somewhere on myself and needs to wash it out ASAP, and yes I do forget to bring enough spare pairs of undies, and sometimes socks too……scrubba bag will be what saves me from going commando!
One trip to remote Central Australia, my friends and I were hiking 10 hours a day for two weeks straight. Sweatin’ it out and I’m not saying that I’m unprepared, I had a multitude of underwear and socks but the boys were disgusting! One tumble down a hill and cut leg later also took some socks out of the question, luckily we were close to a place with running water for that one!
I want a Scubba! Looks like it did a great job on your socks. I’m sure I’d make use of it many times. In particular, I remember one trip to Italy. We always pack as lightly as possible, so just assumed that we’d be able to find places to wash a few clothes toward the end of the trip. Found out that’s not so easy and had to do some improvising.
Would definitely use this camping or on our trip to Belize. 🙂
The Scrubba wash bag looks great. I could have used this last fall when I was travelling through the UK and hand washing items in hotel sinks. Unfortunately, I don’t live in Australia and am not eligible for the giveaway, but I am going to check into this for future travels.
Oh I wish we’d had one when we were cruising the Mediterranean last year! I think it cost 30 euros to have 20 items of clothing laundered and after 2 weeks we were desperate so we paid it. Washed our smalls in the sink though and that was such a pain …
Wow that’s pricey Janet. Yes a Scrubba would have been just the ticket!
Love your video Jo! I don’t need to win because I’m already the proud owner of a Scrubba Wash Bag which I honestly love so dearly, I wish I had had one ten years ago, I’m always a hand-washer when I travel (because I pack light) and it is so much better than trying to fill a sink somewhere. Anyway, really I just wanted to say your video was totally cute!!
Too kind! Thanks Amanda! And yes, it’s such a handy invention!
We are always camping with our 2 little ones and this would come in handy! They are always getting grubby and half the time I am tempted to just ditch half of their clothes they are that filthy!!
Oh I remember feeling like that too Anne!
I loved your little video girls – the banjo music suited it perfectly. We go camping as often as we can and I think one of these Scrubba Wash Bags would save me a lot of back-breaking work hand washing in a bucket of water. And I think back to my grandmother handwashing work clothes in a trough in the Aussie bush just to make a few extra shillings – one of these would have saved her a lot of work! I would be interested to know how many clothes you can wash in 2 litres of water. I’ll go over to their website to check it out. Thanks for the heads up on this great little Aussie invention!
I’d love to have seen our grandmother’s using them Jill! Why have we had to wait so long for such a handy watersaving invention! Thank you for your kind words about our video!
What a coincidence Jenny. Yes, it did make me giggle. I can imagine how the Srubba Wash Bag would make life on board a boat a little easier considering the lack of fresh water supply!
We have been wanting to try one of these Scrubba bags for some time. It would be so convenient in our travels! We wondered how well they worked, and now we know! Thanks!
So glad that I could offer assistance, Timlouhousesitters!
You may laugh Jo but I was looking for information on the Scrubba Bag the other day. I remember reading about it but at the time, I had no need for it. After 4 weeks of living on a boat at Rottnest without a washing machine and with a limited fresh water supply, I have realised that It is exactly what I need! Hand washing in the old bucket and suds is not working too well…I think this would be the answer!
I’ve got one Jenny and it would be PERFECT for the boat!
Peter and I are planning a trip to the UK next year… we’re spending a month and I reckon the Scrubba wash bag would be perfect as part of our luggage! What a fab initiative.
Hi Liz, Ooh that sounds fun! Let me know if you need any tips from an old Devon-ian. Yes, it’s an amazing invention, and so light to carry around!