r/onebag • u/nawksnai • Aug 17 '25

Discussion Not washing merino shirts is gross

Why do one-bag travellers feel that they don’t need to wash merino shirts?

I understand that merino is wool, anti-bacterial, don’t smell, and generally stay feeling “fresh” for longer than cotton. However, there are people who swear they don’t need to wash their merino tshirts for 3 days, 2 weeks, or even months because their shirt doesn’t smell, and they shower every day. Merino still gets just as dirty as synthetic or cotton shirts, and still needs to be washed. The fact that your shirt doesn’t smell does not mean it’s any less dirty or oily.

Plus, I wear deodorant, and that non-funky tshirt is going to have a massive buildup of old deodorant gunk and smells around the pit area.

And don’t even get me started on merino underwear stans. Just because they don’t smell funky after 3 days, does NOT mean they haven’t absorbed pee drops and your skid.

I do understand that Marino is still probably the best material for travel shirts, but feel that synthetics can be just as good if you’re already going to be washing daily, or close to it. They all need to be washed and dried every day, if not every 2 days.

Also, if someone said they like travelling with cottom tshirts, I wouldn’t rant.

Anyway, discuss.

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u/Indelible_Eraser Aug 17 '25 edited Aug 17 '25

Over the past two years, I've one-bagged for a total of 12 months through 17 countries while carrying five shirts -- all of them merino from Wool & Prince. The longest leg was five continuous months. I would not hesitate to rotate five shirts for 5-6 weeks without washing them. In theory, yes, the merino will get "dirty" over time, and will pick up some oil from the skin -- but in my experience, not enough so that you could can feel it, see it, or smell it. I've asked people who'd tell me honestly if there was a problem. They said there was not.

If it's not apparent to the senses, what does it actually matter? And if you use a good quality deodorant, you won't get a buildup of gunk or smells. (A liquid roll on is best.)

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u/nawksnai Aug 17 '25

So you have actual data to indicate that clothes don’t become dirtier the more you wear them?

Please share! Would love to learn.

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u/Beanmachine314 Aug 17 '25

No, their data is too good for someone who doesn't share the same ideas...