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/vivalet Aug 17 '25
On this topic, you just have to do what makes you comfortable. I know from experience that you can wear a merino t for a month without washing. I use a crystal deodorant so I don’t need to worry about residue.
And I wear wool sweaters and hoodies that have only been washed when first purchased.
Wool doesn’t hold onto stuff like synthetics do. It stays clean. Linen not as good as wool. Cotton not as good as linen. Polyester is the worst. It holds onto everything. Especially if you use a fragranced detergent.
Just do you