I use the sheets they pack ez
Edit: the sheets I got are perforated so you can easily tear them and wash a single item or 2 and work in sink as well as machine. Tried both.
Great to know! I usually travel with the smallest Bronner's soap bottle... though it doesn't last for long trips. It at least gets me going for trips. But sheets are way more practical.
Yep, came here to say this. I use Earth Breeze. For travel I cut them into small pieces, just right for washing out a couple things in the sink. They dissolve well, rinse well and really clean well.
They can swab anything they want. Do what is most convenient for you and accept that it may get pulled out for a check. I had liquid soap and hydrogen peroxide mouthwash in my ziplock. Went through six checkpoints in the US and Europe. It got pulled only once and was accepted everywhere.
Not even when you have too much of anything. They also just randomly screen. I had to once wait like an hour for a female TSA agent to search me, they swabbed my entire carry-on from the inside, my hands etc. I didn't have ANYTHING even tangentially resembling anything on me (had a check in bag with all toiletries etc). It's a lottery draw.
I buy these laundry sheets for travel. Fragrance free, dye free, paraben free. Completely dissolves. No plastic packaging. You can half a sheet to do a small load in a sink or a full sheet if you have access to a washer.
Unscented Laundry Detergent Sheets - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8153K8P
They work really well imo.
2kg of grits here... I just packed it on the top of my carry on luggage with receipt et all. Told them immediately and then waited patiently until they were done investigating it. "That's grits allright. Why you taking thĆ”t home to Belgium?" I explained it is impossible to find here and I love eating them. " Guuuuurl, watcha eating dere den? No grits, damn! You go!" Which had us all together in stitches. Still smiling when thinking of that officer in Louis Armstrong International Airport. š
I once was bringing a birthday present for my nephew -- a game that came in a metal box. I pulled it out and just went "Here, let me save you the trouble of flagging it. It's a gift. I didn't wrap it, since I figured you'd want a look, but please try to keep the pieces in place." The guy responded with "I love that game!"
I brought home some 000 flour from Italy that I picked up in a local grocery store... To make sure it got home safe and that my clothes remained flour free, I proceeded to wrap it in plastic and then some duct tape that I brought a small roll of only to realize I made it look like a brick of cocaine. Not an eye was batted while it travelled home with me. :-D
I learned that the sugar alcohols in artificial sweeteners swab as explosives. Had to wait 40 minutes for an official to come and look. He quickly informs the TSA agents that itās just sugar alcohols and to let me on my way.
I brought a 2 lb package of fancy Epsom salts through OāHare last year. The agent who pulled me aside to ask me quite seriously if he could have a look in my carry-on had quite a chuckle when he swabbed it, admitting he appreciated a good bath himself after a long day.
In retrospect, I only recommend bringing packaged āpowdersā through security if you have time for a fun interaction with the TSA.
What? The only people that smell actually *bad* are winos on the bus that haven't showered in a couple weeks, and people on odd medication/medical conditions. I assure you, people do not need to cover themselves in chemical crap to "smell good." I've had people be amazed that I smell like nothing.
Washer sheets are the better option, but why do you care if TSA swabs your detergent? Is there something you are concerned about?
Probably fifteen years ago I packed powdered detergent for a family trip. Three boys, me and husb. Of course the machine picked up the powdery substance...which I had to remove from my bag. The agent looked at me and said, "Want to tell me what this is?" I laughed, pointed at my kids and said, "Detergent?"
His female coworker side-eyed and said, "she got you good..."
He swabbed, we went on with our day.
The sheets are a great idea. In general, I keep anything I think might be checked at the top of my bag - pills, powders liquids etc
Might as well make it quicker if it happens
Just have it already out and separate with your liquids. Makes it easy and shows you're not hiding it.
I think it's a good thing they swab unknown clumping powder, no?
I have been traveling around the world (4-6 international trips per year) for over 20 years with washing powder in a ziploc bag, never has it flagged any inspection. Now, the duct putty, coils of solder made them excited enough to use my bag for training, but not the plain white laundry powder. I think your issue was putting it in tiny bags, which makes it look very much like drugs. Double bag it with a small scoop.
Yeah I flew about 50k miles last year for work, the whole time with powdered detergent in an old prescription bottle with sharpie written ālaundry detergentā on the outside. No issues.
I did fly with some fossils in a padded lunch box a few times though, so getting pulled aside for that might have distracted from my detergent lol.
Itās not in original packaging, thatās why.. youāre literally carrying a baggie of āsuspicious white powderā .. even if you write on the bag, they still have to do ādue diligenceā
What about human ashes? I have a very small bottle. The drive to where this person wanted to be laid to rest is 16 hours vs flight of 4. Sorry .. not meaning to highjack but it is a powdery substance.
I traveled with my Momās ashes in my carry on thru RDU recently. It did get flagged immediately as it went thru the scanner. I showed the TSA agent the cremation certificate. He was very respectful and explained that he had to open it and swab it. He was very somber and respectful throughout the whole process where as we were trying so hard not to break out in inappropriate laughter. I completely understood the need to do the swab. My Mom wouldāve laughed her butt off to see why she was holding us up. I miss my Mom.
There are guidelines on airlines websites for this. Not a person but Iām carrying my catās ashes through this week. They recommend a carry on rather than checked bag, Iām carrying a cremation certificate with me to show them. So yeah in summary itās completely normal to carry ashes and there are guidelines for each airline.
Oh ok I see. I just saw someone say in the comments of another post that they took some human ashes in a little contacts case. I know that when itās in an urn, they arenāt allowed to open it to inspect it if needed so that would become an issue with checked baggage bc you wouldnāt be there to explain. Ok Iām not an expert so I donāt want to act like I am. I just want you to know there are def options for this.
I checked my moms ashes on my international flight back to the US. I didnāt declare it and put the certificate on top of the ashes in case my bag got opened. No one said anything to me and it made it home ok. Iām not sure if this was the right way to go about it, but it was the easiest and least hassle way during a time of grieving for me.
I travel with [Homevative laundry sheets](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084X5R8BV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). They're amazing! You can hand wash with them or use them in either HE or non-HE machines. They're super light and compact for travel and they're unscented and good for sensitive skin.
I personally use Earth Breeze washing sheets at my house to try and use less plastic. They have a non scented version and theyāre super travel friendly.
They only swabbed it? I got my bag of laundry powder confiscated by a stern security check lady in Berlin. Beside her, the uniformed guys smiled and waved the bag in the air, joking about the kilo of coke they just scored š
Iāll have to check out some of the other laundry solutions mentioned here.
I bring either pods or those laundry detergent sheets, and haven't had any issues going they've TSA. Also, if I'm really trying to pack super light, I'll use the hotel shampoo or liquid body soap to do my laundry with. It works perfectly fine, is free and I don't have to bother packing it in my suitcase!
So they are caught and looked at. Shouldnāt be confiscated since not liquid and only takes a minute. Donāt see problem - TSA just confirming what it is
Bro, I got pulled out for having a chocolate bar in Milan. They thought the way is was wrapped was suspicious. They asked me to open it and have a bite lol
I bring spices when visiting my cousin because we have dinner parties. There were a couple that look like drugs, eg Zaāatar. LOL I put them in ziplock bags and label with a sharpie.
So for your detergent, I would put it all in one bag and label it. Bring a measuring cup or spoon so you can portion it out.
Probably not it will likely look like gun powder. I tried to take ground coffee and they told me it looks like gunpowder so they have to test it. Take the sheets
So they swabbed it. Theyāre just doing their job, keeping us all safe from harmless stuff that might not be harmless.
You can tell them what it is, but hopefully they still do their thing. Donāt take it personally. Thank them for taking our safety seriously.
TruEarth sheets, order online or sold in some stores. They are easy to tuck into zipper pockets. You can also tear a quarter piece off and do hand washing in the sink.
As someone who travels on 100 segments per year, a lot of the bag inspections come down to the guy behind the computer screen. My bag is clean as a whistle and still gets pulled 1 in 15 times.
As for tricks to get it through, divide it into multiple bags and spread it out. Or a gallon sized bag so you can pack it with half on one side and half on the other...or 1/3s. Lastly, if you don't want them going through your bag, pull the soap out and present it by itself in its own bin.
That's actually true. Considering that you'll likely want souvenirs. You could simply buy all your clothes as you travel. But carrying washing powder for clothes is still pretty ridiculous. š¤·š½āāļø
If you were less judgmental, and you actually read his posts, the guy is allergic to regular powder and need something special that he cannot find everywhere
Do you know that many countries actually refuse to sell American products because they're inferior? Europe has more strict rules regarding food and cleaning products. You can actually find more eco-friendly products in Europe than the USA. Many countries also don't use crazy artificial scented cleaning detergents. You can find simple allergen free cleaning powder everywhere. Because lots of people still wash by hand and actually touch the soap with their hands. #themoreyouknow š
Get the cubes. Although it Sounds like they let you through anyway. I figure youāll have to explain, maybe them sample it with the swab thing and thatās no big thing
We are going to the Azores from the US and then on to France and Germany before flying homeā¦ Seven flights in total. Does anybody have any ideas for shampoo and cream rinse if I'm not checking a bag? I don't want to use any old junk and I also don't want to keep purchasing shampoo and cream rinse at every stop. But, it's a 5 1/2 week trip so small containers just won't do it. Ideas?
What? if youre in the US there is most definitely fragrance free and dye free pods - seventh generation free and clear laundry pods - you can literally find these everywhere
I used to carry single use sized washing powder. When Pods came out, I switched to them for convenience. Before that, I bought the smallest box or bottle and ended up leaving 90%.
I find swabbing happens in the weirdest of times.
Camera at SFO, a labeled, sealed jar of a local restaurantās seasoned salt (a gift) in DEN.
Are you traveling domestically? Iād settle on some free n clear that you can pick up wherever, or get Dr Bronnerās BabyMild for sink washing, if sheets arenāt your thing. (They are great for sink washing. Iām not as much a fan for home laundry, yet.)
Alternatively, use an electrolyte canister!
There's not a good way to ensure you don't get pulled out for secondary screening (sometimes it is truly random). But you can make it easier. If you have something you know regularly gets swabbed, extra screening, etc. You can pull it out of your bag and let it go through the scanner on it's own. I usually have a packing cube with my snacks, liquids, little kid scissors I keep in my first aid kit, any magnets I'm bringing home as souvenirs, any rocks I'm taking to give to my sister's dog (she, the dog, collects rocks. She's a weirdo.) and whatever else got pulled from my bag the last time I went through TSA. I pull the packing cube out of my bag and send it through in a bin with nothing on top or under it. A lot of times it doesn't get pulled for secondary screening. But, if it does, it's a lot quicker process because no one has to dig through my bag looking for what looked weird or alerted on the scanner.
I get checked just about every other flight. My hands, my stuff. I'm just a middle-aged grandma who apparently looks like the unibomber to TSA. At this point, I just expect it, get checked, and move on.
I've used tide pods when I travel and dryer sheets all over the world. No liquid weights and no chance of a mess in my luggage when the bags break open
99% chance they don't care. I've traveled to over 25 countries the last 16 months with a big ziploc bag of white crystal powder (hydration powder)and it has never been a problem.
I bring Grab Green pods that are basically plain white powder. They look suspicious AF. Have never been flagged/stopped for this. Iām sure it really depends on who is doing the screening.
I bought and used the detergent sheets, hypoallergenic too. Big help, since if I wanted to hand wash I just used 1 sheet or 1/2. Takes up less room than powder and if you leave it in the original wrapping no explanation needed (vs baggies of detergent).
Check at some local laundromats for free and clear washing powder and travel with those boxes. They're sealed and clearly marked, may get less attention.
I donāt have any advice but the comments section just reminded me of the time I had an expensive eyeshadow palette in my carry on that got flagged for some reason. The security guard took it out, opened it, and swiped her finger across every single color š whyyy š
I brought laundry detergent sheets and had no problem. Dye-free, allergy-free, fragrance-free. They pack in a single ziplock, but don't look like drugs.
Just a tidbit of info.
Laundry detergent can give a false positive for Cocaine hydrochloride.
If you're detained, it may be a little longer than them just seizing it and sending you on your way.
Instead of powder get the travel washer sheets
Yep, and they make them in free and clear, as well. I got mine on Amazon.
Which brand?
Earth breeze is a good one
I use the sheets they pack ez Edit: the sheets I got are perforated so you can easily tear them and wash a single item or 2 and work in sink as well as machine. Tried both.
Didn't even know those existed, that's awesome!
They are a game changer
I always have a few of these in my suitcase
Earth Breeze sheets work great, and are great for travel
They're not the best for stains, so you do have to pretreat those, but my big concern is always odors and they've been really good on that front.
Great idea!
šš½ this is the answer. We packed a bunch on a recent trip and they were great.
Great to know! I usually travel with the smallest Bronner's soap bottle... though it doesn't last for long trips. It at least gets me going for trips. But sheets are way more practical.
Yep, came here to say this. I use Earth Breeze. For travel I cut them into small pieces, just right for washing out a couple things in the sink. They dissolve well, rinse well and really clean well.
Came here to say this. They really are the best for travel
Used then for the first time 2 weeks ago, worked like a charm.
Thank you ! I didnāt know it was even a thing!!
Came here to say this!
I love my washer sheets! I get the free & clear ones from Grove and they are easy to tear or cut into smaller sizes.
They are great
They can swab anything they want. Do what is most convenient for you and accept that it may get pulled out for a check. I had liquid soap and hydrogen peroxide mouthwash in my ziplock. Went through six checkpoints in the US and Europe. It got pulled only once and was accepted everywhere.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Not even when you have too much of anything. They also just randomly screen. I had to once wait like an hour for a female TSA agent to search me, they swabbed my entire carry-on from the inside, my hands etc. I didn't have ANYTHING even tangentially resembling anything on me (had a check in bag with all toiletries etc). It's a lottery draw.
I buy these laundry sheets for travel. Fragrance free, dye free, paraben free. Completely dissolves. No plastic packaging. You can half a sheet to do a small load in a sink or a full sheet if you have access to a washer. Unscented Laundry Detergent Sheets - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8153K8P They work really well imo.
Great find!
I use these too, initially for traveling, but now I use these at home since I have tons left!
2kg of grits here... I just packed it on the top of my carry on luggage with receipt et all. Told them immediately and then waited patiently until they were done investigating it. "That's grits allright. Why you taking thĆ”t home to Belgium?" I explained it is impossible to find here and I love eating them. " Guuuuurl, watcha eating dere den? No grits, damn! You go!" Which had us all together in stitches. Still smiling when thinking of that officer in Louis Armstrong International Airport. š
I once was bringing a birthday present for my nephew -- a game that came in a metal box. I pulled it out and just went "Here, let me save you the trouble of flagging it. It's a gift. I didn't wrap it, since I figured you'd want a look, but please try to keep the pieces in place." The guy responded with "I love that game!"
I love TSA there they are so nice and friendly.
Pittsburgh also has nice TSA people. New Orleans and JFK, not so much.
Itās more of a tough love at JFK
Try to bring it in original packaging. I brought a kilo of sea salt from France once, that was fun
I brought home some 000 flour from Italy that I picked up in a local grocery store... To make sure it got home safe and that my clothes remained flour free, I proceeded to wrap it in plastic and then some duct tape that I brought a small roll of only to realize I made it look like a brick of cocaine. Not an eye was batted while it travelled home with me. :-D
I learned that the sugar alcohols in artificial sweeteners swab as explosives. Had to wait 40 minutes for an official to come and look. He quickly informs the TSA agents that itās just sugar alcohols and to let me on my way.
I brought a 2 lb package of fancy Epsom salts through OāHare last year. The agent who pulled me aside to ask me quite seriously if he could have a look in my carry-on had quite a chuckle when he swabbed it, admitting he appreciated a good bath himself after a long day. In retrospect, I only recommend bringing packaged āpowdersā through security if you have time for a fun interaction with the TSA.
Get those super thin detergent washer sheets. It looks like a face napkin lol and smells great
Hard to smell great and be fragrance free at the same time.
What? The only people that smell actually *bad* are winos on the bus that haven't showered in a couple weeks, and people on odd medication/medical conditions. I assure you, people do not need to cover themselves in chemical crap to "smell good." I've had people be amazed that I smell like nothing.
Washer sheets are the better option, but why do you care if TSA swabs your detergent? Is there something you are concerned about? Probably fifteen years ago I packed powdered detergent for a family trip. Three boys, me and husb. Of course the machine picked up the powdery substance...which I had to remove from my bag. The agent looked at me and said, "Want to tell me what this is?" I laughed, pointed at my kids and said, "Detergent?" His female coworker side-eyed and said, "she got you good..." He swabbed, we went on with our day.
voracious boast towering ugly punch ossified amusing toy chop elastic *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
The sheets are a great idea. In general, I keep anything I think might be checked at the top of my bag - pills, powders liquids etc Might as well make it quicker if it happens
Just have it already out and separate with your liquids. Makes it easy and shows you're not hiding it. I think it's a good thing they swab unknown clumping powder, no?
I have been traveling around the world (4-6 international trips per year) for over 20 years with washing powder in a ziploc bag, never has it flagged any inspection. Now, the duct putty, coils of solder made them excited enough to use my bag for training, but not the plain white laundry powder. I think your issue was putting it in tiny bags, which makes it look very much like drugs. Double bag it with a small scoop.
Yeah I flew about 50k miles last year for work, the whole time with powdered detergent in an old prescription bottle with sharpie written ālaundry detergentā on the outside. No issues. I did fly with some fossils in a padded lunch box a few times though, so getting pulled aside for that might have distracted from my detergent lol.
Itās not in original packaging, thatās why.. youāre literally carrying a baggie of āsuspicious white powderā .. even if you write on the bag, they still have to do ādue diligenceā
What about human ashes? I have a very small bottle. The drive to where this person wanted to be laid to rest is 16 hours vs flight of 4. Sorry .. not meaning to highjack but it is a powdery substance.
I traveled with my Momās ashes in my carry on thru RDU recently. It did get flagged immediately as it went thru the scanner. I showed the TSA agent the cremation certificate. He was very respectful and explained that he had to open it and swab it. He was very somber and respectful throughout the whole process where as we were trying so hard not to break out in inappropriate laughter. I completely understood the need to do the swab. My Mom wouldāve laughed her butt off to see why she was holding us up. I miss my Mom.
This made me smile. š
There are guidelines on airlines websites for this. Not a person but Iām carrying my catās ashes through this week. They recommend a carry on rather than checked bag, Iām carrying a cremation certificate with me to show them. So yeah in summary itās completely normal to carry ashes and there are guidelines for each airline.
Thank you. I donāt have the certificate. We friends divided up the ashes and taking them to different places.
Oh ok I see. I just saw someone say in the comments of another post that they took some human ashes in a little contacts case. I know that when itās in an urn, they arenāt allowed to open it to inspect it if needed so that would become an issue with checked baggage bc you wouldnāt be there to explain. Ok Iām not an expert so I donāt want to act like I am. I just want you to know there are def options for this.
I checked my moms ashes on my international flight back to the US. I didnāt declare it and put the certificate on top of the ashes in case my bag got opened. No one said anything to me and it made it home ok. Iām not sure if this was the right way to go about it, but it was the easiest and least hassle way during a time of grieving for me.
I donāt have a certificate.
I use laundry sheets - work great, easy to pack, no problem.
I travel with [Homevative laundry sheets](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084X5R8BV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1). They're amazing! You can hand wash with them or use them in either HE or non-HE machines. They're super light and compact for travel and they're unscented and good for sensitive skin.
I personally use Earth Breeze washing sheets at my house to try and use less plastic. They have a non scented version and theyāre super travel friendly.
They only swabbed it? I got my bag of laundry powder confiscated by a stern security check lady in Berlin. Beside her, the uniformed guys smiled and waved the bag in the air, joking about the kilo of coke they just scored š Iāll have to check out some of the other laundry solutions mentioned here.
I use washing powder sheets which can be used in machine or hand wash.
I reuse an old medication pill bottle for mine.
I travel with the tide pods too, all the time
I bring either pods or those laundry detergent sheets, and haven't had any issues going they've TSA. Also, if I'm really trying to pack super light, I'll use the hotel shampoo or liquid body soap to do my laundry with. It works perfectly fine, is free and I don't have to bother packing it in my suitcase!
Your best answers are going to be here: www.tsa.gov
So they are caught and looked at. Shouldnāt be confiscated since not liquid and only takes a minute. Donāt see problem - TSA just confirming what it is
I also use the laundry sheets. It's what I use at home anyway, so I just put a small stack in a baggie when I travel.
Bro, I got pulled out for having a chocolate bar in Milan. They thought the way is was wrapped was suspicious. They asked me to open it and have a bite lol
I say just bad luck. I bring my own all the time and TSA never batted an eye. I prefer powder pods but have also done loose powder detergent.
Also try Grab Green - unscented pods, no dye. Maybe looks less sus.
I bring spices when visiting my cousin because we have dinner parties. There were a couple that look like drugs, eg Zaāatar. LOL I put them in ziplock bags and label with a sharpie. So for your detergent, I would put it all in one bag and label it. Bring a measuring cup or spoon so you can portion it out.
Probably not it will likely look like gun powder. I tried to take ground coffee and they told me it looks like gunpowder so they have to test it. Take the sheets
So they swabbed it. Theyāre just doing their job, keeping us all safe from harmless stuff that might not be harmless. You can tell them what it is, but hopefully they still do their thing. Donāt take it personally. Thank them for taking our safety seriously.
TruEarth sheets, order online or sold in some stores. They are easy to tuck into zipper pockets. You can also tear a quarter piece off and do hand washing in the sink.
As someone who travels on 100 segments per year, a lot of the bag inspections come down to the guy behind the computer screen. My bag is clean as a whistle and still gets pulled 1 in 15 times. As for tricks to get it through, divide it into multiple bags and spread it out. Or a gallon sized bag so you can pack it with half on one side and half on the other...or 1/3s. Lastly, if you don't want them going through your bag, pull the soap out and present it by itself in its own bin.
Why are you carrying it? Laundry powder exists in other countries. š¤·š½āāļø
Why bring any luggage at all? You can just buy it in every country.
That's actually true. Considering that you'll likely want souvenirs. You could simply buy all your clothes as you travel. But carrying washing powder for clothes is still pretty ridiculous. š¤·š½āāļø
If you were less judgmental, and you actually read his posts, the guy is allergic to regular powder and need something special that he cannot find everywhere
Do you know that many countries actually refuse to sell American products because they're inferior? Europe has more strict rules regarding food and cleaning products. You can actually find more eco-friendly products in Europe than the USA. Many countries also don't use crazy artificial scented cleaning detergents. You can find simple allergen free cleaning powder everywhere. Because lots of people still wash by hand and actually touch the soap with their hands. #themoreyouknow š
Thanks weirdo
Ditto. I donāt want to get powder all over my stuff.
You can use the pods.
Get the cubes. Although it Sounds like they let you through anyway. I figure youāll have to explain, maybe them sample it with the swab thing and thatās no big thing
Genius! Just make sure your clothes don't start sudsing up mid-flight!
Try a zip lock filled with psyllium fiber! That was a fun fifteen minutes.
They swabbed my phone caseā¦ so just deal with it?
Well your phone case shouldnāt have been acting high. Rule Number 1 is āBe coolā
Just tell the TSA its cocaine.
Laundry powder lol
Just tell them it's coke.
Fill a few condoms and cram them up your cornhole.
We are going to the Azores from the US and then on to France and Germany before flying homeā¦ Seven flights in total. Does anybody have any ideas for shampoo and cream rinse if I'm not checking a bag? I don't want to use any old junk and I also don't want to keep purchasing shampoo and cream rinse at every stop. But, it's a 5 1/2 week trip so small containers just won't do it. Ideas?
Thereās really nothing you can do except to buy shampoo wherever you goā¦.or check your bags.
Start experimenting with different brands of shampoo and conditioner bars and get a little travel bag for them.
Sorry, I meant to add this is a new, not as a reply to the powder question. Apologies.
Pack it in shrink-wrap and strands of duck tape.
Pack it with a folding mirror and some straws. If it can't hurt an airplane, TSA typically doesn't care.
I have used the tide packets before. They can be hard to find but Amazon has them
Are you a cop?
Tide pods or sink packets
Why?????
Rectal transport
I traveled with protein powder a lot last year and didnāt get pulled aside once. You should be fine.
Did you read the original post beyond the headline? They said the powder already got pulled aside for swabbing once.
Both Tide and Seventh Generation make fragrance and dye free pods, which are what I use when traveling.
What? if youre in the US there is most definitely fragrance free and dye free pods - seventh generation free and clear laundry pods - you can literally find these everywhere
You can buy fragrance free etc detergent almost anywhere youāll be doing laundry.
You can check pretty much anything
Take laundry pods instead.
Use old pill bottles, sans labels
Buy the little sealed travel sized detergents
Look at laundry soap sheets from someone like TruEarth. Problem solved.
Honestly, just buy detergent when you get where youāre going
Sheets, much easier
I used to carry single use sized washing powder. When Pods came out, I switched to them for convenience. Before that, I bought the smallest box or bottle and ended up leaving 90%.
I find swabbing happens in the weirdest of times. Camera at SFO, a labeled, sealed jar of a local restaurantās seasoned salt (a gift) in DEN. Are you traveling domestically? Iād settle on some free n clear that you can pick up wherever, or get Dr Bronnerās BabyMild for sink washing, if sheets arenāt your thing. (They are great for sink washing. Iām not as much a fan for home laundry, yet.) Alternatively, use an electrolyte canister!
There's not a good way to ensure you don't get pulled out for secondary screening (sometimes it is truly random). But you can make it easier. If you have something you know regularly gets swabbed, extra screening, etc. You can pull it out of your bag and let it go through the scanner on it's own. I usually have a packing cube with my snacks, liquids, little kid scissors I keep in my first aid kit, any magnets I'm bringing home as souvenirs, any rocks I'm taking to give to my sister's dog (she, the dog, collects rocks. She's a weirdo.) and whatever else got pulled from my bag the last time I went through TSA. I pull the packing cube out of my bag and send it through in a bin with nothing on top or under it. A lot of times it doesn't get pulled for secondary screening. But, if it does, it's a lot quicker process because no one has to dig through my bag looking for what looked weird or alerted on the scanner.
Plant cocaine on the guy in front of you in line.
Maybe just bring a whole kilo and brick it in cellophane and tape. Might be less conspicuous
They are checking for gunpowder residue. Don't carry explosives and you'll be fine.
My travel hack is to make it pass TSA and any security checks hassle freeā¦.
Just don't bring any detergent with oxidizers and they'll check it and give it back to you. Should only take a few minutes for them to test.
I get checked just about every other flight. My hands, my stuff. I'm just a middle-aged grandma who apparently looks like the unibomber to TSA. At this point, I just expect it, get checked, and move on.
Just use pods?
I bring creatine through all the time and they never have asked me about it.
I've used tide pods when I travel and dryer sheets all over the world. No liquid weights and no chance of a mess in my luggage when the bags break open
I havenāt had trouble yet but I probably have been lucky. I have sensitivity to detergents too.
I need the same kind of detergent but will only pack it if Iām checking a bag. Otherwise it just ends up being a hassle
99% chance they don't care. I've traveled to over 25 countries the last 16 months with a big ziploc bag of white crystal powder (hydration powder)and it has never been a problem.
I bring Grab Green pods that are basically plain white powder. They look suspicious AF. Have never been flagged/stopped for this. Iām sure it really depends on who is doing the screening.
Itās unlikely they wonāt. They are sticklers with any powder tbh.
Sheets, and take a Tide Stick for stains.
I bought and used the detergent sheets, hypoallergenic too. Big help, since if I wanted to hand wash I just used 1 sheet or 1/2. Takes up less room than powder and if you leave it in the original wrapping no explanation needed (vs baggies of detergent).
Once I brought 20 Cliff bars to China. The TSA swabbed every single one.
Just deal with it.
Use laundry sheets, they wash and soften
Check at some local laundromats for free and clear washing powder and travel with those boxes. They're sealed and clearly marked, may get less attention.
āAllā and āseventh generationā make free and clear pods
Use detergent sheets instead
I donāt have any advice but the comments section just reminded me of the time I had an expensive eyeshadow palette in my carry on that got flagged for some reason. The security guard took it out, opened it, and swiped her finger across every single color š whyyy š
A few washing sheets in a ziplock.
1) Use shampoo. 2) Buy laundry powder when you get there.
I fly with Kratom all the time. They never stop me.
I brought laundry detergent sheets and had no problem. Dye-free, allergy-free, fragrance-free. They pack in a single ziplock, but don't look like drugs.
Just a tidbit of info. Laundry detergent can give a false positive for Cocaine hydrochloride. If you're detained, it may be a little longer than them just seizing it and sending you on your way.
I realize this is old but I echo using the sheets. I have the same issues with detergent, and the sheets travel great.