# Hypothetical Underpants Scenario
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 27, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220 "2010-09-27T14:55:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/1 "2010-09-27T14:55:03Z")
(band name! appearing at the Reunion for 3 shows daily!)
Okay, with that out of the way. Here’s the scenario: You’re travelling and you only packed enough for a week. Your visit gets extended to two weeks.
[Keanu]What. Do. You. Do?[/Keanu]
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### Author:  [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/2 "2010-09-27T14:59:24Z")
Depending on the situation, I might either buy more underpants or launder them. Finding a laundrette is more likely, since I’ll want to wash the rest of my clothes as well, so I chose the “launder them” option.
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### Author:  [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/3 "2010-09-27T15:00:41Z")
All my clothes are going to need washing, so it’s off to the laundromat/hotel basement/friend’s laundry room.
If just undies are the problem, I’d handwash in the sink and hang up on a towel rack to dry.
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### Author:  [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/4 "2010-09-27T15:01:44Z")
This happens to me all the time. Underwear is remarkably easy to launder in a bathroom sink. It takes about thirty seconds. I usually only travel with a few pairs, no matter how long I am travelling, and keep washing them through the trip.
That said, if I happened to be near a big-box store I’d consider just picking up one of those cheap packs of cotton undies. You can never have enough underwear.
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### Author:  [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/5 "2010-09-27T15:22:49Z")
I said buy more but it’s really a combination of buy more and launder.
I don’t think I’d want to go 14 days alternating between two pair as I hate doing laundry every day so I’d probably buy another 2-3 pair and launder a few times.
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### Author:  [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/6 "2010-09-27T15:45:06Z")
> [@even\_sven](#):
>
> This happens to me all the time. Underwear is remarkably easy to launder in a bathroom sink. It takes about thirty seconds. I usually only travel with a few pairs, no matter how long I am travelling, and keep washing them through the trip.
Pretty much this, except with guy boxers, which take a little longer to dry.
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### Author:  [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/7 "2010-09-27T15:55:09Z")
> [@The\_Controvert](#):
>
> (band name! appearing at the Reunion for 3 shows daily!)
What is your favorite song off their first double Platinum album, Hash Marks?
I’m sorry, leaving the thread now.
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### Author:  [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/8 "2010-09-27T15:56:30Z")
I’m allergic to the chemicals they put on clothes to keep them freshlooking int he store. So even buying new I’d still have to launder them.
That hotel shampoo is usually harsh enough to do an excellent job on laundry . . .
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### Author:  [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/9 "2010-09-27T16:04:24Z")
> [@even\_sven](#):
>
> This happens to me all the time. Underwear is remarkably easy to launder in a bathroom sink. It takes about thirty seconds. I usually only travel with a few pairs, no matter how long I am travelling, and keep washing them through the trip.
Me too. Especially when I’m backpacking and weight is an issue, you want to cut unnecessary clothes out of the equation.
I have quick-dry wicking undies for traveling and multi-day kayaking/camping trips. You can hand wash 'em, hang them up, and they’re usually ready to wear in an hour. So just wash 'em before you go to bed. I took three pairs of undies on a 10-day European trip. After I brushed my teeth, I’d give my quick-dry skivvies a quick wash, and I’d have clean fresh undies to pack by morning.
I did have to use the hotel hair dryer to dry a pair once though because I decided to wash all three in the morning when I woke up, so I had to blow dry them.
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### Author:  [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/10 "2010-09-27T16:12:47Z")
I had to vote “Other” since the poll should have been multiple choice. I have actually been in this situation a couple of times, usually because I had forgotten to pack any (or enough) rather than an unexpectedly long stay. In many situations I am happy to go commando (in the summer), if this is not appropriate I would probably buy more, if this was not possible I would hang them up and then re-use (not inside out, though - that kind of defeats one of the objects of underpants, viz: keeping ones other garments clean). As a last resort I would wash them - I can’t be bothered with the hassle (however minimal).
One option not on the poll - on one occasion I was able to borrow my dad’s underpants (clean, of course!) - some people I mentioned this to found this weird, though.
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### Author:  [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/11 "2010-09-27T16:54:29Z")
what is this “hang them up” thing? Hang them up w/o washing?? just, like, air 'em out? Ewwww!
I’ve never heard of this, and can’t imagine this being an option for anyone. Poll results thus far bear this out. **The Controvert** , what would you do?
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### Author:  [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/12 "2010-09-27T17:15:42Z")
I’m very particular about my undies and since I have to launder my others clothes anyway, I went with laundering. Or as suggested in another thread, I could wear panty liners and get two days out of each pair.
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### Author:  [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/13 "2010-09-27T17:39:02Z")
I really don’t dig hand washing clothes. I’ve been to some pretty backwards countries, and I’ve always been able to find a laundromat or someone who would wash my clothes. I’m lazy that way.
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### Author:  [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/14 "2010-09-27T17:44:02Z")
Just wear 'em again. My balls don’t sweat enough for me to worry about it.
Joe
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### Author:  [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/15 "2010-09-27T17:55:05Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#):
>
> Just wear 'em again. My balls don’t sweat enough for me to worry about it.
>
> Joe
Hmm, I wish I didn’t forget the option to re-wear them as-is. Yes, that’s a legitimate option.
> [@KinkiNipponTourist](#):
>
> what is this “hang them up” thing? Hang them up w/o washing?? just, like, air 'em out? Ewwww!
>
> I’ve never heard of this, and can’t imagine this being an option for anyone. Poll results thus far bear this out. **The Controvert** , what would you do?
As for me, I chose “Hang them up, then reuse them inside-out”. Hanging them up dries any sweat. Once I’ve used up all the clean pairs, I would begin wearing them inside-out. The theory being only one side is contaminated / dirty. If you’ve been wearing clean undies, the inside of your pants have also clean during the first run.
Therefore, if you wear used undies inside out, the side facing your skin should be clean, but you dirty the inside of your pants. But you don’t care because you don’t touch that part.
And the next day, the inside of your pants is touching the underpants side that’s already dirty.
I wouldn’t buy new pairs because I don’t trust new pairs to be clean. I only wear undies after they’ve been washed once.
And I am too lazy / cheap to launder them while traveling.
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### Author:  [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/16 "2010-09-27T18:08:29Z")
I’m surprised my answer is such a minority- I just wouldn’t wear any. If I had to launder my other clothes then I’d throw in the boxers, but if not I’d just go commando and wouldn’t give it another thought.
Timely anecdote: I go to the gym three times a week (M/W/F) first thing in the morning, before work. Since this requires getting up at 5:30, I try to pack my duffel bag and put a pair of pants and shirt on a hanger the night before, so I don’t wake up Miss America in the morning. At least once a week (last night, in fact), I forget to throw a pair of undies in the duffel. Therefore, I am currently sitting in my office commando.
I mention it to my wife when we speak on the phone mid-day (“I forgot to pack underwear again last night”) and it gives her a snicker.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/17 "2010-09-27T18:12:10Z")
I would launder them in the bathroom sink with soap and hang them to dry.
I don’t know if I’m allergic to anything, like **TruCelt** , but I do always wash new clothes before wearing them (especially skivvies!!) so even if I bought new I’d have to wash them.
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### Author:  [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/18 "2010-09-27T18:20:13Z")
Presumably, you’re also running out of everything else, so I’d wash them, along with everything else. When I travel, I never take more than 3 days’ worth of anything.
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### Author:  [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/19 "2010-09-28T02:23:18Z")
The first or second one. I always wash new clothes before I wear them, but I’d hate to wash some underwear and find it’s not dry when I want to wear them.
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### Author:  [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-underpants-scenario/555220/20 "2010-09-28T02:30:52Z")
Being female, not washing undies and doing the inside-out thing is ridiculous. (mucous, anyone? It’s like using a hankie - gross) I’ve traveled for a month at a time. Three pair are all anyone needs. Bar soap (or whatever’s available), quick scrub and rinse, and ready to wear in the morning. Not sure why this wasn’t an option in the poll. Why would anyone want to tote around so much more than they need?
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