I’ve had to improvise a few times when I forgot my cleaner—water and a toothbrush got me through, but I was definitely counting the days till I could do a proper soak again. I don’t think it’s the end of the world for a short trip, as long as you’re gentle and rinse after meals. Anyone else tried just plain dish soap in a pinch? I did once, just made sure to rinse like crazy. Not perfect, but better than nothing...
I totally get that anxious feeling when you’re without your usual cleaner. I’m the type who triple-checks my bag before a trip, but sure enough, last summer I left my tablets at home. Ended up using just water and my softest toothbrush too—felt weirdly guilty every night, like I was breaking the “rules” or something. I did try a tiny bit of dish soap once (the plain, unscented kind), but I worried about residue, so I rinsed forever. It wasn’t ideal, but it got me through until I could get to a store.
Honestly, for a couple days, as long as you’re gentle and keep up with rinsing after meals, it seems okay. Not something I’d want to make a habit of though. The relief when I finally did a proper soak was real. Guess it’s one more thing to add to my “don’t forget” list...