IT CAME IN THE MAIL

Universal Deodorizer Utility Bag

An occasional look at products the travel industry insists we need.

WHAT: Universal Deodorizer Utility Bag, a laundering sack.

AIMED AT: Those who want to take the travel stink out of their clothes.

HOW MUCH: $29.95.

BUT DOES IT WORK? Admit it: You've been tempted to "forget" your sweaty sightseeing socks or T-shirts in a hotel room. Or maybe toss them into the Haleakala volcano. An alternative to doing laundry every third day is to bag your clothes -- in the deodorizer satchel. The Velcro-closed sack, which comes in three sizes, is lined with activated charcoal, known to soak up smells. To work properly, the company says to leave the item in the bag for hours or even days.

We kept our clothes in the large pouch overnight and awoke to a near-miracle: Our threads went from smelling like a locker room to scent-free soap. What, you were expecting spring morning dew? You're supposed to expose only one item at a time, but with our laundry piling up, we weren't so patient. We stuffed everything into the bag, and while our clothes didn't smell like daisies at the end of the trip, we didn't have to fumigate our house afterward.

-- Andrea Sachs

The Flat-D Universal Deodorizer Bag is available through the company at 866-354-0056,

http://www.flat-d.com.