Washing clothes

[mockturtle]

I use laundromats when I find them, a bucket when I don't. When I'm in the Pacific NW I can't depend on air drying anything so I use laundromats more often.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I wonder how one gets clothes clean without detergents though

There are any number of recipes for laundry soap on the internet (and I think there was a thread about here it some time back)

I've been considering a wonder washer or some such, or the ol bucket method
My Cabin will be fairly small, and a washer takes a lot of room, I'm considering portable options that don't require a set aside space

I use the same 5 gallon bucket that is my commode and do laundry while driving.  Washboard roads agitate really well.

Art, if you're in a brick and mortar, try washing a load twice - the second time without detergent. Firstly, you'll see that the water in the second batch is cloudy and still sudsy, so that will tell you that the rinse cycle doesn't remove all the soap (if it did , you wouldn't be able to smell it in freshly washed clothes ). Secondly you'll see that whether you line dry or machine dry, they will be super soft. So obviously the stiffness in line dried clothes comes from the detergent left in the fabric.

If you see soap in the second rinse try using less detergent.  Instructions on commercial detergent tell you to use way more soap than you need.

Interesting about line drying and residual detergent.  I'll have to experiment.

 -- Spiff

 

[cherterr]

Art:
Wash with a bit of Baking Soda. Maybe 1/2 Cup. (I use it for shampoo, 1 tsp to cup of water) and
Rinse: Vinegar (Bragg's w/the 'mother' cause it's REAL) Probably same amounts.

Don't knock it til you've tried it!
HOWEVER: DON'T get 'organic' baking soda for cleaning. It's for ingesting, not cleaning! I found there's a difference.
I love to put a TBS. in a stained, gallon tea pitcher, go back a few hours later and it's CLEAN like brand new!

 

[gonegary]

I have a wonder washer but I don't really like it.  I prefer the typical "amish" blue plunger and a bucket but the problem for me with all hand washing is the lack of a spin cycle to rinse out the water prior to hanging on the line.  So I got one of those blue spinners  and I love it.  Yes you would need an inverter but it wrings the heck out of clothes and I only leave it on for a few seconds to get the majority of the water out of the clothes.   Especially needed with towels.

Gary

 

[gonegary]

I have a wonder washer but I don't really like it.  I prefer the typical "amish" blue plunger and a bucket but the problem for me with all hand washing is the lack of a spin cycle to rinse out the water prior to hanging on the line.  So I got one of those blue spinners  and I love it.  Yes you would need an inverter but it wrings the heck out of clothes and I only leave it on for a few seconds to get the majority of the water out of the clothes.   Especially needed with towels.

Gary

The Laundry Alternative is where I got the spinner

 

[highdesertranger]

does any body use an old fashion wringer to get the excess water out? manual operation no electricity needed. highdesertranger

 

[ArtW]

I've wrung by hand in the past, PITA, but works

 

[Hippiechk]

The Laundry Alternative is where I got the spinner

Which model did you get? I don't mind the hand wash either but the wringing is a genuine pain in the hands, back, etc.! I was looking at them but its hard on a phone!

Thanks!

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Sometimes it's hard to find a Laundromat with a bar.

Ha, I thought I was the only one!  No lie, laundromat in my town has a great little bar next to it and serves good food too.  I now look forward to laundry day.

 

[Stephen]

Anyone tried the Scrubba bag? https://thescrubba.com

 

[wagoneer]

Learned from traveling in the tropics to avoid heavy cottons like towels and heavy tee shirts jeans they just do not dry even on a sunny sunny day. synthetics
will absorb and retain odor some new microfiber yoga towels work very well some newer generation sports undies as well easy to wash and air dry quickly.

 

[wagoneer]

UUPS ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT SILK UNDIES, light and flexible and easy to wash military Alpaca wool sox are great.

 

[ArtW]

Odd, my towels and jeans will dry on a sunny day, they're just stiff as a board haha
that scrubba thing looks interesting, but also like a lot of work

 

[USExplorer]

I use a laundromat weekly when I'm traveling. My only detergent is baking soda. Sometimes I put too much in and find some on my clothes after the cycle is complete. No big deal. I always use a dryer, line drying takes too long.

I have run into a few remote towns where there was no laundromat for many miles around or the only one available charged extortionate rates. Most laundromats in poor areas charge very reasonable rates, though. Average rate is $3 per load. If you can't find it, just ask any average person where the laundromat is and they will tell you.

 

[TrainChaser]

For hand-operated spinning the water out of clothing:

OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner, plastic version- 2.5 lbs, about $30; stainless - 3.8lbs, about $50.  I think there are two sizes, so be sure to get the BIG one.  The exterior bowl (water collector) has a 1.5+ gallon capacity, the inner basket holds 1.25 gallons of clothes (you didn't know clothes were measured in gallons, did you?   )  There is no awkward handle to take up valuable storage space.  Watch the video: simple, easy, easy-clean:  https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Salad-Spinner/dp/B00004OCKR

Chef-Master Commercial Salad Dryer, $122 from Amazon; the commercial size/version of the same thing, but it holds 5 gallons of stuff; it is a bit larger than a 5-gallon HD bucket, and it does have a handle crank, and weighs almost 13 lbs.  Downside: the gears are plastic, disappointing w/that price.  Some people use it for laundry, see Comments. 
https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Master-Commercial-5-Gallon-Salad-Dryer/dp/B00125RLJA

Behren's Galvanized Mop Bucket w/Wringer ($30 at Amazon).  Two rollers sit on top of a 3-gallon bucket.  Simple, and you can store stuff inside the bucket.
https://www.amazon.com/Behrens-Galv...id=1469823585&sr=8-3&keywords=laundry+wringer

Calliger Hand-Crank Clothing Wringer (about $145 at Amazon).  Just the frame, the 14" rollers, and the clamps to attach to the tub. 
https://www.amazon.com/Calliger-Clo...id=1469823585&sr=8-2&keywords=laundry+wringer

See Calliger operation set-up photos here: http://www.bestdryingrack.com/hand-wringer-washer.html

 

[speedhighway46]

How abt using one of those commercial mop wringers and matching bucket; the ones that you put the mop head in and push down on the handle to wring the mop head out?

I bought one at Home Depot ten years ago or so to mop the floor of my small printing company. I bet it would be ideal for wringing out laundry. Back then I paid $40 or so for the combo. Commercial quality. Plus, you could use the bucket for washing the clothes, or for any other general purpose use.

. . . except that . . . use a separate bucket for that . . .

 

[LarryDeanJackson]

10366[/ATTACH]highdesertranger pid='213749' dateline='1469751082']does any body use an old fashion wringer to get the excess water out?  manual operation no electricity needed.  highdesertranger

You can buy them on Amazon for about $150.  But why not buy https://www.amazon.com/Behrens-Galv...id=1480285709&sr=8-6&keywords=clothes+wringer   instead and you also get a 3 gallon bucket all for around $30.

 

[wagoneer]

Problem with washing clothes is the amount of water needed I have washed in a bucket. nuff said

 

[Sameer]

Although I think these are cute ideas, I've never met anyone who washes their clothes in Camp. Living in a van, space is limited. Living in the forest or the desert a person's clothes get very dirty. We live in a very dusty and dirty environment. It would be hard to imagine the amount of water necessary to get them clean. It would certainly take a commercial washing machine to get my clothes clean living out here in the desert. Many people resort to paying for water out of the grocery store machines when they go into town to pick up supplies. Water is a heavy commodity and takes a lot of space.. Personally, I think the idea is very impractical and have never seen anyone that washes their own clothes. A trip to the laundromat of affords a person the ability to schmooze with the locals, use free Wi-Fi, and get your clothes really clean. I am not even fond of washing dishes, I certainly would not enjoy washing clothes. With the winds we had today in the desert.... your laundry hanging on the line would of ended up on somebody's front door in Blythe. We were also surprised with rain.

 

[Milk Hauler]

Where does the dirty-soapy water go when you're out in the boonies?

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