Off Grid Clothes washing.

[camoemt]

Has anyone done off grid clothes washing or the like? I am looking for some ideas on the best way to wash Laundry without electricity I was thinking hand plunged and a wash board but that takes a long time what does everyone think? Tips, Tricks?

[MamaBear]

My only experience with this was when our washer quit and Papa Bear was waiting on parts to get it up and running again. A large tub, agitated by hand, worked OK for us. I pretreated any stains with a bar of Fels-Naptha, plopped our clothes in the tub, added detergent, added water, scrubbed/scoured on the side of the tub. The hardest part for me was wringing everything out by hand but I am petite and not terribly strong. I make my own laundry detergent so did not have a problem with clothes having residue, however the hand-wringing was rough on a few clothing items and overall that part just sucked. If I ever have to go without a washer again I definitely would love to have a clothes wringer.

[RandyRhoads]

Afghanistan, soak wring repeat. Got more than enough off.

[hunter63]

Yeah, It's hard to do.....even worst if you have to carry your water
Beating clothes on a rock, in the river, wringing by hand, hanging in the bushes come to mind.

Large pot, boiling, wash board,....... just plane hard work.........That's why they used to have "washing DAY"...took all day.

Touched on before awhile back...
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/370733/manufacturers-change-look-ar-15-rifle-now-legal-new-york-state-charles-c-w-cooke

[randyt]

A five gallon bucket with a snap on lid. Drill a 1" hole in the center of the lid and then take a clean toilet plunger and stick the handle up through the hole. Fill the bucket with water, clothes and soap. snap the lid on and plunge away.

[pete lynch]

A five gallon bucket with a snap on lid. Drill a 1" hole in the center of the lid and then take a clean toilet plunger and stick the handle up through the hole. Fill the bucket with water, clothes and soap. snap the lid on and plunge away.

And when not used as a very nifty washing "machine" you can churn butter with it?

[randyt]

And when not used as a very nifty washing "machine" you can churn butter with it?

Ya probably could but it would be more efficient to attach a container of sorts to the top of the plunger handle and then fill about two thirds full of cream. This way when you're cleaning clothes, butter is getting made LOL.

[1stimestar]

A 5 gallon bucket and a plunger. Works great, easily obtainable, cheap. It's nice if you have a wringer but you don't have to have one.

[bacpacker]

Industrial mop bucket with a squeeze handle attachment

[SlowRide13]

If you have a backpack with openings at the top and bottom, you just keep putting your dirty clothes in the top and, over time, clean clothes come out the bottom.

[edr730]

I've washed lots of them. But, I've sat in a chair and did more watching than washing usually. In two cement tubs together, one deep to hold wash and rinse water and the other shallow with cement ribs on a flat bottom with a small drain hole. It takes about the same time as a electric washer, but it's true, the wringing is harder. Well, so is the washing.

[hunter63]

Well I did break down and find my bride a "brand-new (used) washing set up" for her birthday......Now shed doesn't have to walk down to the river..........to beat stuff on the rocks.......BYOR

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/hunter63/new%20album/PICT0495crop.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/hunter63/media/new%20album/PICT0495crop.jpg.html)

[crashdive123]

I have a hunch that before long it wouldn't have been the clothes that were taking a beating with rocks. Nicely played H63.

[Rick]

Ya, I think Hunter would have learned how to bob and weave if he had stayed with the first plan. Either that or bruise and bleed.

[camoemt]

Has anyone one seen any of the bicycle powered washing machines they seem to be pretty cool!

[finallyME]

Afghanistan, soak wring repeat. Got more than enough off.

I did it a lot in Iraq. Of course, hanging it out to dry only took about 5 minutes in the sun.

[Tallon]

My wife has been washing laundry by hand for the last 3 years. She puts water in the bathtub and adds soap, if its summer she would walk bare foot in the tub stomping the clothes. Then she spot cleans with a bar of soap scrubbing them by hand. She hand wrings them then puts them in a Rubber Made tub and hangs them on the line outside. She tried a hand crank wringer but prefers to do it by hand. If it is winter she uses a plunger instead of stomping. We do have electric to pump water but when we lose it we have a simple pump hooked into our plumbing, with it we can use it to pressurize our system and still have running water. For heavy blankets and quilts she hangs them on an old swing frame so she won't overload the clothes line. Our clothes are nice and clean and will last longer than using an regular washer

[phreshayr]

when we are out at our remote cabin here in Alaska, we use what is called a "breathing mobile washer". it is essentially a plunger that is made from a durable hard plastic and is designed specifically for laundry. My wife and I did a video of how we do our laundry while out there. the video is called "Hand Laundry Methods At The Cabin". The video is on my YouTube channel if interested.

[aktrekker]

Plunging is easy. I always had problems with wringing. It tends to rub the skin off your hands, especially on the inside of the thumb.

[crashdive123]

when we are out at our remote cabin here in Alaska, we use what is called a "breathing mobile washer". it is essentially a plunger that is made from a durable hard plastic and is designed specifically for laundry. My wife and I did a video of how we do our laundry while out there. the video is called "Hand Laundry Methods At The Cabin". The video is on my YouTube channel if interested.

You'll be able to post links to your vids after your 10th post. In the meantime........ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cvPRza53Do

Looks pretty handy.......and good move in giving your wife the camera while you carried the water. I'm sure that saved a few bruises.

[sjj]

great vid.

[aktrekker]

I agree. Love his vids.

[randyt]

I often wondered if a chamois wringer car detailers use would be large enough for wringing out clothes. I've often wondered if a chamois wringer would work well for wringing brained hides.

[edr730]

i've been told several times that washing machines work good for clean clothes. I've found that to be true. I prefer a box with ribs on the bottom with a 1/4 drain hole because it is the method I have learned by watching others. I'm sure each persons method works well for them. I have found that a picnic table works fairly good with a big brush in a pinch. The clothes stick well to the table allowing you to see and scrub dirty areas. Similiar to how a fish or a piece of meat will stick to a wooden cleaning table allowing you to clean it. Unlike a plastic or metal cleaning table where the fish slips around making it harder to control.
I'm not much for wringing clothes very hard since I'm lazy in that way. I've been criticized for that. I do like barbed wire to hang the clothes on making clothes pins unnecessary. I've never seen the clothes damaged on the barbed wire.

[hunter63]

i've been told several times that washing machines work good for clean clothes. I've found that to be true. I prefer a box with ribs on the bottom with a 1/4 drain hole because it is the method I have learned by watching others. I'm sure each persons method works well for them. I have found that a picnic table works fairly good with a big brush in a pinch. The clothes stick well to the table allowing you to see and scrub dirty areas. Similiar to how a fish or a piece of meat will stick to a wooden cleaning table allowing you to clean it. Unlike a plastic or metal cleaning table where the fish slips around making it harder to control.
I'm not much for wringing clothes very hard since I'm lazy in that way. I've been criticized for that. I do like barbed wire to hang the clothes on making clothes pins unnecessary. I've never seen the clothes damaged on the barbed wire.

Good post.......Thanks
Every once in a while a post comes along, showing a "Been there done that, works pretty good and is simple" approach.
This is one where you say .....Yeah, that sounds right.

Barbed wire also works well for drying duck hunting clothes after you fall in.......

[hunter63]

This other thread has a 5 gal bucket washer in it.
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/showthread.php?24677-Camping-and-Homesteading-tips&p=425660#post425660

[randyt]

If a bucket has a tight lid, it could be shaken just as well rather than a plunger.

[1stimestar]

If a bucket has a tight lid, it could be shaken just as well rather than a plunger.

Oh but you know, with my diminished capacity, being a female and all, I don't think I could shake it very well if it were full of water.

Shake it, shake it like a polaroid picture...

[hunter63]

Buddy in the forest service tree planting crew.....Milk can in back of pickup......sloshing around all day.......

[cabingal4]

i use to have a big old tin tub.we used it for washing clothes and for baths.
i would use my washboard and tub and get down and scrub everyones clothes and hang them on all the bushes and trees
all over the woods.finally hubby made me a clothes line.i felt very uptown.
now that was in the 70's.
now up to this day and age.i want so bad to put our dirty clothes in a garbage can -put some soap in the garbage can
with water .put a lid on it and secure to the back of our truck and head to town.
all the jostling about...to me would be a good way to wash clothes.
hubby does poo poo this .
so we are figuring on not using alot of clothes.
he says we will get a washing machine.so i am for this.
i still have my old washboard from the 70's.

[RandyRhoads]

These days I just find a crick , jump in fully clothed, get out and beat myself against a rock. Boom. Clean clothes, and clean me. Two birds with one stone. Haha.

[cabingal4]

These days I just find a crick , jump in fully clothed, get out and beat myself against a rock. Boom. Clean clothes, and clean me. Two birds with one stone. Haha.

:boat:hee hee.RandyRhoads.now thats funny.

[hunter63]

These days I just find a crick , jump in fully clothed, get out and beat myself against a rock. Boom. Clean clothes, and clean me. Two birds with one stone. Haha.

LOL....You know that does kinda work....At least I though so back in my "first moved out of the house, to a room for rent".
Old guys at work (had work showers) use to laugh at me.....

Later found that Laundromats were full of young ladies that would get "helpful" when a young guy would just stuff everything into a washer at once......and take over.

BTW a lot of truck stops have Laundromats and showers reasonably priced......This was a Wednesday afternoon trip to town...early on at "The Place".....
Shower up, wash clothes, dump garbage, stop at saloon for supper and a "few" cocktails.

[randyt]

In one of the barns there is a old maytag gas engine. One of those rigs with a kick start. Back when my wife was a kid they used a gas powered maytag. There is also a briggs and stratton with a kick start. Not sure if it's from a washing machine or not, it's olive drab.

[randyt]

Oh but you know, with my diminished capacity, being a female and all, I don't think I could shake it very well if it were full of water.

Shake it, shake it like a polaroid picture...

Works better if it's not full of water LOL

[hunter63]

In one of the barns there is a old maytag gas engine. One of those rigs with a kick start. Back when my wife was a kid they used a gas powered maytag. There is also a briggs and stratton with a kick start. Not sure if it's from a washing machine or not, it's olive drab.

Ya know, that does not surprise me at all......would have expected at least 2......

[randyt]

Why yes, my family invented the old saying "one is none, two is one" or "a pair and a spare" LOL.

[hunter63]

Surprised you don't have one running the belt system in the shop......Oh yeah that was a car motor.....Nevermind.

[ElevenBravo]

I use a bucket and a small washboard... I shave off some Ivory soap with a cheese grater, get the water good and soapy and scrub a dub.

Throw out wash water, put in rinse water, rinse and ring.

Hand on a line to dry.

Works 100% every time.

I am saving up for a commercial mop bucket with the crush ringer to more effectively get the water out.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Genuine-Joe-Splash-Guard-Mop-Bucket-Wringer-Yellow-black/19245608

EB