Life without a washing machine...

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C40
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by C40 »

I've been doing all my laundry by hand for the last six months (even though I have had a washing machine the last three). I am fully satisfied using only my hands. I don't see any need for one of those purpose-made devices. I'm only washing my own clothes and they aren't muddy, just sweaty/dusty, so perhaps one of those becomes more beneficial when washing higher volume, or washing things that are very dirty.

IlliniDave
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by IlliniDave »

theanimal wrote:
Fri May 08, 2020 3:34 pm
Anybody ever use a Wonderwash?

See:https://www.amazon.com/Laundry-Alternat ... B002C8HR9A
That looks like it might be a nice alternative for my cabin. We do have a coin-op washer/dryer in our common "shower house", but mostly I just wash a few things at a time in my kitchen sink. Works fine for the fancier quick dry/wicking fabric stuff I usually wear when playing around in the woods and fishing, but it would be nice to move the chore to another location.

I'd forgotten about this thread. Going back to the OP, which I see was mine, I eventually forked over $30 for an IC chip, some sort of switching circuit, that I swapped out and the washer has worked fine for the last almost 5 years now. I was pretty happy with being able to sort that out and fix it for less than half what the repair guy I used to use would charge me just for showing up and figuring out what's wrong--parts and labor for repair would be added onto that. Still hoping to get 11 more months or so from them. My drier is making a lot of mechanical rattle when it runs. It's a little annoying but I think all that's happened is a felt washer on the end of a drum has worn out. I'd fix it if I wanted to take the dryer with me, but when I move I'm going to just put them (W & D) out for recycle. They'll have been in use 29 years at that point.

IlliniDave
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by IlliniDave »

C40 wrote:
Sat May 09, 2020 3:11 am
... so perhaps one of those becomes more beneficial when washing higher volume, or washing things that are very dirty.
When I'm up at the cabin I occasionally wind up with a lot of mud on me and I don't quite have the patience to "agitate" by hand long enough to do better than a fair job of getting soil out. Not really a problem in that environment having some faint mud "stains", but one of those hand crank devices linked above might provide more efficient agitation/water flow. As it is, I usually fork over a buck's worth of quarters and wash everything I leave up there in a machine.

Campitor
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by Campitor »

I've washed clothes by hand when the fabric was especially muddied during activities such as digging foundation piers in wet soil or rainy conditions or riding motorcycles/ATVs in less than dry conditions. I didn't want the mud clogging the washer or drain. I've used various methods and all have value depending on what type of dirt or condition you're trying to compensate for.

All techniques involve a container, a tap, a hand brush and/or an inexpensive wooden paddle you can buy or DIY:
  • Washing out an ink stain or blood (anyone who has done construction knows some blood is inevitable) can be done by fabric to fabric scrubbing or via a soft bristled hand brush - any brush that feels gentle on the skin will do. Overly stiff brushes will ruin the fabric by teasing out fibers. You're going for a gentle motion over the stain; the fabric must be wet and soapy.
  • Clothes that are lightly soiled (dirtied by normal daily use or exercise) can be washed in a clean plastic garbage barrel with a handmade or store bought plunger (think butter churner); a DIY paddle lets you customize the paddle to your desired size. Don't make the head of the plunger too big or you'll work too hard on the churning action and the clothes will get tangled on it - holes in the paddle head makes it easier to push/pull the paddle. You might be tempted to use a plain stick or 2x4 but this makes the water agitation inefficient and your clothes won't come out "washing machine" clean. You can screw a small circle onto the head of a wooden bat if you have one lying around but I prefer a longer handle so I can churn while standing straight to avoid straining my back.
    1. The soapy water and the "butter churning" agitation is enough to get rid of any smell and keep the clothes clean.
    2. This method is best done with the lid on (obviously a hole in the lid is needed). The butter plunger technique results in water gushing up the sides of the can which can splash/spill over the side; not a worry if you're doing this outside and don't mind getting soapy water on yourself.
    3. The rinse cycle is the same technique but you're obviously using only clean water - no soap.
    4. Putting a tap at the bottom of the barrel greatly helps the drain cycle. And if you attach a hose to the tap, you can exit the water to whatever convenient spot you desire such as a basement drain or outside ditch.
  • Muddied clothes should be hosed off to remove the caked on dirt - don't skip the hosing off before plunge cleaning or you'll be pushing dirt and abrasives deeper into the clothes.
I've seen other DIY contraptions on the web such as hooking up a barrel with a water tight lid to a bicycle wheel in order to turn the barrel similar to a washing machine, etc. All these builds require time, building skills,materials, and space that you may or may not have. A barrel and a stick is the easiest method to setup and master. The hardest part is adding the tap unless you skip that step and want the joy of upending a trash barrel for each cycle of the wash. And the tap method allows you to keep the clothes in the barrel while you drain it and fill it with new water as needed.

I personally use a washing machine and have only used the above methods when I didn't have money to buy a machine or the washer broke down. For me the time sink involved in hand washing just wasn't desirable. I rather be reading books, building things, or working/earning money.

Good luck Dave on your hand washing odyssey.

theanimal
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by theanimal »

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm going to pursue washing in a 5 gal bucket with the plunger. The plunger is currently at my former cabin so it'll be a while until I actually do that specific method. I just did about a week's worth by hand in a 5 gal bucket. It took me about half an hour and 6 gal of water from dirty to drying on the line. That's less time than it would take heading to the laundromat and back. It's in the 70s here today, so I was quite content washing on the deck in the sun in a pair of shorts listening to this week's Econtalk. The only thing I'll have to add is a wringer. That'll make my washing process and also the drying time much quicker.

white belt
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by white belt »

Whenever I think of some aspect of my life I can improve, I find there is already a thread about it (the benefits of this forum). I think there is big potential here for someone trying to reduce water and energy use, incorporate gray water, and save money over buying a washer or going to the laundromat. I'll admit my current solution is to use the washer at a pretty girl's house while I do other activities with her (web of goals?), which is free but still uses lots of water and energy.

jacob wrote:
Tue Feb 24, 2015 8:16 pm
One of my plans is to build a hand-crank wringer using a reclaimed suspension spring.
Did you ever make one of these?


So after discovering that something like the Magic Wash exists, here are my thoughts:

-There seem to be 3 components crucial to a washing machine: container to hold water+clothes, agitator, and spinner/wringer.

-I would think a DIY version of the Magic Wash should be doable with a 5 gallon bucket, PVC stand, and crank at probably less than half the cost of a new one. You could increase efficiency by rigging up a bicycle to it and pedaling instead of a hand crank (and there are probably other ways to improve it). Also see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x594yMPSFqk

-I'm not that familiar with what methods of human power are most efficient, so perhaps Jacob or others can provide some insight about how to maximize efficiency (I understand conceptually that a recumbent bicycle> regular bicycle> 2 hand crank> 1 hand crank, but that's about it).

-Some folks have used salad spinner designs for agitating and spinning when they change the water. I suspect this isn't as effective at agitation though, just based on the fact that washing machines I used in rural China usually separate the agitate and spin functions.

-The other option is to use a hand powered agitation method like the Magic Wash and then make a spinner with a 12v motor and a basket inside a bucket. Here is one such design (loud but functional): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jNv6mUmyIY

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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by jacob »

Nope.

white belt
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by white belt »

Here's my initial idea:

-Start with the SpinCycle design I linked in my last post (see another video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOR8Q0RIZgk). I like incorporating a bicycle because most people on this forum have one already.

-Instead of having the rack permanently attach to the bicycle, build an indoor exercise bicycle stand out of PVC/wood (there are countless examples) that can also hold the barrel. Since it's PVC it should be pretty portable, so it's easy to set it outside on a nice day if one would prefer to pedal outside. It's also easy to breakdown into smaller pieces for storage and one can still use the bicycle regularly.

-Attach a basket/cage to the inside of the barrel. This should allow one to do a spin cycle at the end after all water is drained. The only thing I'm unsure about is how to leave enough gap between the basket and inside the barrel so that the water spinning off won't just go back onto the clothes. You can't simply attach a drain hose permanently because the entire barrel is spinning.

Anyone have any better ideas or ideas for improvement?

white belt
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by white belt »

I've got another idea for people who are looking for a more community-friendly solution (Hristo Botev?). This might also work for people who have indoor/outdoor space to permanently set up a solution (this is actually a superior solution from the perspective of environmental impact because it can be used by multiple households).

The basic concept is take a broken washing machine+broken bicycle and combine them into a human powered washing machine, something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hDpUtlnEDA

I think you could make it more community-friendly by doing the following:

-Use recumbent bicycle with adjustable seat and multiple gears. This makes it easier to use and more accessible for children and the elderly.

-Place the system in an accessible place to the community under cover (your yard, park, etc).

-Source the water from a rainwater harvesting barrel (perhaps connected to the downspout of whatever structure you're using for cover). You will still have to figure out how to get hot water (water connection, solar water heater, electric tea kettle).

-Drain the water into a garden bed

Outcomes
-Demonstrates how one can repurpose "waste" into something valuable, instead of sending it to a landfill
-Is fun for kids
-Teaches people about the inputs (water, energy) needed to run something like a washing machine
-Uses much less electricity and water than even HE washer
-Good outdoor exercise
-Teaches people how to use graywater

I don't currently live in a community where implementing something like this is feasible, but it's just an idea for those that are looking for that type of solution.

ertyu
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by ertyu »

An interesting side effect of living without a washing machine that I just discovered:

I began to live without a washing machine this past November because the apartment I am fixing up doesn't have a functional kitchen or any other space where a washing machine can be hooked up even if I owned one (for the americans out there with the huge houses and the dedicated laundry rooms, in eastern europe, it's common for the washing machine to be in the bottom row of your kitchen cabinets :lol:. I have heard people be disgusted by having a washing machine in the kitchen but I assure everyone that all of eastern europe, russia, and central asia who do this are yet to succumb)

Anyhow.

As I visited second hand store sale days and bought bedsheets, clothes, and so on that I fixed up and made usable, I ended up with a non-minimal amount of clothes. I now have quite a lot of clothes compared to where I started. However, I still do my laundry by hand. And when the blahs hit, I still do that thing where you take a clean shirt, toss the dirty shirt on Mt Dirty Laundry, and promise yourself that you'll surely deal with Mt Dirty Laundry, uhm, Later.

When "later" comes, Mt DL is big, but you need a clean shirt, so you take out 1-2 shirts from Mt DL and wash those.

Repeat.

The result is that even though I now own, say, 10 shirts, I am still really using 2: the one on my back and the one currently in the laundry. Mt DL, meanwhile, looms in the corner of the bathroom with an air of perpetual ... accusal (is this a word? lol). The only thing I have created by having more shirts is a persistent sense of guilt over Mt DL, a perpetual downer and a tangible manifestation of how, no, I don't have my life under control.

The tl;dr: here is that living without a washing machine seems to naturally be pushing me towards minimalism in clothes. I haven't yet decided whether this will result in me actually paring down my clothing, but it was an interesting effect to observe.

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Alphaville
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by Alphaville »

ertyu wrote:
Wed May 05, 2021 10:05 am
The tl;dr: here is that living without a washing machine seems to naturally be pushing me towards minimalism in clothes. I haven't yet decided whether this will result in me actually paring down my clothing, but it was an interesting effect to observe.
i wear 2 merino tshirts all week and keep one on backup (they rotate).

so i also wear just 2 shirts all week but they wash easy in a bag with a few drops of shampoo or dish detergent, and never pile up big.

actually sometimes i forget and wear the same thing all week.

but ok, i do sleep in different clothes. stuff needs to breathe, if you know what i mean.

--

eta: wow i just saw i wrote basically the same thing in the previous page... i guess my excuse is... proof that the model still works! :D

Myakka
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by Myakka »

I am not ready to live without a washing machine just yet, but I have recently begun to hand wash some of my clothes on a limited basis. I learned my technique from a couple of youtube videos. In the first video the women had brought the laundry to a stream. When there they soaped up the clothing and then threw them against the rocks before rinsing them. In the seond video the Italian woman did almost the same thing except her source of water was a fountain (made of stone) and it was this that she smashed them against.

In my version of this, I smash laundry item against my sink.

After pondering this for sometime I have concluded that the smashing is doing the same job as the agitation cycle in a washing machine.

The upside of this approach is that it requires no gadgetry (other than a sink), just a bit of know how.

AnalyticalEngine
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by AnalyticalEngine »

This might be a bit of a tangent, but does any clothing material lend itself to handwashing better than others? I'm in the process of redoing my wardrobe, so this question has been on my mind the last few weeks.

ertyu
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by ertyu »

@AE, silk and man-made materials. Silk is self-explanatory, it's flimsy to start with and it washes easily. Most people are also aware that nylon and polyester are easy to wash and quick to dry. But also, an acrylic sweater washes easier and holds much less water (easier to squeeze water out, faster to dry) than cotton and wool. The greatest PITA is cotton towels and towels in general, so if you're going without a washing machine either make these small or non-bulky. Man-made t-shirt jersey washes easier than sturdy cotton t-shirts, too.

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Alphaville
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by Alphaville »

AnalyticalEngine wrote:
Tue May 18, 2021 9:40 am
I'm in the process of redoing my wardrobe,
i already redid my wardrobe and can report.

i have to respectfully disagree on one item with my good pal @ertyu because i am merino man, i am wool-clad daily, and wool, wool is just hair, so... i simply shampoo the merino clothes by hand ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i wash all wools in a wash bag. wool naturally repels stains and odors so it doesn't even require mega agitation, it simply needs the right chemical bath (light detergent + acidulation). wool also requires much less frequent washing. eg i make cotton armpits reek in a day, but merino armpits endure for days & days. same as lower crevices :lol: . after washing, it's all air-dried as well, so no need for dryers--big heavy things maybe need to lay flat.

silk is the same as wool: both are protein! they hate bleach, and too much acidity or alkalinity wrecks them.

i can vouch for nylon as well. very light, etc.

i do not like polyester for armpits: it catches stink forever in spite of "silver treatments" or whatever. it also tends to get sweaty and hot even in winter. even outerwear!

if you look for travel clothes in general, most of those items can be washed in a sink or a bag or a bucket.

i recommend testing what works for you in a series of small experiments or you might get stuck with a load of unwanteds. i buy my clothes at rei in spite of high prices in part because of 1 year returns. if something fails to perform as expected, it goes back. but then im the kind of person who once i find something that fits... i keep it forever. decades, anyway. so there is a "value investment" aspect to this selection activity on my part (ofc all clothes eventually disintegrate and become rags, a jacket might become a vest on the way to the graveyard but it doesn't become 2 jackets :D )

Myakka
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by Myakka »

Alphaville wrote:
Tue May 18, 2021 10:15 am

i wash all wools in a wash bag. wool naturally repels stains and odors so it doesn't even require mega agitation, it simply needs the right chemical bath (light detergent + acidulation). wool also requires much less frequent washing. eg i make cotton armpits reek in a day, but merino armpits endure for days & days. same as lower crevices :lol: . after washing, it's all air-dried as well, so no need for dryers--big heavy things maybe need to lay flat.
At the moment I am suspecting that it is the close weave of the sorts of cotton garments which people's armpits tend to make to reek in a day that is the main issue. All I know is that those hand knit dresses I made out of 100% cotton yarn do not seem to get stinky the same way that the more standard cotton garments do AND they seem to recover well with just a bit of airing out. ( :P I'm still trying to figure out if what I am sensing is real or not. ) It would be great if they didn't need too much washing as they are rather thick and take a long time to dry. They tend to keep me cool because they don't trap heat.

It wouldn't surprise me much if standard garments like people get in the stores are made in ways that make them need lots of washing -- craziness of that sort abounds in our culture.

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Alphaville
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by Alphaville »

Myakka wrote:
Tue May 18, 2021 1:36 pm
At the moment I am suspecting that it is the close weave of the sorts of cotton garments which people's armpits tend to make to reek in a day that is the main issue.
yeah i had this old shirt the other day it's fairly thick and all tightly woven and double stitches so when it gets wet it stays wet. might even have poly component, have to check. [eta: no, it's 100% cotton, short sleeve]. anyway, at the end of the day--woof!

whereas with merino, i go on a bit of a hike, it gets wet too perhaps, but then it evaporates right away.

this is also why merino makes a better base layer in winter--it doesn't stay wet and cool you. and also, even when it gets wet, wool can still keep you warm at something like 40% efficiency vs dry performance.

i've never worn cotton yarn i think... might have had a summer sweater ages ago. i do ok with linen--another highly breathable fabric. but linen doesn't repel anything so it needs more agitation.

Laura Ingalls
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by Laura Ingalls »

Aloha
chiming is n after camping in HI for several days.

Turkish towels are your friend. They can get very dirty, be hand washed, and dried overnight on this environment.

thai_tong
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by thai_tong »

I love this thread. People are questioning something which most of the population takes for granted... that you need to have a washing machine. And it's resulted in loads of ideas. To me this kind of questioning mindset is what ERE is all about.
I'm still using a machine but I never add detergent, plain water leaves my clothes smelling fine. I work in an office so I can't say that this will work for muddy clothes.
I'm impressed with how easy some say it is to wash clothes by hand. Now I'm considering switching to the best material clothes that can dry quickly in a cold climate

AmazingRadish
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Re: Life without a washing machine...

Post by AmazingRadish »

It's not the washing or drying that's the trouble but the wringing, complicated by fabric choices.

If you've never done it, I say give it a try. You'll either come to appreciate the ritual and arm workout or you'll hate it and discover the worth of your machine.

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