Non Electric Clothes washers

[jkindredpdx]

I use a 3 gal bucket with a virgin wooden dowel handle toilet plunger and a one inch hole drilled in the center of a gamma seal screw on lid. Use it like I'm churning butter.

[sparrowhawk1]

I haven't done it myself but I understand that if you drill some holes in the plunger you get better performance.

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by sparrowhawk1

I haven't done it myself but I understand that if you drill some holes in the plunger you get better performance.

The drilling of holes eliminates the dual purpose.

[Lake-Effect]

+1 for bucket and plunger

[valhalla360]

While I'm sure someone will say we are just doing it wrong.

The bucket method works but where available, a full blown wash machine does a much better job getting clothes clean. Haven't tried the hand crank machines, so not sure where they fall.

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by tbodine88

I saw on Face book an advertisement for the Yirego Foot Powered Washer. I also saw at Staples the Storebound Laundry pod non-electrical hand cranked washer. I also saw some battery operated small washers on a camping site.

I was wondering if any of you with limited power supplies use such things. Seems to me it would be handy when staying on the hook for while, If hand washing is undesirable.

Thanks.

as for me, while I was cruising, I just dumped the clothes in sea water, with Joy, and rinsed, then hung to dry. But I didn't wear much in the Caribbean

They're useless but maybe a slight improvement over a bucket and plunger.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Lepke]

About $25 on Amazon uses no electricity.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

While I'm sure someone will say we are just doing it wrong.

The bucket method works but where available, a full blown wash machine does a much better job getting clothes clean. Haven't tried the hand crank machines, so not sure where they fall.

Yup, and better yet a washing machine run by someone else. Laundry services are available even in some surprisingly remote locations...anywhere with humans has to wash clothes.

[zeehag]

i use bucket and plunger. i had a wonderwash until it broke--was not impressed with it.
plain ol bucket, plain ol plunger-- does perfect. one must hand crank wonderwash with the viggaaahhh and duration of time as a regular washing machine-- 30 full minutes -- to achieve cleanliness.
and donot get inventive and drill holes in your plunger-- they do NOT help and you cannot use the plunger for cockpit drains.

\geaux, flap n fold!!!!! someone else gets to do the hard work for ye.

[Lizzy Belle]

A plunger! That's what I'm doing wrong ... ain't got no plunger

I'm in a marina so there's a washer & dryer ... but it costs $10 (!) and the detergent they use is horrible. Washes all the color out of your clothes, smells bad and makes my skin break out

So I usually wash by hand (nice and comfy in the shower ) and use the dryer in winter. I'll go get myself a plunger tho for best results.

To make sure nothing gets lost in translation, we're talking one of these, right?

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

A plunger! That's what I'm doing wrong ... ain't got no plunger

I'm in a marina so there's a washer & dryer ... but it costs $10 (!) and the detergent they use is horrible. Washes all the color out of your clothes, smells bad and makes my skin break out

So I usually wash by hand (nice and comfy in the shower ) and use the dryer in winter. I'll go get myself a plunger tho for best results.

To make sure nothing gets lost in translation, we're talking one of these, right?

exactly. if you can find the small size, it is best. the big ones are not as easy to manage. i find small ones in dollar stores and walmart, generally...

[Lizzy Belle]

Thx, Zee, I'll go see if they have different sizes here as well, and get the smaller one if I can.

[Gypsy Rose II]

We found a used "pressure washer" (no not the one your thinking, but come to think about it may be a good idea!) found at a boater exchanging, needed some glue to fix the broken piece, but now works. It is a hand crank device that looks like a dome TV satellite tracker (so looks good on the coach roof for stowage, and has sucking cups on the feet). It works good for undies, Ts, socks, face cloths, but not jeans, sheets, or anything BIG. It uses a small amount(1gal or 4 liters) of hot water (best) and only 2 tablespoons of detergent, the lid seals like a pressure canner ("pressure washer") and the cranking produces pressure inside the dome, which as the advertisement claims "pushes" the detergent through the clothes and is better than agitation. Maximum time cranking a full load ( 30 small items?) is two (2) minutes, then drain with drain pipe connection supplied or dump out the water from the fill lid (faster), refill with rinse water and spin for another minute, drain and wring out. We bought a used antique hand crank wringer from CL for $60, which works great…and FAST, then onto the solar drier (lifelines) (or pilothouse in the winter). For really tough stains or badly soiled, we use Oma's scrub board (also looks good hung in the head as a "working antique" beside the wooden antique hand wringer.

[oldragbaggers]

A bit of an improvement over just a bucket, we plan to carry one of these onboard.

Kit for hand washing clothes and laundry. Plunger washer and more.

[AiniA]

We use a bucket and plunger but discovered that it is hard to get a good plunger these days. The dollar store ones are made of a rubbery plastic and do not stand up to vigorous use very well. Very hard to find a really good, old-fashioned, quality rubber one. The cheap ones seem to break at inopportune times when you are in the middle of nowhere and shopping opportunities are limited.