Laundry Day ?

[2divers]

Ok, how many folks here use an old fashion board to do laundry?

I was looking online and found ones made of teak with galvanized ribbing, another with a heavy glass ribbing (which sounded screwy because I thought it would be easy to shatter until I realized that glass does not rust so maybe it was heavy duty?!)

The other option I've looked at is the little sealed container you add hot water and laundry to and roll it with a handle. The idea being that the hot water heats the air and adds pressure to the laundry and the rolling of the drum agitates the laundry sufficently to remove dirt, oil and other undesirables (I'll have a kid soon, this last one should be a pretty broad category).

In either case laundry is then removed and rinsed, twisted damp and hung up to dry. Thoughts...

And I will not add a washer or dryer to the boat (I wonder if ASKO even makes anything that small?)

2divers

[DeepFrz]

I used a large plastic pail tied to the stern rail. At sea the wave action did most of the work. The wider the pail the better and a good fitting lid helps. I also used my feet quite a lot, so had nice clean feet and cloths. First wash and rinse was seawater, then final rinse in fresh water.

I didn't have a ringer to squeeze the water out so just used my hands which was not really satisfactory.

Worked for me...<g>

[S/V Elusive]

Dayum - I just walk over to the laundrymat ::shrug::

[Alan Wheeler]

The rolly thing is called a Wonder wash. And I have been told that they work really well. Although I am darned if I can understand how the pressure build up will help remove dirt, but....
I have been considereing one as well, but I think you will only get a shirt of trousers in and that's all. One nappy and your kinda full.
There is also a small plastic washing machine available as well. I have not talked to anyone using it. But I thought, wow that looks great. Then realised it was nothing but a container made to look like a washing machine and a water pump that cycled the water around to agitate it. So I thought, hey why pay $100 bucks and fight to try and find a space to fit it. I could make one of those to suit the boat. All I need is a spare locker I can glass in and a good high volume bilge pump to swirl water around and bingo, one washing machine.

[CaptainK]

Yeah Alan.

Or if your the atlethic type. You could make a setup to where you ride a bicycle setup. And run the washing machine that way!!

No electricity, no drain on the batteries. No generator. "Human power!!"

[Alan Wheeler]

Now that's weird or scary or something. As soon as I saw you had posted, I thought of K sitting on a bicycle with paddles on the back wheel thrashing his laundry. Low and behold, you make a comment about using a bike.

[CaptainK]

Sure did Alan.

And I'm not afraid of say so either!:cubalibre

Pedal power does has it advantages. Especially, like during World War II. The soldiers used a bicycle like generator for powering their big radio units out in the field.

So if that idea works for big old fashioned tube style radios. Why not a washing machine? Or anything else on a boat?

[Gallivanters]

I found a "Spinning Egg" washer in a dumpster in Australia and carried it to another dumpster in Thailand a couple years later.

We saw someone else proudly carying it back to their boat before we'd even finished our coffee.

Sure - it worked okay for cleaning a few t-shirts & knickers... but the reason we finally got it off the boat was because it took-up so much room in the lazarette. Its bulk outweighed its usefulness.

We "built" a much better, cheaper and easier washing "machine" with a 5 gallon bucket and a plunger (both of which were already onboard) and it cleaned our sarongs better, too. I am the Heavy Duty my wife is the Delicate cycle.

IMHO - the most useful items on a boat are always those that can multi-task.

I find a Moment of Zen every time that I convert our cutting board into a serving tray simply by turning it over, and when I look through a West Marine catalog and find nothing I "need".

But without question, the best way to do laundry at sea is to sail naked! The biggest problem with that, though, is getting a pubic hair in your Pina Colada!

Kirk

[Jon D]

Wife bought one of those spinner eggs/wonder pressure wash things when we moved aboard and found no room for it after the fact.. so if anyone around Annapolis wants it speak up now as it is going to Bacon's in the next week or so before we shove off.

BTW we just go to the laudry.

[Starbuck]

Really didn't need that last image…

[hellosailor]

I've found a bucket or a pail and lots of agitation works perfectly well, but those "egg" gizmos have the advantage that you don't have to splash all over, and you don't have to stick your arm (or a plunger) in a bucket. Neater that way, but I don't believe any "hot water air pressure miracle" is needed. I think a regular 5 gallon bucket with a tight snap lid would work just as well, but for some folks cranking the handle will be easier than shaking a bucket up and down.<G>

[Charlie]

I remeber doing laundry in the Marquesas after a twenty five day passage. I forget how many bucket and plungers loads I did but my hand was a blisterey mess. I told myself I would never complain about doing laundry again.

I have an idea. I don't know how it would work. Have you seen those 5 gallon buckets with fins in them that mix a bag of concrete? I think if you took one of those and rolled it down a hill it would clean the clothes well.

[Harriet]

I read somewhere that you could actually clean your clothes with ammonia and water, and it didn't leave an ammonia smell. I didn't believe this at first, but I tried it and it works. You need two gallons of water in a bucket with one cup of ammonia. Use a plunger or whatever (tying the bucket to the bow and letting it agitate as you go along works too). After a few minutes, wring out and hang. The clothes smell clean, and there is no ammonia smell. I'm not sure I would use this as a regular means of doing laundry (I prefer the laundromat), but for a few things in a hurry, it works great.

[Boracay]

Thgis plunger that you talk about. Is it the type that plumbers use to unblock drains?
Is there a recomended size?

[Charlie]

Yes it is a regular plumbers helper and any size that fits in the bucket will work. Next time I do a long passage I'm going to only where to sets of clothes and I will wash one set everyday. They'll be like cardboard by the end of the passage but the laundry won't be bad. Of course if they have a laundry mat at the end I wouldn't do that.