Laundry Aboard While on the Hook

[knotnow]

Originally Posted by conachair

A washing machine. The fully marinised version has a rope instead of a metal handle. Its all in the rinse cycle... ;0

That's the one we use. But we wait so long that the life lines are full and I need to get creative rigging drying lines between the shrouds.

[sea_goin_dude]

Bucket and plunger. I have used this idea for a while around the house. One suggestion is to punch/drill two or three dime sized holes in the plunger. This will prevent it from sucking/sticking on the bottom of the bucket
Just remember this, you can't use the plunger for it's intended purpose after punching the holes but it will do a good job "washin yo clothes" fer ya.

[onestepcsy37]

not always available, but sometimes you get lucky.

we were anchored in the bahamas with my watertender 9.4 dinghy tied behind. it rained hard during the night and when i awoke in the morning i checked the dinghy and found it had filled with rainwater. now, a watertender is a plastic boat with two 'compartments' separated by a central seat - perfect for a wash cycle and a rinse cycle! so i jumped in the dinghy, yelled for the admiral to bring out the dirty laundry and some soap, and washed in one compartment, rinsed in the other, and handed up the clean clothes to be strung out on the lifelines.

every once in a while nature is kind to sailors....

[doug86]

How many hand launderists use salt water for the first rinse? I want to do more laundry on board, but hate to waste my fresh water supply.

[BuonVento]

Originally Posted by JJB

There is a funky little barrel that you throw your clothes in it's attached to a frame with a handle to rotate the barrel around so it agitates a little like a proper washer, it isn't big but it's enough to put some shirts in etc, but I haven't seen one at a chandler now for a few years, I wonder if they are still for sale.

Yes, they are. It's called a "wonder washer" and you can google to find vendors. I've had one for years and LOVE it.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by doug86

How many hand launderists use salt water for the first rinse? I want to do more laundry on board, but hate to waste my fresh water supply.

Doug,

My experience has been that I use more fresh water rinsing the salt out than I saved using salt for the wash 'cycle.'

Instead I now wash in fresh water with ammonia instead of soap. Sudsy ammonia makes me feel better about cleaning than plain ammonia but I can't say I've really seen any difference in the results between the two. The ammonia will evaporate completely without any residual odor that I can discern so laundry becomes a one bucket, one 'cycle' process: wash, wring, hang.

Remember to wipe the salt off your lifelines before hanging your clean clothes.

I have been told that ammonia can be tough to find in the Bahamas but haven't looked myself. I took two gallon jugs with me last trip from a shopping expedition to a warehouse store in the US.

[Bill Burgette]

Wash in town at the laundromat and sail naked. Clothes should last a long time.

[sea_goin_dude]

GREAT STAIN REMOVER
If you haven't tried it get some OXY CLEAN and check it out. Let stuff soak overnight and every stain I have had was out next day...
Probably great to clean bilges also.
But try this or other OXY PRODUCTS just be sure to let soak 24 hours and maybe longer for stuburn stains. Only takes a small amount in bucket of water. It won't eat clothes up like chlorine bleach will. and It doesn't have that bad and dangerous gas smell like chlorine does.

[zeehag]

oxyclean doesnt work in sea water..LOL--i know--btdt--didnt like it.

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

My experience has been that I use more fresh water rinsing the salt out than I saved using salt for the wash 'cycle.'

Good point. Perpetually damp clothes might be good for the skin, to a point, but they aren't very comfortable.

I wonder what the numbers really look like; fresh water saved washing versus fresh water used to rinse out the salt ?



-Sven

[sea_goin_dude]

Originally Posted by zeehag

oxyclean doesnt work in sea water..LOL--i know--btdt--didnt like it.

I heard that, I guess about the only things that worked in sea water are "da fishes". And I'm glad too cause I love to EAT THEM ......and the shrimps, clams, crabs, lobsters and all that other gud stuff
How 'bout dem shark too? I like to bite on dem sometime too.
IIIIIIIEEEEEE I like dat Justin Wilson cause he eat everything in da swamp.........long as he got plenty hot sauce to soak it in.
Speaking of which, how many of you boat folk catch your lunch, dinner while on a cruise. I'd be draggin a couple 'o dem hook all da time.

[Lancerbye]

Does this count?

[JanetGroene]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Bucket & toilet plunger.

I also prefer a plunger. It stows better than a washboard and has the added bonus of sucking itself to the hull when you're free-diving to inspect, unfoul the screw, or scrub. Just push it in place and you have a handle to help you stay down there. Used as a suction cup it's also useful for handling glass, e.g. replacing a window or windshield. Point of trivia: a washaboard factory still exists in downstate Ohio and their customers include GI's overseas who do laundry by hand with limited water.

[c.spots]

I have three ways to do laundry.

The best is to take it to the local laundromat, which is great here in American Samoa, but VERY expensive between Panama and here.
The other ways are on the boat.

Many of use (including me) don't have the space to install and plumb an electric clothes washer, but it would be nice.

If you use detergent, the difficult part is the wringing out the dirty soapy water. It takes a few (at least) rinses, and a lot of water. Some people even use a rinse in salt water, since it is easier to rinse out salt than detergent. Chamois wringers (from the car wash places), or an electric centrifuge spinner could make this a lot easier, but I don't have either yet. They are bulky and expensive one use items.

How you wash the laundry, or which detergent isn't the problem. I finally threw away my "wonder wash" (a very bulky, one function only, and NO advantages item) in Panama. In good conscience I couldn't have sold it. I haven't even used the washboard I got, but agree with the 5 gallon bucket and plunger.

I prefer ammonia. Ammonia works well, but isn't as good as a laundromat (with some laundromat exceptions!). It has the tremendous advantage of using very little water, since it doesn't need to be rinsed. And it is very easy, since you just wring out the dirty water once, and hang the laundry up to dry. The ammonia will evaporate. Then you can use the same ammonia water for the next batch of not so critical laundry - until the water is too dirty to use, and/or the ammonia has been used up. The last wash is for the rags. When you finally throw the wash water out, there is very little ammonia left in it.

It isn't as good as a "commercial" laundry; that is, having a local do it for you, or a do it yourself place. I use ammonia laundry between laundromats. But some laundry facilities charge $20 a load (also dried and folded), and don't guaranty that you won't end up with new stains or pink underwear. It is often a long trip to get your laundry done, and it gets heavy.

Ammonia is hard to find in some countries, so beware. I usually start with 1/2 cup in 5 gallons of water, and add more when needed. Someday I may experiment with spot treatment, with either ammonia or a few drops of detergent.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Doug,

My experience has been that I use more fresh water rinsing the salt out than I saved using salt for the wash 'cycle.'

Instead I now wash in fresh water with ammonia instead of soap. Sudsy ammonia makes me feel better about cleaning than plain ammonia but I can't say I've really seen any difference in the results between the two. The ammonia will evaporate completely without any residual odor that I can discern so laundry becomes a one bucket, one 'cycle' process: wash, wring, hang.

Remember to wipe the salt off your lifelines before hanging your clean clothes.

I have been told that ammonia can be tough to find in the Bahamas but haven't looked myself. I took two gallon jugs with me last trip from a shopping expedition to a warehouse store in the US.

+1 for ammonia. Doesn't seem to get stains out, but gets the stink/oil/human aspect off of them.