How I save water during chores/bath

mrs.puff

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Just thought I'd pass on tips for the super-frugal :

Toothbrushing: Fill one coffee mug of water. Pour a little on toothbrush to wet it, then apply toothpaste. Brush. Take a swirl of water to rinse mouth. spit. Pour remaining water on brush to rinse.

Bath: Heat one galvanized bucketful of water on top of heating stove (which should already be running anyway). Use small dipper to dip water, pour over head. shampoo and soap. Use remaining water to rinse. done. Doesn't work well for really long hair though.

Dishes: Keep one 5 quart canner of hot water on top of your cookstove. Use only this to wash dishes. Dip about 2 quarts into a dishpan. Wash dishes and place them in a pile. Dump dishpan. Rinse each dish by pouring small stream of clean hot water from dipper. I wash all dishes for two people each day with about one gallon of water.
 

miss_thenorth

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When we lived up north, we had a hunt camp that had no running water, no electricity, propane for stove and lights.

This is exactly how we brushed our teeth and showered. We called them camp showers. We did have a woodstove in the camp, but only ran it in the winter. So, we boiled water on the propane stove in the summer.

We used to go to the camp every other weekend (according to hubby's work schedule) and all summer vacation, winter vacation and march break( as per the kids' schedule) I loved living this way! It was work, but worth it. We had to truck in our water so we used it very sparingly, and used to haul water up from the river and boil that to use also.

But then of course hubby got a job down here, and we had to give up the camp. We do plan on going back up north when he retires to live close to the same way as we did back then.
 

Beekissed

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Bath: Heat one galvanized bucketful of water on top of heating stove (which should already be running anyway). Use small dipper to dip water, pour over head. shampoo and soap. Use remaining water to rinse. done. Doesn't work well for really long hair though.
You forgot the next step! :D Washing the rest of your body in the remaining water...and don't forget to shave your legs! If you're really creative, you can rinse the dishes in a pan of water, reheat on the stove and THEN use this water in which to wash your hair and bath! :p
 

Homesteadmom

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This is how we pretty much do it at our property up north too. We have no elec up there & the travel trailer has a propane stove to cook & heat water with. We did get the solar shower bags for bathing & they are great. Long hair is hard to wash this way, but I manage it okay. Sometimes I kneel on the floor over the edge of the bathtub & dh holds the bag or pitcher of water & pours for me.
 

MorelCabin

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My MIL had a man stay at her place that was from Nigeria or some palce around there...very third world anyway. He had never seen indoor plumbing before. Anyway when she offered him a towel to shower, he asked for a cup. He was going to have a whole bath with just a coffee cup filled with water...I'm not kidding..apperently it can be done. Anyway when he was shown how to work the shower he was completely in awe!
 

mrs.puff

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Bekissed-- I am NOT going to take a bath with my dishwater. :)


I suppose I should have clarified my bathing procedure. I have a rubbermaid tub big enough to squat in, so that if I pour water on my head, it goes on my body too!!!!
 

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