Manual laundry - one week and I'm tired of it!

[~gd]

Oh man Diane. Well at least you shouldn't have to go through more laundry joy.


The whites turn grey because of the saltwater that is used to wash them, gd. It can't be helped. They just get grayer over time, much like mine here turn tan from iron in the water. Hubby had to wear nice civies in port except when on shore patrol.

Well we will just have to agree to disagree about the whites. Six month Med cruise and we manned the rails every time we entered or left a port in whites which were still white when we returned to the States. and civies were not allowed aboard ship in the old days.~gd

 

[Blaundee]

I'd get a bucket and a toilet plunger if you can, way easier to manage than doing it literally by hand. The addition of an old-school wringer would be pure bliss compared to wringing by hand if you can find one. No advice on the humidity/clothes that don't ever dry though--I used to live on the coast and nothing ever really dried there, and now when we go to visit family I always think my laundry smells musty if we wash anything there.

Do you use the plunger to agitate the clothes?

 

[Blaundee]

Last night my host asked how doing laundry was. Then he said "next time you can use our washing machine".

SERIOUSLY??? You have a WASHING MACHINE and you did not TELL US???



It was only the good breeding that my parents painstakingly instilled in me that kept me smiling and saying. "Yes, thank you, that will be helpful, I will do that" while my insides were thinking "And you expected me to know this HOW??? Through ESP? When were you going to tell me this little tidbit of information? How many other modern conveniences do you have that you are not telling us about?"

I'm trying to remember the point of this trip, which is to really understand poverty, it's impact on individuals and the community, and related stuff. (We're here for research for my husband's Master's Degree thesis paper.) We're here for 5 weeks. One down, 4 to go.

My generous side is thinking my host might be doing this on purpose, to give us first-hand understanding of how long some things take when you don't have the money to use any sort of modern convenience. Indeed, we have met some people who are so poor they probably don't own buckets. I certainly did not always see any in the tiny, often 4' x 8' areas that are their homes. So really I have just experienced what, for them, is probably a regular thing.

Also, our hosts' insistance that we ask for anything we need or want and they will try to obtain it - is warring with our desire to not put an undue burden on our hosts. They would not tell us if something was too expensive or too difficult for them, they'd just do it anyway. It's a hard balancing act.

Maybe I need to be more vocal with my questions. I told them I was doing laundry later that day, but perhaps "how do you do laundry here?" would have been appropriate. (Despite the fact I see their laundry being done, apparantly it is only certain articles that are washed by hand and the rest goes in the machine.) In a different culture even the evidence of my eyes can deceive me.

Anyway, I appreciate all the info you've given me. And ~gd, I just might try that old Navy technique next time! Once I stop smacking my head against the wall, that is.

You know, you just made it hit me that my HORSES have a better living than most people in the world do- in fact, my chickens do, too- plenty of clean water, good food, and warm, safe housing- my henhouse itself is bigger than what so many live in. That makes me sad. I donate money to asianaid.org and get newletters often from them telling about life in other countries .... I know that other people have it bad, and that we have it SO GOOD here, but it just really hit me again.

 

[moolie]

I'd get a bucket and a toilet plunger if you can, way easier to manage than doing it literally by hand. The addition of an old-school wringer would be pure bliss compared to wringing by hand if you can find one. No advice on the humidity/clothes that don't ever dry though--I used to live on the coast and nothing ever really dried there, and now when we go to visit family I always think my laundry smells musty if we wash anything there.

Do you use the plunger to agitate the clothes?

Yup

If your bucket has a lid, drill a hole in the middle for the plunger handle and it will keep most of the water in the bucket (think old-school butter churn).

You can also get fancy and get one of these: https://www.lehmans.com/p-4444-breathing-hand-washer.aspx

but a regular small-headed plunger like the the red one in this photo works really well too:

 

[Denim Deb]

Moolie, that's a great idea! We have a ton of 5 gallon buckets around here-but I'm not sure we have any lids. But, I'm guessing the lids are pretty much the same size and you can buy them for under $2.00 at Lowes, so if you have the bucket and no lid, you could always buy one. And you could get really fancy and have 2 buckets, one for washing and one for rinsing.

 

[DianeS]

It's fancy to have two buckets? LOL! If only we had a wringer. What luxury!

 

[Steveca]

I made this on the weekend. With scavenged pail and hose, it's probably cheaper than a 2 dollar plunger and it works fantastically. If you don't have room to roll it on a floor just put it on a counter and rock and roll it for a while. Also I'm going to upgrade it to a Gamma Lid, I understand they don't leak. You could easily screw 4 casters to a piece wood and make a roller that you can turn it on in a stationary location.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BuqvJEVNqU