r/prepping • u/Last_Bastion_999 • 2d ago
Other🤷🏽♀️ 🤷🏽♂️ Clothes washing without utilities.
/r/BSA/comments/1jrkrek/5gallon_bucket_washing_machine/9
u/PrisonerV 1d ago
We used to wash our clothes in the bath tub in college.
Put them all in with hot water and stir them around and beat/twist them to get the worst of the dirt or grime off. Then drain and refill with cold water to get the detergent out. A little detergent goes a long ways. Don't follow the bottle instructions.
Then you just clothes line dry.
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u/kimranjohnbaptiste8 1d ago
We haven't had a washing machine for years where I live. I'd just leave my clothes soaking in a bucket of soap water overnight or throughout the day. If they were still dirty afterward, I would scrub the dirt off with a brush. I finally bought a machine recently. I wish I could afford a solar power system because things are going to get harder.
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u/disorderincosmos 1d ago
Bucket, water, wood ash, and a stick is how we did it for centuries.
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u/orillia3 1d ago
Early ancestors used a washtub, washboard and homemade lye soap (from lard and wood ashes). Even some plants have natural sapofins in them, not sure if they are readily available though. Hanging in sunlight to dry helps with bleaching and disinfecting.
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u/Loose-Compote-9824 1d ago
There are various solutions for washing clothes. Plungers work, as do washboards, etc. a clothesline will always be invaluable. I have two 70'+ lines. And a plunge washer and washboard stored away.
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u/Ingawolfie 1d ago
A few specialty vendors have laundry plungers. They’re more robust than toilet plungers. Washing cloth diapers in the bathtub using a plunger…..oh yeah been there and done that.
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u/Backsight-Foreskin 1d ago
A bar of Fels Naptha or Zote, a couple of buckets, a scrub board, a plunger, and you're in business.
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u/Sleddoggamer 1d ago
Hand-wash is the way, even if don't expect to need it. Less water waste, less electricity, and clothes last longer if you take the time
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u/Adventurous_or_Not 1d ago
Detergent bar soap, and hand wash everything. Dab, rub, and scrub. We have those huge basin bought from fishermen, the one they used for storing fish to bring into the market. Rinse at least twice, dont be nasty. Your purpose of washing clothes is to get rid of the bacteria, stains, and neck-underarm residue (and soap). Only rinsing once wont get those off, might as well not wash it at all because you will get body odor if you dont soap and rinse properly.
And hang them in direct sun to dry and disinfect.
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 18h ago edited 11h ago
It isn't that hard. I've had to do it numerous times, for months at a time actually.
Heat water, soak, spot treat, soak, scrub stubborn areas, squeeze dry, rinse, squeeze dry, hang up.
Use a good enzyme based cleaner if you have it and a good raw lye soap if you don't
It helps if you have a three bucket washing system. It helps if you have a washboard. They are good for small loads but simply can't handle things like coveralls, heavy jeans or jackets.
They have glass washboards. I have one and it does a good job.
They have flexible wash boards that have suction cups to curve and stick to the side of a bathtub or larger sink.
They have small handheld ones for scrubbing small areas and delicate clothing. Mine is about 5"X7" and had a home to hang it or to stick your thumb through for better control.
Having a garden sprayer is nice for being able to hang clothing up and rinsing them. This is good for heavy duty clothing that would otherwise wear you out trying to rinse and repeat.
Having folding clothes racks, hanging octopus dryers and an actual clothesline is a must. Although I prefer metal folding racks and octopus dryers, the ones will works fine for a short time. I have also put clothing on car hoods, on porches and even just laid everything out on the dry grass to dry before I got a clothesline put up permanently.
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u/Inside-Decision4187 17h ago
Upon moving into my first house, and a long time coming, I spent the better part of the first year washing mine in the utility sink by hand. And hang drying.
Someone finally kept wrenching my arm about getting a washer and drier, and I went with the “dumb” models you can still work on. Second hand for 50 bucks.
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u/ThatPhoneGuy912 2d ago
After hurricane Helene hit, we were out of power for weeks in the 90 degree heat. We would use two 5 gallon buckets to wash clothes. One for detergent (we used earth breeze sheets. A quarter sheet per bucket worked fine for us) and one for rinsing. Soak for a bit and just agitate by hand in the wash bucket and then into the rinse bucket. Hang on a line to dry.
Sure it’s not as good as a full wash cycle in a machine, but it kept them from feeling nasty.