Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The Laundry Kit

Another kit you can make up is a portable washing machine. You will take a 5 gallon type bucket like you get at Lowes, or even Walmart in the paint department. Make sure you also get the lid that goes with it! You will drill a hole in the center of the lid big enough for a broom handle to go through. Now go buy a new cheap toilet plunger. I got mine for 99 cents! Drill holes in this also. 3 ¾ inch holes or 5 smaller holes. Add a package of clothes line rope and a package of clothes pens. Add in a bottle of laundry soap and fabric softener. Now your kit is ready! If the electric goes out or your washing machine goes out you can empty your supplies out and fill you bucket half way, add a little soap and a few clothes. Put your plunger in with the handle going up through the hole in the lid. Seal the lid and now plunge away! When done remove the lid and wring out your clothes. Now I confess many long years ago I did my clothes by hand and wringing out clothes is not anything I care to do again. I also invested in a two roller mop bucket and wring the clothes out with that. Set them aside and wash another batch until you are done washing all you have to do at this time. Now dump your dirty water and add fresh water. Rinse all and wring out. Dump the water and add fresh water again with a little fabric softener and rinse all again and wring out. Now you are ready to hang out your clothes. I had my dryer die this summer so would also recommend you have a few good size hooks to tie your rope to and some of those rope tighteners. Not sure they are called rope tighteners but they are fully extended and then you tie your rope to both ends and make it as tight as you can get and then hand tighten the rope tightener to make it good and tight. You can also install your rope inside in the winter or rainy days and the heat of your home will dry the clothes. Might take a little longer but it will work!
MYO laundry soap
  • 1 cup washing soda {Arm & Hammer}Should be able to find in the grocery store laundry soap section along with the Borax!
  • 1/2 cup Borax
  • 1 bar of soap Fels Naptha (you can use what you have or buy the cheapest if you have to!)
  • 4 cups of boiling water
  • approx. 3 gallons of warm water
  • 5 gallon bucket with lid

    Now you need to grate the soap but I started setting the bar on my big chopping block and taking a big knife and slice it real thin and it just crumbles into very fine pieces which I find easier than grating soap. Put this into a large pan with 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Stir until all soap is melted. Fill 5 gallon bucket half full with hot water and add washing soda and borax and liquid soap and mix well. Top off with more water to fill 5 gallon bucket. Now let sit overnight and use adding twice as much water to it. I actually use two 5 gallon buckets and it's already diluted so I don't have to dilute as I go each load. This 10 gallon mix last me 2 to 3 months. I use vinegar in the rinse cycle. Nice fresh Laundry!

    I tried to add a few pictures with this one but ended up with a big mess!  Will see if I can find someone to show me how for next time I have some pictures to go with it!

    Cherlynn

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