Small 5th wheel, just me, want to do laundry the old-fashioned way

[dwdanby]

Hello! I'm looking for a way to do very small loads of laundry by hand. I saw the manual plunger sort of thing on Amazon, a round wide cone-shaped thing with a handle, just push it up and down in a 5-gallon bucket; but the reviews tell of the handle routinely breaking. I wonder if there is a homemade workaround - what would work as well that I could also push up and down in a bucket? It may sound like a simple question, but I have too much arthritis to build something (or to wash clothes in the sink by hand by squeezing them). I do have a broomstick, but seems I would need more surface area to push clothes down to force water through them. Thoughts? PS I've decided against the electric options due to expense.

 

[jackiemac]

That sounds like hard work. Are you averse to using a laundry?

 

[Lou Schneider]

Will your arthritis restrict your ability to grab the handle and push it up and down? If not, I'd try a bucket and a toilet plunger.

 

[dwdanby]

Will your arthritis restrict your ability to grab the handle and push it up and down? If not, I'd try a bucket and a toilet plunger.

I'll be a son of a gun, that's a good idea! Thx!

 

[SeilerBird]

I bought one of these for $95 and It works pretty good. I do one load a week and that is all I need to do. I don't like it because of a lack of a drain pump. Draining and emptying by hand is a bummer. I will replace it soon with a model with a built in drain pump that costs about $300.

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[John From Detroit]

Bucket and the one musical insturment you always buy new (Plunger mute) with full handle.. Same as the amazon thing but less likely to break.

IN the parks I used the park laundry
When I moved into an apartment I got a Costway "Mini" Twin Tub washing machine You can get like products all over creation Target, Wall*mart, Amazon and more.
IT holds basicaly one change of clothing but it works rather well. I give wash two cycles. then spin dry, rinse spin again and line dry to finish. Use about 1/3 to 1/2 the soap/softener/bleach you'd use in a full size maching.

For those not musically inclined a Plunger Mute is a Toilet Plunger with a short handle.

 

[chuckbear]

Living on a boat for 25 years we learned lots of tricks. The wike put laundry detergent in a 5 gallon bucket. Worked the laundry with her feet, like stomping grapes, and then used a clean water rinse to get out the soap. Hung out the laundry to dry. Worked great for us. You could always use a toilet plunger instead. Cheap and easy and her feet looked great. Chuck

 

[Ex-Calif]

On the boat we would tow our laundry in a net bag then fresh rinse and hang in the shrouds.

We also did laundry in the galley sink with a short plunger (Plunger Mute I guess it's called). This eliminated bending over a bucket and allowed drain overboard. You could only do a couple or three pieces at a time but we wore shorts and t-shirts exclusively.

I could see doing laundry in my RV sink...

 

[Rene T]

How about using a wash board?

 

[darsben]

How about using a wash board?

Were not going round spreading rumors really we are not the gossiping kind

 

[phil-t]

I got one of those. How do you use it?

 

[Lou Schneider]

Ask someone in the nearest bluegrass band.

 

[Roy M]

Strap a cooler to the front bumper, fill with laundry, soap and water then travel I-84 east of Boise. Most so called 'highways' in SoCal would also work.

 

[Larry N.]

Were not going round spreading rumors really we are not the gossiping kind

Better listen close the first time...

 

[Mikesrig]

Were not going round spreading rumors really we are not the gossiping kind

Hi Darsben I couldn't find a way to contact you. I have an 88 p30 (its an 89 Southwind) and saw you have wiring info and maybe diagrams. I'd appreciate any info leads you can give. Current situ is no power when key is turned. Ground tests .001Ω. TIA
Mike

 

[Domo]

We used to block the shower drain and throw the clothes in the shower - add soap and water and then step all over the clothes - think of crushing grapes to make wine - unblock, drain, rinse, repeat and hang the clothes on the line. If you are NOT hooked to septic and are afraid of filling your gray tank you can do the same procedure in a cheap plastic cement mixing tub from Home Depot plus a hose out on your patio. Don't slip!

Can't get more old fashioned than this - unless you pound on a rock...

 

[Coco Blanca]

I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of your posts. I know about the washing board and the plunger and stomping the clothes in a bucket are both great ideas!

 

[strugglebus]

Grab a Cowboy's wild game and fish washer from Bucees giant gas stations down South or order one on Amazon. Put about a TBSP of detergent and the clothes in there and hook up the hose for a quick spin, then let the clothes sit for a few minutes. Drain and done. Looks like there is a different but similar product at Bass Pro Shops. I believe the bucket was $30-35 at Bucees.