My husband and I have taken our first major step in weaning ourselves off our reliance on electricity for everything in life. This weekend we bought a rubber bucket and a plunger - yup, the washing machine has been given notice!
We did our first full load yesterday, and I am SO impressed by how little time it took to do a load equal in size to a washer-load, and how clean they've come out in so little water and detergent!
The new obstacle now though is to wring the wet clothes. We wrung them out by hand yesterday, and although they've dried very quickly, our hands are almost raw! 😮
So... we're on the lookout for a hand mangle/wringer that won't break the bank, and this is seemingly a big ask.
We've looked at ebay, preloved, many US sites selling new ones.... they all seem either so antique they'd perish just by looking at a tub of wet washing, and brand new and incredibly dear.
Has anyone got any advice or anecdotes about where to find one, or just a little trip down memory lane for those of a certain age *cheeky, lol*
We had so much fun doing our washing, and doing some research on how much water and electricity we're saving makes it even better!
Perhaps it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's certainly an easy step towards going off-grid for those who are interested! 😀
I look forward to hearing your wash-day stories 🙂
Gorseflower x
This has brought back memories: my grandmother used a mangle and I used to be allowed to turn the handle when I was a child. I doubt that today's kids would deem this a treat, as I did.
Incidentally, I did mention in one of my posts from India that I was enjoying doing my washing by hand but that was in a hot country. I doubt I'd enjoy it as much here in the cold.
Anyway, I think it's a great idea gorseflower, and hope you find a mangle soon!
xxx
Well done, Gorseflower - the thought of washing by hand makes my blood run cold! When I lived in London, years ago, and wore white shirts every day for work, I used to wash them all by hand (and starch them!) as the machines at the local launderette didn't get them clean enough. Used to take me ages on a Saturday morning and I hated it!!
I remember what fun it was, however, even further back, when I and my brother and sisters used to get in the bath (not all at the same time as there were five of us!) in our swimming trunks with the blankets to wash them. Can't remember who wrung them out, but I bet it wasn't as much fun!
Blankie-stomping in the bath sounds like fun! 🙂
It's early days yet but I hope that it doesn't lose its excitement, or I'll be turning into a grumpy washerwoman in no time!
Gorseflower - try Freecycle.com - there may be one in your area - my nieghbour found a horse-drawn plough through it - people have really odd stuff stashed away, and freecycle may be just the place to find it! Good luck. I grew up with stomping on washing in the bath, and putting it through the mangle, then trying to find places to hang it all during cold weather (we had no central heating, so no radiators!) - my parents didn't buy a twin tub until I left home in 1973!