并轻松地以成本和环境影响换取时间!
“Do laundry”… what does that mean to most of us? It means carting a large pile of clothes in a bin or basket to one’s home washer and dryer, or if you’re one of the many unfortunate bunch like me, you cart it to a nearby laundromat’s washer and dryer. I’ve only “done laundry” once since moving into my new apartment, and as I don’t own a car–you guessed it–I packed my clothes into a massive backpack and pedaled it across my neighborhood to the laundromat, swaying all the way. Obviously not animpossiblescenario, but surely anuncomfortableone!
But as with so many other things about living a modern American lifestyle, my conscience shouts louder and louder each time I subscribe to certain activities that Iknowto be environmentally harmful. The toxic chemicals in many common soaps aside, purely the use of electricity (when knowingly powered by coal plants, as is true for my region) is a harmful act. I don’t like living with the idea that Imustcontribute to environmental devastation each time I want to wear fresh-smelling, tidy clothing! Not washing clothes at all, ever (as many of my “crust-punk” friends do) is not a reasonable option for most of us.
The clock was ticking. I had only an hour or two to make my decision, before I had to leave for work.
今天是一个周期性的可怕的日子,当我的洗衣箱达到临界数量时,我意识到我需要洗衣服。
Do I take it to a laundromat, dump it into appliances, and read a book while my clothes become easy-breezy clean? The consequences of that are: energy use, travel energy, and cost! Washing and drying clothes at a laundromat can cost up to $5 a load!
But what if we could re-invent our notion of what “doing laundry” means? Forget “high-efficiency” washer and dryer appliances that, while an improvement in terms of water and energy use, still perpetuate widespread and probably-ultimately unsustainable practices. Where can the energy–and water–come from that would be sustainably sourced?
Your hands. And your sink. (And for clothes-drying? The air.)
It’s such a simple solution that I might almost have missed it!
Em-bed-ded journalism
My first attempt at handwashing clothes gave me mixed results.
First and foremost, I felt good about my choice. (After all, that is the main reason we decide to do anything!) It felt good to do it myself and learn a new skill meanwhile. Using my hands to knead and wring the clothes definitely gave me an unexpected work-out!
Summarizing the instructions fromthis excellent VideoJug clip, I let my clothes soak in a soapy solution for a few minutes (I was sure to usea gentle, biodegradeable detergentthat would not harm aquatic life in my region’s waterways). Then I kneaded them all together, and proceeded to rinse each item one by one under the faucet.
My strategy didn’t work out so well for all items, unfortunately. It was hard to discern when the item was truly flushed of detergent. Socks and underwear–these were easy to rinse thoroughly. My bath towel was another story.
First of all, the towel soaked up all the water in the sink as soon as I put it in! (This is a seemingly obvious result, but I’m not too bright sometimes!) The towel then became so heavy as to be almost unmanageable. I rinsed and rinsed and rinsed it, but because the material was so thick and so absorbent, I wasn’t sure if I had rinsed it clean of all soap. Upon drying it… I clearly did not. It was stiff and starchy, smelled like detergent, and was very unpleasant to dry off with. Boo!
The other point, that must not be over-looked, is time-consumption. Most of us accustomed to washers and driers expect our clothes to transform from dirty to clean in an hour and a half, at most. Using the hand washing method, air-drying clothes may taketwo daysbefore the items are fully dried. (Yikes!) Plus, during the time you’re washing your clothes, you can’t go and read a book or do something else, like you can using a washer… you areliterallybusy washing your clothes!
Related Post:Best Wringer Washer
我对新买的家用洗衣机的建议是:袜子、内衣和内衣都是在水槽里洗的好东西。你将享受手洗衣服的所有环保好处,外加额外的锻炼!它们甚至可能比你用洗衣机/烘干机洗出来的更好。
Big, heavy fabrics–like jeans and towels–should probably not be washed in just your sink. You need more space and an adequate agitator to wash these things fully.
We are all part of a learning, green community. Please share your advice for handwashing clothes–especially with respect to the environment–below!
photo credit: public domain (Wikimedia Commons); Ashley Anne atLife Tonic
Mary Psays
手洗衣服的时候,你用了多少水来冲洗掉衣服上的肥皂?对不起,市场上有很多节能、节水的洗衣机。
And as for air drying, this is fine if you have sufficient space inside to set up drying racks, but your towels and comforters or blankets will take forever to dry (unless you have an outdoor clothesline). Sometimes, you just have to make trade-offs when you are striving to be more “green”.
valeriesays
Yes, there are plenty of efficient washing machines on the market…I bought one 7 years ago and it is now DEAD! Never again will I shell out my hard earned cash to pay for someone else’s TRASH! And I know I’m not the only one to have this experience. These companies PLAN for their products to only last a few (very few) years. It’s called planned obsolescence. They know that no matter how few years ago you just bout a brand new…whatever…that you’ll think that it MUST to be replaced. They count on people thinking that they can’t live without their product. I say SREW ‘EM! If you want something done right; do it yourself!
Dakennsays
I can’t speak for the author of the article but, when I handwash my clothes, I use three gallons of water. I soak in soapy water, agitate by hand, dump water. Then replace with fresh water, let soak, agitate, and repeat. I use 100% biodegradable soap so I can water trees with the waste water.
我也会一次做两三天的衣服,所以“晾衣架”之类的东西的数量基本上可以忽略,尤其是因为我的衣服周转时间很短,所以我可以拥有更少的衣服。另外,因为衣服脏而洗衣服,而不是因为你穿了它们,是非常有用的。
是的,棉被之类的衣物明显更难手洗。人们多久洗一次被子?是不是太频繁了?
Melonie (Momma & More)says
Bravo for giving it a shot!
I haven’t tried this yet myself, but I’ve read several times that using the bathtub to do bigger items is a better bet – and using a clean plunger to agitate is much easier and better at getting things scrubbed up and cleaned of the soap.
Another thing to consider if you decide to do this consistently is to invest in a) a scrubbing board (yes, a la the old washtub scrubbers – they still make them!) and/or a wringer washer. Try Lehman’s for both. I’ve heard they still offer them. The wringer washer might be a bit of a big ticket item, but in the end it could be well worth it. If the power goes out, you’ll be the only one on the block with clean clothes.
Caroline Saverysays
Good point, Melonie… and thanks for the suggestions!
Martinsays
There is actuallyonly one washboard manufacturer left in the USA.
Maimiesays
我一个人住在一间很小的农舍里。我已经手洗多年了,很幸运我在户外有两根晾衣绳。我已经设法把去自助洗衣店的次数减少到大约一个月一次。我每周换一次床单。我会等到我的洗衣篮里有4套亚麻和4套毛巾的时候。在此之前,我洗我所有的内衣,衬衫,可洗的裤子,毛衣等手。我不洗运动衫、运动裤等我下班回家穿的衣服,但它们被加到我洗衣店的洗衣篮里。其他的东西,包括洗碗布,我都手洗。洗碗巾和我的海绵一样都是用开水烫的。当我知道天气会变好时,我会把羽绒被子和羽绒枕头挂在晾衣绳上,喜欢它们在我睡觉时散发的味道。 Even if you have a washer/dryer, I would suggest hanging pillows & comforters outside. You will love the fresh air scent when you go to bed. Most of my clothes have this scent as well.
Dennysays
去年夏天你还住在帐篷里的时候,我就一直在看你的文章。今年五月,我开始了自己的可持续生活项目,一个永久种植的家园。虽然没有完全脱离电网,但已经接近了。我每天使用1到2千瓦时的电和大约4-5加仑的水。我90%的废物被制成堆肥或回收,人类的废物两年后被制成堆肥用于果树。But, the point of the comment here is that you may want to look into the wonder washer,http://www.laundry-alternative.com/products/Wonderwash.html我现在还没有,但下周会订购。不用电,通过密封的手摇/滚轮动作清洗少量衣物,并产生高压,从而迫使水和肥皂进入并穿过织物。对于我们这些想要手动清洗的人来说,这似乎是一个理想的解决方案。
Thanks for the great articles.!
Codysays
@ carolinesavery: Great article! I know it’s been almost 5 years since it was written, but I learned a few things about hand washing clothes.
非常感谢你的链接!我从来没有听说过这些,直到我看到这篇博客文章,并决定读一遍评论。在检查了你提供的链接后,我是如此得到一个,因为我没有洗衣机/烘干机或车辆,这意味着我必须依靠朋友和家人帮我洗衣服或骑自行车穿过城镇与一个装满脏衣服的背包。在我的生活中,有几次我不得不手洗衣服,这真的是一种痛苦,仅仅因为我似乎永远不能把衣服上所有的洗涤剂都洗掉。你真是我的救命恩人!
Chris Clarksays
I have to agree with the first person who suggested you might be using more water by doing this. Yes, you are using a more Earth friendly soap but I can buy biodegradable laundry soap that works quite well in my front loading high efficiency washer. It works so well that by the time the clothes come out it takes only about 20 minutes in the dryer for them to be dry. Of course, I usually hang them on the clothesline outside, which gets them dry in only a few hours instead of a few days.
Many studies have been done on dishwashers and concluded that washing dishes by hand is less efficient than using a dishwasher. I am guessing the same might be true for washing clothes.
Mirandasays
几个月来,我一直在手洗我所有的衣服,我相信我已经有了一个非常好的系统。首先,我观察了一下我的洗衣机,并记下了它对衣服的影响。我找不到任何理由,在没有电和有效锻炼的情况下,我不能做得至少和洗衣机一样好。所有要做的就是灌满水,嗖嗖地转3分钟,沥干水,灌满水,再次嗖嗖地转,然后旋转。总之,我买了两个蓝色的大储物箱,把它们放进我的浴缸里,还从雷曼兄弟公司订购了一个活塞和洗衣机。天洗衣的水来自我9岁站在蓝色的浴缸淋浴(听起来总有些,但是它不像他在一个煤矿工作或者肉类加工厂),然后在环保洗衣皂和衣服,然后我花3分钟飕飕声他们和垫圈,然后我支持一个洗衣篮在浴缸里,把湿衣服的水,然后放入下一盆清水冲洗和同样的事情,搅拌3分钟,然后沥干水分——如果需要的话,我再用手拧干一点(我还没有拧干机)。然后,由于现在外面很冷,它们被挂在晾衣架上放在厨房的一个加热通风口上。洗衣服的水一整天都用来冲厕所——我关掉厕所的水,然后倒一桶水冲厕所。我知道它不可能比机器使用更多的水,因为它可以循环利用,而机器不能。我认为那些吹捧洗碗机、洗衣机能节省多少水的研究一定是由销售这些机器的公司资助的——我也手洗碗,一个洗盆一个冲洗盆,然后水会流到花园里——2加仑,而我们的洗碗机要用13加仑!
I know this is kinda long -I just think my system is working out very nicely! The clothes of course take longer to dry, but I cut our electric bill by about a third by just not using the dryer anymore. I have yet to see the new water bill, but its got to make a difference!
EarthLuvrsays
The recycling of water ideas you posted are amazing! Thank you! I agree with you, the myth that dishwashers and washing machines hurt the environment less are most likely research project funded by special interest groups. Anyone who has hand washed clothes can tell you that by simple common sense!
Mirandasays
Another thing I have found is that if you shake the laundry after it is dry it will soften up A Lot! My three year old and I have fun doing this together!
Lesliesays
我是六个孩子的母亲,我的丈夫、孩子和我的家园。去年秋天我们开始手洗所有的衣服。一切都很顺利。我们用各种各样的方式一起努力,衣服更干净了,孩子们的技能、力量和独立思考都得到了提高,我们用的电也更少了。我们也感觉与世界上更多的人联系在一起,因为事实上,大多数人都不用机器洗衣服。我们有一系列的博客文章和视频,展示了我们到底是如何洗衣服的,以及这种新的绿色简单程度如何影响了我们的家庭,以防它们可能对这里的任何人有所帮助。我们非常喜欢手洗衣服,这已经成为我们家庭生活的一部分。谢谢你的帖子。
Jennisays
我所有的衣服都是我亲手洗的。我发现我的浴缸是个洗衣服的好地方——包括毛巾和牛仔裤。我在跳蚤市场上发现了一个雷曼兄弟的玻璃搓板,在eBay上发现了一个古董衣物榨汁机,它们都能产生奇迹,而且都是美国制造的。我把浴缸装满热水和环保洗衣皂,再滴几滴精油,然后用拖把把搅动它,再用搓板。有时我甚至会进去,用我的(干净的)脚跺一跺脚,把它们都踩上去。这是一种很棒的锻炼!我把浴缸里的水放干,灌满干净的水,再搅拌一下,就制成了肥皂。我再次排干浴缸里的水,然后踩在衣服上,尽可能多地把水压出来,然后我用我的旧衣服绞干机,它比洗衣机的旋转循环更能榨出更多的水。终于到了晾衣服的时候——我住的公寓里有一小块砾石区,所以我在家得宝买了一根美国制造的服装绳和滑轮系统,把它从我窗玻璃上的一个钩子吊到树上的一个钩子上。它能创造奇迹! I hang my laundry out as early in the day as possible so I get the most sun, and sometimes I even wash it the night before and put it on two collapsible drying wracks I found at a thrift store (again USA-made! yay!) overnight to speed up drying. This is especially important for towels – I put them on a drying wrack standing in the bathtub overnight so they’ll lose a lot of the water they’ve soaked up and then they’re much lighter for line drying the next day.
It’s completely doable, and it works as an exercise routine
Mariasays
I think hand washing is appropriate for some clothes such as delicates, tops, certain skirts, and trousers. Towels and blankets etc are too hard. I’ve never had to use a dryer, and air drying is the best option for me as the clothes feel nicer, fresher, and also less likely that something will happen to them. I also think that another important point is wear and tear. My clothes have lasted a very long time because I have hand washed them whenever I could. As consumers we can save money on buying new clothes by simply hand washing them, and also placing clothes on the rack after wearing them only once, airing them out and wearing them again is a better option than washing after wearing something only once.
A drying rack permanently set up in a convenient place is also a good idea, as clothes are more accessible. It’s all about organisation.
此外,洗手是一种技能,使我们更接近工作的本质,它也是治疗,更不用说伟大的锻炼。我们的孩子也可以学到这一宝贵的生活技能,这对他们也有好处。
洗快乐!
Eco Blokesays
Hi all,
有人要求回答“在30度还是40度的温度下洗衣服最好?”,但我不确定答案。You can see his question in full athttp://www.ecobloke.co.uk/2010/01/is-it-best-to-wash-my-clothes-at-30-or-40-degrees-which-releases-less-carbon/
Any ideas? Any help would be wonderful
Clotheslinesays
Yes, this is a very good plan towards a green environment. In fact if people started hand washing their clothes it would not only save time, energy and money but the condition and quality of your clothes would also not be affected. I also suggest drying them out in the sun rather than using dryers, another step towards the ‘go green’ slogan. You can easily find portable clotheslines and racks to dry your clothes in the sun.
Check out these guys –http://www.breezedryer.com
Angelasays
My washing machine died today, after months of lingering on and just about working. I hand washed my laundry for a while last year after the machine conked out, but the problem I had was getting the clothes dry. I’ve now got a nice little spin dryer (not as green as a mangle I know) so I’m seriously considering not replacing the washing machine. The only thing I’m worried about now is washing the baby’s bamboo nappies by hand… does anyone have any advice on the most hygenic way of doing this? I don’t really want to boil them!
Kelly Egansays
I did all my wash for three months by hand in an effort to save money and educate others. The water came from our rain barrels (in the city). I used a wonder washer (the small, pressurized hand-cranked model) for the “wash” cycle, and two large storage bins for the double rinse. You have to double rinse while hand washing to get them really clean. I used the same water for about 5 tubfuls of clothes before changing it, and had the kids stomp on the clothes like grapes to agitate them. The real key is to get a hand wringer or a spinner to get the bulk of the water out. I bought the Lehman’s Best Wringer, and it worked wonders – you just need something sturdy to clamp it to. Towels were especially satisfying to put through the wringer!
beckasays
在欧洲有方便的小电动洗衣机(比如沙拉洗衣机),你可以用水桶接水——不需要太多空间——我们已经有两年没有洗衣机或烘干机了——没有洗衣垫——只用手洗,然后放入洗衣机,“两个循环”,接水给植物,然后再洗干净衣服。A US version must exist somewhere ?
beckasays
I do not think that water usage is funded by manufacturers -I changed my washer to a front loader it cut my water bill in HALF – (i have 3 children ) I really do trust ‘consumer reports’ and they do these studies themselves.
sksays
Here’s how we’re setting up our laundry system:
First of all, use soapnuts for detergent. Follow the link to learn more:http://www.buysoapnuts.com/
You don’t even need to put clothes through rinse cycle if you use them – that means you only need a single wash tub like this:http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3830042&cp=1255018.1260830
You can put a bucket underneath so you can reuse the water from the tub to water plants
Then get yourself an awesome wringer :http://www.wringerhand.com/index.html
A retractable clotheline to dry and you’re set.
Ihaterichsays
I’m not a green person by any means. In fact, I don’t care about the environment at all (I have no cups, silverware or plates in my house, it’s all Styrofoam). However, I didn’t want to spend $500 on a washer and dryer, and I keep odd hours, so getting to the laundromat was often difficult. So as a result, I’ve been hand washing for a few months now.
I gotta say, it’s not so hard, and it’s nice to save a little money. Now I only go to the laundry mat to wash my towels and bed things. Everything else goes into the bath tub. Anyway, here’s my method:
把浴缸装满热水,并加入一些洗涤剂。我只使用了推荐用量的四分之一,否则很难全部用上。一个浴缸是满的。我把所有的衣服揉了几分钟,试着把肥皂放进去,然后把衣服放在肥皂水里浸泡大约30分钟。
Next, I drain the bathtub and ring out the clothes a bit. I once again fill the tub with hot water, and re-knead the clothes. The clothes soak for another 30 minutes.
Finally, I drain the tub, and fill it up once more. I agitate the clothes a bit and let them sit a few minutes. If the water is clear, then the soap is gone. If it’s still soapy then I rinse the clothes individually and repeat this step.
Anyway, that’s my method, and it seems to work for me. My clothes always come out looking and smelling clean.
Good luck all!
Blairsays
也许有些人会觉得奇怪,也许不会。对于那些不太脏的衣服(睡衣,家里的衣服等),我在洗澡的时候把它们放在淋浴器的底部。我先洗我的身体,然后把排水管放进去,让浴缸装满我洗澡的水。在这种情况下,洗发水就像清洁剂一样。当我出来的时候,我把衣服放在浴缸里和水一起浸泡。过了一会儿,我用一个活塞(专门用于衣服),把它们的屎搅出来。然后我把水沥干,用手拧干,再泡在淡水里,然后再拧干,挂起来晾干。
In the summer, it only takes them about 20 minutes outside to dry in the sun. In the winter, I put them in the utility room, which is usually extra warm due to the hot water tank and the furnace. It takes about 24 hours.
kymsays
Yes to the soap nuts.
No rinsing required with soap nuts, as they are not a detergent and will not leave a film or residue on your clothes.
不过,我还是会清洗内衣。
I’m going to try this tonight – a warm tub after my shower, my bag of 5 soap nuts, and some agitation. Will use the spin cycle on the “machine” though, since hand wringing does a number on the phalanges.
Ashleysays
I have been washing my clothes by hand for about a year now. After growing tired of lugging my laundry to my parents’ house (which inevitably resulted in an entire evening of loading, unloading and waiting) I looked up a home-made washing machine online. It includes the use of buckets and plungers. My husband initially laughed about it, but once he saw me doing it, he gently nudged me aside so he could try.
Here’s my system, with a few personalized changes:
I try to wash a small load at least once every other day in my bathtub. This works well when I am washing only my own laundry. I purchased two 5-gallon buckets at a hardware store and two brand new plungers. The online directions suggestion cutting a hole in the lid of the buckets for the plunger handle to run through, which I did. I found that the extra effort in setting the lid up and not being able to see the clothes while I washed them wasn’t for me.
I first fill one bucket with cold water and soap (less than recommended.) I soak 3-4 pieces of clothing for a minute and then agitate with the plunger. I only wash 10-12 pieces as that is all I have room to hang at once. I then initally hang them over a convenient handle bar in my shower and let gravity pull the soapy water out while I set up the rinse bucket. I then put a small amount of fabric softener in the second bucket of water and complete the same process. I then fill the original bucket with clean water and rinse the clothes.
I have set up a second spring-loaded shower curtain rod that sits above the center of the tub. (We are not allowed to have a clothesline in my apartment complex.) I wring the clothes by hand and hang them from ordinary hangers on the second curtain rod. The water drips into the tub and down the drain. On a warm day, the clothes take 18-24 hours to dry (I usually don’t use the air conditioner.) If I need clothes in a hurry, I’ll set up a small fan in the bathroom and they will be dry in about 8 hours. In the winter, I use only the baseboard heat in the bathroom to heat the apartment, and the clothes dry very quickly.
我通常在淋浴后或睡觉前洗衣服。如果我需要移动衣服去洗澡,它们不会在那个点滴水。还有,我把衣架放在那儿,靠墙的地方。当客人使用淋浴时,这是一个很好的话题!
I am happy to hear about filling the bucket with shower water and am excited to try that. I am also surprised and disappointed when people mock or disapprove of my hand-washing system. Like others on this thread, I find that it feels more natural, is therapeutic, and is a great workout.
Thanks for the ideas everyone! Great job!!
Tesssays
I’m pretty much broke, so washing laundry is a very expensive process for me. We don’t have a home washer or dryer, and because I work full time, taking the time to haul loads of laundry to the laundromat is NOT pleasant. I was issued three work shirts at my work, so I realized quickly that laundry would need to be done much more often.
我出去买了一些环保清洁剂,开始工作。我的工作衬衫是很重的马球衫,所以花了一些时间,但很值得。第一天晚上,我不得不用吹风机把其中一件衬衫吹干,但加州的高温非常适合第二天在户外把剩下的衣服吹干。
I love doing this though, it provides a bit of a work-out, and it is actually incredibly relaxing at the same time.
Psssstsays
看看这个,在浴缸里手洗衣服,(非特定的)从你买的时候开始,让肥皂残留形成一个月,清洗,漂洗,挂起来晾干(找一些洗衣液,低过敏性的,如果你被激怒了就停止这样做,阅读洗衣液上的警告标签..),它可以防止污渍,(甚至在袜子上,我很讨厌,脏袜子),可能预防疾病。当你最终机洗它们时,你最终不得不这样做,因为残留物会积聚起来,让衣服看起来暗沉,皮肤上的油脂会积聚起来,它们会生物降解,即使肥皂残渣可能会让你生病,随着时间的推移,你会有一种气味,只是来自天然油脂,而一些人可能不会觉得那么糟糕,一些人可能会把它比作晒干的新鲜衣服,它可能会给肺炎和假性多菌病一个吸引的地方,虽然肥皂残留可能会对抗它们,即使它们(根除),仍然有一个可能的地方让它们依附或什么的。最终,在不可阻挡的堆积之后,机洗之后,你得到的清洁是你不能从洗衣机中得到的。我不会建议你洗手什么的,因为我在这方面不是很专业。它可以让那些颜色停留得更久,让那些材料保持住。这种材料必须膨胀和收缩,才能真正地清洁,这是健康的,如果你只手洗,不使用机器,这些线也不会坚持那么久,因为有肥皂残留。我可以猜测,允许这种膨胀和收缩和手洗作用添加剂在布料上可能会为肥皂提供一个地方,让它卡住,阻止那些可能在机洗中卡住的东西,可能只是用烘干机而不是手洗作用添加剂使它成为过去式,让其他东西在干燥后长出来。事物是如何变异的,过去时的事物提供了食物?肥皂可能会防止这种情况。 Ya dig? All kinds of things to learn. Education can help prevent a lot. With the prevalence of hiv and all, cancer, antibiotic resistant, virus and other immune system things going on, a little extra effort could help keep others one is around healthier too. Either way, clothing is clothing and it is going to be something that eventually may have to be replaced, so prolonging the use is worthwhile, I think anyway, and if handwashing clothing has benefits and helps, good, right? Have a nice day/night/etc.
Tambreysays
I never fail to be surprised at the opposition to hand washing! I live in a third world country and it is the only way it is done, unless you are very rich. Ashley’s system is very similar to what is done here, only the clothes that are not delicate are scrubbed with a brush and all of them are rubbed together by hand. Because our water is very cold it is good to wear gloves.
The clothes are almost always cleaner than machine washed, and no residue builds up–I think that that is due to inadequate rinsing.
More tips–if you live where the sun is very bright, turn the clothes inside out to hang them on the line. Also, don´t forget to wash the insides of clothes. And if you use detergent, don’t use it on underwear–use soap instead!
Mary Q Contrariesays
I recently bought thishand washing clothes kitto help with my hand washing chore. I find that as long as I do a few items everyday hand washing is really not that hard.
I actually think my items are getting cleaner than they were when I was going to the laundromat and I was putting everything in one big washer just to save money.
Tonysays
Get a five gallon PVC bucket. These things are the most brilliant modern invention and tey are soooo underutilized. You can get them for free at restaurants and other places, or buy them cheaply. Use them as wine making fermenters, dishwashwing sinks, planters, composting toilets, trashbins, etc. BUT HOW TO USE THEM FOR EASY LAUNDERING OF HEAVY PEICES OF CLOTHES?? 1/2 fill with water. add detergent. stir briefly. Add a few peices of dirty clothes. Buy a plunger exclusively for laundering. Stick it in the laundry, and plunge up and down at a comfortable pace and wash the water get dirty as your clothes are laundered. I do it in the bathroom and listen to public radio as I do it. Affter about five minutes, drain off the water. Add fresh cool water. Work the plunger again. Do it for about 2 or three times. If you have three 5 gallon PVC buckets for this, pour your rinse water into other buckets to get another load started and conserve some water. Use te gray water (assuming you are using bio-degradeable soap) to water trees, and shrubbery. Wring with your hands, hang in the sun. Dry time on a sunny day: 2 hours?? By the way? You can make your own bio degradeable soap in about 20 minutes, for about 20 cents a gallon. The Trick to doing laundry this way is to treat it like washing dishes, or showering. Launder what ever you wear each day—maybe after 2 wearings, to be thrifty—and it should not take more than 20 minutes a day. We are talking about underwear, socks, a shirt and some pants and a towel. That takes about twenty minutes to a half hour and the satisfaction you feel for being thrifty and throuroughly leaning your clothing with out adding to the coffers of the Corparations!! Wow
Brittanysays
Currently I am standing in my tub acting as an agitator at one time I had no other option then to use my own tub for washing. With out being equipped with the few tools our grandmothers had I made do. Instead of a harmful laundry detergent I used a shampoo that smelled of strawberries and green tea! Delicious by the way! Made from you guessed strawberries and green tea along with a few other natural things. Although this process is more time consuming and a bit more work I find it very effective and )cost efficient as well. For towels I found the trick of adding a tad bit of conditioner in place or a softener while rinsing! When they dry give them a good shake and presto! And that flattening while wrapped in towels is a great idea! But I use a rolling pin on my kitchen counter and of course mop after cause it’s well needed. It’s not like what they used to do in the old days but it seems to be working out when I have an extra couple of hours on Sunday. Note please do not hang most of your garments on your curtain rod! What is up must come down! I’m sure if you were in desperate need of places to hang dry you will find door knobs, drawers, maybe even lucky enough to have a clothing rack Good luck
Harrisays
在写这篇文章之前,我没有仔细阅读所有其他评论,所以如果有人已经提出了这个建议,我道歉。
关于烘干较重物品的问题,我妈妈教我的一个技巧是尽可能多地拧干,然后:
-lay a dry towel out flat
-lay out the item on top of the towel
-roll the towel up, so the wet item gets rolled up with it
-wring the towel/item roll
-take out item
This really gets the excess water out of the heavier stuff which makes drying times quicker and if, like me, you have no outside space to hang your washing – stops you getting a massive puddle on the floor while your jeans dry!
sandrasays
我的母亲成长在六七十年代,作为一个单身的贫穷母亲,她没有选择,她在浴缸或厨房的水槽里手洗我们所有的衣服。我记得她终于攒够了钱,买了一台很小的便携式洗衣机,你可以把它连在厨房的水槽上。洗好的衣服一洗完,你就解开挂钩,把衣服卷回到壁橱里。它有微波炉推车那么大,排水管可以把水排到水槽里。
Lindasays
I use the bathtub to wash sleeping bags as I don’t like the chemicals from dry cleaning. I get into the tub and stomp the sleeping bag, rinse and drain then set it atop a broomstick laid across the tub to get most of the water out of it. Because I do have a washing machine, I use it to spin out the water then hang to dry outside.
Davidsays
我住在一间600平方英尺的公寓里,那是一间由车库改造而成的婆婆套间,建于1940年代。我已经在这里住了7年了。我几乎一直都是手洗的。我家的插座很少。我的厨房只有一个插口,离水槽很远。我曾考虑过只买一个小型公寓洗衣机。一些海外朋友有洗衣机和烘干机的组合。这些组合要么使用水干燥(冷凝器)或风干。热风比冷凝器干燥快。这些套餐起价1000美元。
当我告诉别人我洗手的时候,他们会看我一眼,然后评论我。大多数人都同意我的观点,即手洗和风干可以保存你的衣服。虽然我对污渍很在行。One item I am seriously considering on buying ishttp://www.lehmans.com/store/Home_Goods___Laundry___Washing___Breathing_Hand_Washer___1138390
这能帮我摆脱把手伸进热水里的窘境。我的水加热到华氏140度以上。我很喜欢这样。我不建议使用马桶活塞,因为橡胶会把它的气味留在你的衣服上。
I also have an extra shower curtain holder that I also suspend in the middle of my shower for shirts, socks, underwear, on hangers. a wooden folding rack that fits well in the tub and once everything has finished dripping I can move it. I don’t have any yard to line dry.
I use Dreft for the soap because it is fragrance free and still tough on stains, mild for babies clothes. For stains I have used Resolve carpet stain remover. For oil based stains I use Lestoil. Dip an old toothbrush and lightly wet the stain with the product wash right away. I also have used Mrs. Stewart’s Bluing for bright whites. Rinse is easy. I wash in a 5 gal pail that sits easily under my faucet. I soak most everything for longer than 5 minutes.
Judy Keyesays
I watched my grandmother wash in a wash tub over a fire in the back yard and hang her clothes on lines strung from trees. I helped my mother use a wringer washer and hang her clothes in our back yard. Over my lifetime, I have my own washers and dryers, commercial laundry mats, small portable apartment laundry machines, a scrub board and plastic tub, and my own bathtub and sink. I really do not think there is any difference in the quality or safety of the washing done, as long as you don’t use too much soap/detergent, agitate or scrub adequately, and rinse well. The only real difference is how much time you are willing (or unwilling) to spend on the task and how much money you wish to spend. The question of the “proper way” to do it has no answer; do what works for you and your clothes, satisfies your conscious, and comforts your soul. JK
Marinasays
I currently hand wash ALL the laundry for my family of 5. When my washer first died I turned to The local laundermat, but the cost was insane! One weeks worth of laundry cost me just over $60 ($240 per month) to wash and dry. We managed the cost somehow, but I hated paying that much just to wash clothing, there where better things my family could use the money on. One week I gathered all the laundry together, gritted my teeth dreading using the laundermat yet again, and loaded up the car. When I arrived at the laundermat there was a sign in the window that read: Closed For Maintence. The one and only laundermat in my town was closed, and stayed that was for 3 weeks. Twice I drove the laundry to the next town 30 miles away, then decided I was done and began my hand washing adventures.
I’ve learned a lot so far and will share a few tips with you:
The soap you use makes a differance. I found that homemade laundry soap worked far better, and left the clothing softer than the brand name products.
可以在浴缸里洗,可以用塑料托儿洗,甚至可以用5加仑的水桶洗。
If you want your clothing and towles to be soft when they dry make sure you rinse out ALL the soap and add 1/2 – 1 cup of vinager to the final rinse.
My routine:
Put soap into large plastic tote (in the bathtub) and begin filling with water, making sure soap is desolved. Add clothing and fill until the water covers the load.
Give the clothes a good swishing and let soak for 20 min or so.
将衣物搅拌约2分钟或100次/次。你可以买一个搅拌器来帮忙(它们看起来像有洞的马桶活塞),用手,甚至用脚,这取决于使用的洗涤剂。
Drain the tub and wring out clothing. To do this I put the clothes in a laundry basket then place another ontop and have one of the kids ( or occationaly myself) sit/stand in the top basket for a min to squish out the water.
这次在手提袋里再次装满干净的水。加衣服,嗖的一声。让骚动像以前一样再坐一会儿。沥干,拧干,重复。如果一切顺利,这些灵魂将是你最后的洗礼。如果你把肥皂拿掉了,再也洗不干净了,那就添加醋汁。搅拌5分钟左右。沥干,拧好,挂在绳子上。葡萄酒的味道会随着衣服的干燥而消失。
Jeff McIntire-Strasburgsays
Thanks so much for the tips, Marina – impressive!
Paul Rosasays
Ahhh, but you all make this too complicated.
At the end of each day, I shower FULLY DRESSED. After making sure I rinse thoroughly, I tightly roll up the wet clothing in towels before hanging them up to dry. By morning they are good to go – VOILA!!!
I can’t remember the last time I did laundry…..
Wingnutsays
自从搬进公寓,手洗衣服就成了一种福气!洗衣垫上的洗衣和烘干费用约为2-3美元。这听起来似乎不多,但当你有两个成年人和一个蹒跚学步的孩子要洗衣服时,这就加起来了,更不用说,我们通常需要两次烘干牛仔裤和毛巾,否则它们仍然是湿的。我几个月前开始洗手。一开始是因为我们没有洗衣皂。我第一次洗衣服的时候用的是熔岩皂,我知道这不是最好的选择,不过那是洗碗皂。我的衣服在手洗后感觉很干净,所以我从来没有停止过。从那以后,我们用洗衣垫的次数不超过三倍。自从洗手后,我感到更有成就感了。
Lilacsays
It’s refreshing to know I’m not alone doing my laundry by hand. I admit I didn’t start doing this by choice; first dryer (old) conked out, month later washer (not so old) joined the appliance graveyard. When my dryer didn’t work, I rediscovered the scent of outdoor drying (memories of childhood). When the washer conked out, I groaned. But my mother did it so I figured I learned enough from helping her, I would just do it!
我记得唯一的诀窍是在第一次冲洗时加一点醋,然后在第二次冲洗时加一点柔软剂,比如床单、毛巾、牛仔裤等比较重的物品。这也有助于去除肥皂和除臭剂。我在浴缸里用了3个大水桶。我组装了一个旧扫帚柄,使拧拧重物变得更容易,用手拧出更多的水。
Heathersays
Put your towels in a tote in the tub, push the tote back and forth vigorously for 6-7 minutes. Dump and wring.
Refill with water and 1 cap softener then repeat.
行干燥。
If you’re having issue wringing, loop the towl on a pole then wring.
Alice Adamssays
干燥时,使用沙拉旋转器。我去慈善机构买了一个很大的,现在我用手洗了很多东西。稍微锻炼一下我的手臂(我穿无袖会很好看)。我向一个方向旋转50次,打开转盘把水倒掉,然后向另一个方向旋转50次。
I hang clothes on clothes hangers and hang from shower curtain. Cuts down on drying time. You can even do one pair of jeans if you’re strong enough!
Sheila Connollysays
Look up the bucket and plunger method! It works great for heavy things. You put stuff in a big bucket, fill with water and soap, and then use a clean toilet plunger to push stuff up and down. It’s also a good bit faster than doing it in your sink. It helps not to put too many clothes in the bucket at once.
Clive Msays
有趣的话题。你知道如果人工合成的衣服是手洗的话,会不会有更少的纤维脱落并最终流入海洋?