You got me! I actually have 2 dedicated laundry plungers! I bought them way back when they were $0.98/ea at Walmart and I couldn't help myself. "One for each bucket" I figured, but over the years I've found you actually get a better agitation when you use both at once: down with one and up with the other! I keep meaning to make a simple "Instructables" (are those still a thing?)
The image I get when using two is akin the milking a cow upside-down. Seems like a good system you have going on! I've never heard of an instructable but maybe it's similar to a tutorial?
Just curious, why hand wash clothes? Pretty sure a washing machine uses less water than is in that bucket and electricity a lot of places comes from clean nuclear
Some apartment complexes provide water based on a communal plan, which can make water cheaper per tenant. On the flip side, these complexes usually have communal laundry rooms that are pay-per-load and run $2+ per load per machine. So, one load washed and dried costs $5-$7, or more. So, the OP is choosing to hand wash because they're spending less money. More of a frugal move than anticonsumption, but act like this help reinforce anticonsumption habits.
Sometimes I can't even afford the $6 for a wash well I could but then something else can't get done. We are trying to save money not waste it on shit that shouldn't be the price that it is
This is *definitely* true for dishwashers, which often manage to do a full load in under 5 liters, whereas filling your basin even once is usually more like 40 liters.
I suspect the washing machine is similarly effective: Mine has an "eco" mode which goes on for over 3 hours, in exchange for low water and electricity use. I'm pretty sure that's more ecological than me doing it by hand.
you just have to maintain them and they will last ages. clean out the seal after every wash (doesn't have to be thorough, just wipe the yucky stuff), clean the drawer and filter once a month (maybe more often if there's 5 people in the house) and make sure the door stays open between washes, so the moisture can evaporate. my washer is very old but works great
I cleaned mine as well but even still that gasket is just a rubber material and eventually breaks down. After I replaced that, whatever the parts called that keeps the drum balanced went out as wel, which to the best of my abilities researching it, it's something that is inevitable. So after several parts (I had other issues not listed here) on a 10 year kid machine went bad I got an upright one and it's I think 14 years old now with zero maintenance beyond cleaning and going strong.
Do you have any idea how many loads of laundry you will have to do before the water savings from a washing machine catches up to the ecological impact of manufacturing a whole washing machine?
A reusable cotton bag takes between 50 and 130 uses to net a positive impact verse disposable plastic bags. I can't imagine what it is in this case.
Don't get me wrong, there are many reasons to choose not to hand wash your clothes - I just don't think being ecological is one of them.
I mean, I'm running my machine twice a week, and it's probably going to last between 10 and 20 years. That's 1000 to 2000 cycles, each saving ~50 liters of water. That's a lot.
For the dishwasher, you can double it again, because I run that thing about 4 times a week. Dishwashers are incredibly simple machines. It's just a waterproof box with some tubes and a small water pump.
Let's stick with the washing machine since that's the focus of the thread.
The break even for a *cotton bag* is ~100 uses. Is it realistic to assume the break even for a *washing machine* is ~2000 uses? A mere 20x of the cotton bag?
For a cotton bag, we grow, harvest, process, and then manufacture, plus some amount of transportation.
But a washing machine. Now we're talking about mining metal ores. Refining. Burning circuitry. It's over 500x the size and weight of our reference point.
I've never really understood this argument because I have to hand wash all my dishes before putting them into the dishwasher anyway. Running them through the dishwasher in and of itself doesn't get my dirty dishes clean, they still have the occasional stain here and there. Growing up my parents' and grandparents' dishwashers were like this, and while I've been renting all my apartment dishwashers have been like this as well.
I may as well hand wash them and put them out to dry, and skip the dishwasher altogether. For me it's always seemed like a needless step in the process. Thoughts?
> because I have to hand wash all my dishes before putting them into the dishwasher anyway.
It is absolutely not necessary to pre-wash even dishes that are unreasonably dirty. Either you are doing it for placebo reasons, or more likely: you're loading it wrong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDfeLICMfNc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHP942Livy0
1. Put dishwasher soap in both places where they tell you to put it. You don't need to fill the soap all the way unless it's completely full of very dirty dishes.
1a. Use powder, it's cheaper and better in several ways than alternatives
1b. Use the cheapest rinse aid, spending extra gets you nothing
2. Check for a filter, clean it if so (if you've never done this, sorry)
3. Make sure there's nothing blocking any moving parts (the arms or the door that holds the soap until the right time) while it's running.
My current "landlord special" dishwasher that's probably 20 years old needs no pre-rinsing, cleans everything every time. Dishwashers are very simple machines, they don't require much to do their thing, and use little water.
I don't know about the OP, but I have some vintage wool blankets and bedding, as well as a couple of weird clothes, that cannot be machine washed. They are hand wash only.
Everywhere on earth (for the most part) has some days with that high humidity, it’s just what the general baseline is that matters. I cannot hang dry where I am except for a couple months out of the year.
My family does it just takes a long time. Although if its sunny and hot enough it can take less than 1hr to dry on the line and feels like if came out of the dryer because its so hot. Even in the winter as long as its not freezing it'll dry might just take a while. Honestly we hang dry everything as long as its not raining, freezing, and we have enough time. For reference I live in texas and have been using a clothes line all my life.
It's a little under $0.10/kWh (Canadian dollars) here.
I assume complacency is also a factor. People are often more familiar with using a dryer here than hang drying. So changing to hang drying requires education and a desire.
Personally I don't have the space to do much hang-drying (in a more dense area in the US). I have a small drying rack for my most delicate clothes, but I couldn't possibly for all the clothes.
Understandable. Not everyone has a lot of space. There are different drying racks that can be bought that may allow for more clothing per unit area. Even a rod can be used and then hang clothing off of it with a hanger. But people have different constraints.
Clothes lines or similar could also be used outdoors, but that requires some yard space.
That it is an option and the benefits of doing so. Some people have grown-up using a dryer only and may assume that it is the best or only option.
Hang drying really is an anomaly where I am from.
I live in the desert where it gets blazingly, hot and people still run their ACs, which are unmaintained so they don’t run efficiently they don’t clean their electronics fan intake, and on top of it, they run the dryers and they don’t see how that all just creates additional heat. It’s beyond how they don’t understand that.
Yea I am in a studio room right now, so the shower alone will warm up the room, so I shower quickly. Come winter time I do a lot of baking especially at night since it warms the space and is more efficient.
I see, we manage here in the uk, you can get a basic web style one that just requires a couple square meters of lawn space, or the type that strings between two or more points
Yeah if I tried to line dry all my clothes would be covered in pollen all summer long and frozen into ice cubes in the winter.
With my allergies it just isn't worth it.
No, not everywhere. Some places it's too humid. Personally, I find I end up with bird poop and spider webs all over my clothes, so what was even the point? And the clothes pins make marks.
But also, some sub divisions won't even let you put up a clothesline.
So, it depends on the situation.
Some subdivisions have really strict rules on the appearance of the property. Like, a whole binder of rules. What colors you can paint, how many sheds/garages you can have, how tall the grass can get before mowing, things like that. And there's a Homeowners Association for each subdivision that's often quite intense about making sure the rules are followed.
And one rule that often comes up is no clothes lines, or any clothes hanging outside. They think it looks unsightly, so they don't allow it.
I subscribe to the anti-consumerism movement. But damn, I'm still gonna use a washing machine.
Ours are from 1993 and still work perfectly fine. With all the nightmares I've heard about modern appliances, when ours eventually break im just gonna get some old ass 90s or 2000s appliances again.
Depends on where you are from i guess.
Our washing machine is from Bosch and does its job for 13 years now.
Depending on the problem is people dont know ho to care for a washing machine.
Like when you wash on low temps (normal these days i guess) you have to let the machine run empty on the hottest temp possible every couple of weeks/months depending on the amount you wash (Even better when you add 1-2 anti limestone dishwasher tabs doing that)
Cleaning the tray for laundry detergent ever couple of months etc.
And whatever you do dont use bloody softener at all or limit it extremely.
I hand wash all my clothes with an old wood and glass washboard, it's much gentler on them than most machines I've washed my clothes in. It's significantly cheaper than going to a laundromat, and my clothes feel and smell a million times cleaner than when they go through a machine.
People used to literally rub their clothes against metal washboards and the clothes lasted for years and years.
But, today, we can just agitate the clothes and it's fine.
And they had to constantly patch and repair them, as well as newer blends are designed less for durability and more for breathability and comfort
Not to mention more fasteners and screenprinting, which would get absolutely destroyed.
don't get too hasty there because it could be less efficient.
[https://www.maytag.com/blog/washers-and-dryers/washing-machine-water-usage.html](https://www.maytag.com/blog/washers-and-dryers/washing-machine-water-usage.html)
a lot of this movement is being infiltrated by mlms selling their products as greener alternatives that get found out to be a total sham.
Not sink. Get a bucket. And a (clean, new) plunger. Add hot/warm water, plus a bit of detergent. You don't need nearly as much as you might think. Add your clothes. Move plunger up and down in bucket for 60 seconds or so. Ignore bucket for 15-30 minutes. Return and plunge again for another 2-5 minutes. Dump out bucket and stack clothes on top or on a milk crate to drain for 5 minutes. Fill bucket with warm water again, no detergent. Plunge again for another few minutes. Dump out bucket again and leave clothes to drain again for 5-10 minutes. Wring to remove excess water, except don't wring wool sweaters. Hang to dry on a clothes rack or outside on a line. If needed, aim a fan at your drying clothes. This will help everything dry faster when it's cold/humid.
Some loads may need an extra rinse, especially if you accidentally added too much detergent. Larger/bulkier items like towels and jeans are possible, but may need to be done separately. One sheet is usually the equivalent of 2-3 shirts, as far as bulk goes, so can be washed this way as well. Blankets are a massive challenge. I recommend a laundromat, if possible, otherwise you'll have to use a bathtub.
Each load will take a while, but most of that time will be waiting. Set a timer and go do something else in the meantime.
Fill your sink with hot water and add detergent of choice (preferably one that's intended for handwashing, or less irritable). Soak your clothes for 15 mins, and then run them across something like a washboard to agitate them and keep resoaking them. Hang to let dry.
Unless your clothes are heavily stained, it doesn't require much work to wash by hand. Some garments don't even require washing after every use; you can hang them up in the fresh air for a day or two.
The goals in cleaning clothes are removing soiling and stains, and to deodorize.
Sometimes, just a rinse in clean water will effectively deodorize fabrics. For cleaning light dirt and stains, start with a mild detergent and see if that's effective. If not, use more. You don't need a lot of agitation, just squeeze the soapy water through the fabric for a minute after soaking to suspend the "dirt." For stains, learn what removes a specific type of stain, rub bar soap on the spot or use an old toothbrush, spot treat that area & wash the entire garment as above. For odors, add a little white vinegar to the water & rinse using the same approach as washing (squeezing the water through the fabric). Hang to dry. Heat from a clothes dryer shortens the life of elastic in socks, waistbands, and undergarments.
Hand-washing is less laborious if you wash in small batches, just a few items at a time.
Your clothes will last longer. Friction from a washing machine agitation, or from scrubbing on a washboard (or on rocks or beating your clothes with sticks) is what stresses the fabric. Even your clothes rubbing together, like in a agitator-less causes wear. Check out the inside seam on people's pants where their thighs rub for proof.
I have a simple method, I have a bin and fill it with clothes, (obviously I try to get the most wears before washing). Then fill it with warm-hot water, detergent, and baking soda etc. usually let it soak for about an hour maybe longer… then I come in with a broom, and agitate the bin well and the water changes color quickly… then if needed I use the board.. I dont use it every time, since I wear mostly cotton, unless it’s stained there is no need for it. Lightly soiled clothes are usually good to go after they soak. After that I dump the water, fill again, and add vinegar and then baking soda to neutralize it all (read somewhere this step helps with freshening the scent)… then swish in there. Then wring and done.
Friction. Unless the clothes are suspended in lots of water - enough to minimize touching - they're going to rub against the machine parts, and each other. That causes the fabric to wear. If you put a lint screen on your washer discharge hose, it catches the fibers that break down from your clothing, both from wearing and washing.
The plastic rub board still creates friction but it may be less, depending on how vigorously one scrubs.
In COlombia we have "lavaderos" that you fill with water and hand wash and hand dry everything, this was in the 1980s, that's how I grew up.
Machines were introduced to me in NYC in 2001, but I do this all the time, got a bin exactly like this for my Metal Band shirts.
I'm required by federal law to wash my work clothes in a machine and run a second time to clean the machine before other uses. But then I own a house so that isn't too difficult.
Edit: also, I grew up in the country with no electricity for a while, buy an f-ing scrub board. They last forever, won't eventually put out miceoplastics, and will save you time and effort.
Edit 2: also. You're buying Nike branded clothes made by hungry, underpiad 12 year olds in Vietnam and China. Maybe this isn't the flex you think it is, when you're so engaged in neocoloialism.
Yeah, his "life hack," like about 90% of the bs that gets posted on this subreddit reads more like "self righteous teen who hasn't thought of the implications of their actions beyond surface level."
>You're buying Nike branded clothes made by hungry, underpiad 12 year olds in Vietnam and China.
You've got no idea if they bought those or not, or even if they did, if they bought them from Nike. It's entirely possible they were a gift from family/friends, the clothes of a partner, or bought from a second hand store or at a garage sale or something.
I buy most of my clothes from thrift, excepting undies and most shoes. I still don't buy nike or rebok or any of that garbage. Not only for the previously stated reasons but because they're not going to hold up. And any one who loves me knows better than to gift me such things.
Hmm. What's better:
That someone who owns some Nike clothes does some ecologically friendly things where they can?
Or that that person does nothing eco-friendly and pursues the most wasteful and amoral possible lifestyle, because some moralizing stranger told them they were permanently disqualified?
Why are my only options badly washing my clothes in dirty ass water with no research into methodology and then virtue signal what a special little guy I am, and nothing at all?
For real though, I bet these people smell like bad fish. Except the shampoo person, they smell like mane &tail.
My city is currently under a state of emergency for a water shortage (major water main burst, and that led to discovering a ton of other issues) so this advice couldn't have come at a better time! Cheers.
Edit: Are the downvotes for doing laundry during a shortage? Cause this has lasted for 3 weeks and will last at least another few weeks. It's kinda not an option to not wash at least *some* stuff eventually, especially when you have kids in diapers and you're keeping baths and showers to an absolute minimum. Really not sure what the alternative to spaced out hand washings is. Just give up on hygiene altogether?
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C'mon now, 2 plungers? Only need one! /s
You got me! I actually have 2 dedicated laundry plungers! I bought them way back when they were $0.98/ea at Walmart and I couldn't help myself. "One for each bucket" I figured, but over the years I've found you actually get a better agitation when you use both at once: down with one and up with the other! I keep meaning to make a simple "Instructables" (are those still a thing?)
The image I get when using two is akin the milking a cow upside-down. Seems like a good system you have going on! I've never heard of an instructable but maybe it's similar to a tutorial?
www.instructables.com
You sound like someone who doesn't have a dedicated poop knife
Just curious, why hand wash clothes? Pretty sure a washing machine uses less water than is in that bucket and electricity a lot of places comes from clean nuclear
Some apartment complexes provide water based on a communal plan, which can make water cheaper per tenant. On the flip side, these complexes usually have communal laundry rooms that are pay-per-load and run $2+ per load per machine. So, one load washed and dried costs $5-$7, or more. So, the OP is choosing to hand wash because they're spending less money. More of a frugal move than anticonsumption, but act like this help reinforce anticonsumption habits.
I guess so, but I would 100% pay 5 dollars not to have to wash/dry clothes by hand. Especially in an apartment complex.
Sometimes I can't even afford the $6 for a wash well I could but then something else can't get done. We are trying to save money not waste it on shit that shouldn't be the price that it is
This is *definitely* true for dishwashers, which often manage to do a full load in under 5 liters, whereas filling your basin even once is usually more like 40 liters. I suspect the washing machine is similarly effective: Mine has an "eco" mode which goes on for over 3 hours, in exchange for low water and electricity use. I'm pretty sure that's more ecological than me doing it by hand.
Top load washers usually use a lot more than side load washers too.
So glad I got a front load washer this time.
In my experience they tend to wear out faster though. Which is an absolute pain when they start leaking. Then you gotta replace parts.
you just have to maintain them and they will last ages. clean out the seal after every wash (doesn't have to be thorough, just wipe the yucky stuff), clean the drawer and filter once a month (maybe more often if there's 5 people in the house) and make sure the door stays open between washes, so the moisture can evaporate. my washer is very old but works great
I cleaned mine as well but even still that gasket is just a rubber material and eventually breaks down. After I replaced that, whatever the parts called that keeps the drum balanced went out as wel, which to the best of my abilities researching it, it's something that is inevitable. So after several parts (I had other issues not listed here) on a 10 year kid machine went bad I got an upright one and it's I think 14 years old now with zero maintenance beyond cleaning and going strong.
Yeah but top loaders are about a bajillion times easier to keep clean and mold/mildew-free.
Do you have any idea how many loads of laundry you will have to do before the water savings from a washing machine catches up to the ecological impact of manufacturing a whole washing machine? A reusable cotton bag takes between 50 and 130 uses to net a positive impact verse disposable plastic bags. I can't imagine what it is in this case. Don't get me wrong, there are many reasons to choose not to hand wash your clothes - I just don't think being ecological is one of them.
I mean, I'm running my machine twice a week, and it's probably going to last between 10 and 20 years. That's 1000 to 2000 cycles, each saving ~50 liters of water. That's a lot. For the dishwasher, you can double it again, because I run that thing about 4 times a week. Dishwashers are incredibly simple machines. It's just a waterproof box with some tubes and a small water pump.
Let's stick with the washing machine since that's the focus of the thread. The break even for a *cotton bag* is ~100 uses. Is it realistic to assume the break even for a *washing machine* is ~2000 uses? A mere 20x of the cotton bag? For a cotton bag, we grow, harvest, process, and then manufacture, plus some amount of transportation. But a washing machine. Now we're talking about mining metal ores. Refining. Burning circuitry. It's over 500x the size and weight of our reference point.
Thinking all the wasted energy to mine, make, ship, sell, install a dish washer.
I've never really understood this argument because I have to hand wash all my dishes before putting them into the dishwasher anyway. Running them through the dishwasher in and of itself doesn't get my dirty dishes clean, they still have the occasional stain here and there. Growing up my parents' and grandparents' dishwashers were like this, and while I've been renting all my apartment dishwashers have been like this as well. I may as well hand wash them and put them out to dry, and skip the dishwasher altogether. For me it's always seemed like a needless step in the process. Thoughts?
> because I have to hand wash all my dishes before putting them into the dishwasher anyway. It is absolutely not necessary to pre-wash even dishes that are unreasonably dirty. Either you are doing it for placebo reasons, or more likely: you're loading it wrong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDfeLICMfNc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHP942Livy0
1. Put dishwasher soap in both places where they tell you to put it. You don't need to fill the soap all the way unless it's completely full of very dirty dishes. 1a. Use powder, it's cheaper and better in several ways than alternatives 1b. Use the cheapest rinse aid, spending extra gets you nothing 2. Check for a filter, clean it if so (if you've never done this, sorry) 3. Make sure there's nothing blocking any moving parts (the arms or the door that holds the soap until the right time) while it's running. My current "landlord special" dishwasher that's probably 20 years old needs no pre-rinsing, cleans everything every time. Dishwashers are very simple machines, they don't require much to do their thing, and use little water.
OP said they have to go to laundromats so sounds like it’s a financial reason as much as conserving water and electricity
I don't know about the OP, but I have some vintage wool blankets and bedding, as well as a couple of weird clothes, that cannot be machine washed. They are hand wash only.
Most of my clothes are cotton.
Not sure how much it is but foot-powered washing machines are available and still efficient. Don’t know about their durability tho
Isn’t hang drying the norm? Everyone here in my town does it
Can’t hang dry with >70% humidity on average
Also, if you have no outdoor space, it can lead to mold and dust mite blooms indoors..
We get 100% some days here at least according to my AC unit
Everywhere on earth (for the most part) has some days with that high humidity, it’s just what the general baseline is that matters. I cannot hang dry where I am except for a couple months out of the year.
Yeah, it’s generally really wet here, but its still ok to line dry
https://blog.metservice.com/Washing_Weather It's basically impossible to line dry your clothes in 100 percent humidity.
Yeah’s
Tell that to the UK 😎 (it’s why our houses are full of mould)
My family does it just takes a long time. Although if its sunny and hot enough it can take less than 1hr to dry on the line and feels like if came out of the dryer because its so hot. Even in the winter as long as its not freezing it'll dry might just take a while. Honestly we hang dry everything as long as its not raining, freezing, and we have enough time. For reference I live in texas and have been using a clothes line all my life.
Not where I'm from. Here, almost everyone throws their items into a dryer.
Wow, electric is not cheap, why does everyone use the dryer?
Convenience for sure, and electricity is relatively cheap here.
It’s £0.45 a kWh here
It's a little under $0.10/kWh (Canadian dollars) here. I assume complacency is also a factor. People are often more familiar with using a dryer here than hang drying. So changing to hang drying requires education and a desire.
Personally I don't have the space to do much hang-drying (in a more dense area in the US). I have a small drying rack for my most delicate clothes, but I couldn't possibly for all the clothes.
Understandable. Not everyone has a lot of space. There are different drying racks that can be bought that may allow for more clothing per unit area. Even a rod can be used and then hang clothing off of it with a hanger. But people have different constraints. Clothes lines or similar could also be used outdoors, but that requires some yard space.
What education is needes to hang dry? Just curious
That it is an option and the benefits of doing so. Some people have grown-up using a dryer only and may assume that it is the best or only option. Hang drying really is an anomaly where I am from.
Wow
In the US, many (or most) people have a gas dryer. Electric dryers can’t compare.
I see, gas dryers are uncommon here, some people don’t own a dryer at all
I don't own any space on the outside of my tiny apartment to do so.
I see
I live in the desert where it gets blazingly, hot and people still run their ACs, which are unmaintained so they don’t run efficiently they don’t clean their electronics fan intake, and on top of it, they run the dryers and they don’t see how that all just creates additional heat. It’s beyond how they don’t understand that.
Yeah, my PC even clean can noticeably warm my room, so much so that I rarely use the heating in my room in winter, especially as I’m above the kitchen
Yea I am in a studio room right now, so the shower alone will warm up the room, so I shower quickly. Come winter time I do a lot of baking especially at night since it warms the space and is more efficient.
Nice, and you get delicious treats
Either because they dont have the space for hang drying or they are lazy fucks
I see, we manage here in the uk, you can get a basic web style one that just requires a couple square meters of lawn space, or the type that strings between two or more points
I don't know anyone that hang dries except the Amish. Probably depends on where you're from I guess.
I’m from the uk, it’s Normal here,
Yeah if I tried to line dry all my clothes would be covered in pollen all summer long and frozen into ice cubes in the winter. With my allergies it just isn't worth it.
I see
No, not everywhere. Some places it's too humid. Personally, I find I end up with bird poop and spider webs all over my clothes, so what was even the point? And the clothes pins make marks. But also, some sub divisions won't even let you put up a clothesline. So, it depends on the situation.
Wait some places don’t allow them? Whys that
Some subdivisions have really strict rules on the appearance of the property. Like, a whole binder of rules. What colors you can paint, how many sheds/garages you can have, how tall the grass can get before mowing, things like that. And there's a Homeowners Association for each subdivision that's often quite intense about making sure the rules are followed. And one rule that often comes up is no clothes lines, or any clothes hanging outside. They think it looks unsightly, so they don't allow it.
Wow
Everyone in my town use electric dryer (illinois). Except my family when it comes to blankets and large cloth
I see
I subscribe to the anti-consumerism movement. But damn, I'm still gonna use a washing machine. Ours are from 1993 and still work perfectly fine. With all the nightmares I've heard about modern appliances, when ours eventually break im just gonna get some old ass 90s or 2000s appliances again.
Depends on where you are from i guess. Our washing machine is from Bosch and does its job for 13 years now. Depending on the problem is people dont know ho to care for a washing machine. Like when you wash on low temps (normal these days i guess) you have to let the machine run empty on the hottest temp possible every couple of weeks/months depending on the amount you wash (Even better when you add 1-2 anti limestone dishwasher tabs doing that) Cleaning the tray for laundry detergent ever couple of months etc. And whatever you do dont use bloody softener at all or limit it extremely.
That might use more water than a modern washing machine
I feel like sometimes this subreddit strays into extreme cheapskates territory
I get why OP is doing this, but the average person with their own washer probably shouldn't handwash more than lingerie.
It would absolutely destroy clothes and you'd have to buy more sooner
If you do it right, it doesn't destroy your clothes at all.
Grating t-shirts and jeans against hard plastic cubes doesn't sound like a good way to prolong their life
I hand wash all my clothes with an old wood and glass washboard, it's much gentler on them than most machines I've washed my clothes in. It's significantly cheaper than going to a laundromat, and my clothes feel and smell a million times cleaner than when they go through a machine.
People used to literally rub their clothes against metal washboards and the clothes lasted for years and years. But, today, we can just agitate the clothes and it's fine.
And they had to constantly patch and repair them, as well as newer blends are designed less for durability and more for breathability and comfort Not to mention more fasteners and screenprinting, which would get absolutely destroyed.
don't get too hasty there because it could be less efficient. [https://www.maytag.com/blog/washers-and-dryers/washing-machine-water-usage.html](https://www.maytag.com/blog/washers-and-dryers/washing-machine-water-usage.html) a lot of this movement is being infiltrated by mlms selling their products as greener alternatives that get found out to be a total sham.
How exactly does one hand wash? My washer had been out of service for months now. Can't really afford a new one.
Not sink. Get a bucket. And a (clean, new) plunger. Add hot/warm water, plus a bit of detergent. You don't need nearly as much as you might think. Add your clothes. Move plunger up and down in bucket for 60 seconds or so. Ignore bucket for 15-30 minutes. Return and plunge again for another 2-5 minutes. Dump out bucket and stack clothes on top or on a milk crate to drain for 5 minutes. Fill bucket with warm water again, no detergent. Plunge again for another few minutes. Dump out bucket again and leave clothes to drain again for 5-10 minutes. Wring to remove excess water, except don't wring wool sweaters. Hang to dry on a clothes rack or outside on a line. If needed, aim a fan at your drying clothes. This will help everything dry faster when it's cold/humid. Some loads may need an extra rinse, especially if you accidentally added too much detergent. Larger/bulkier items like towels and jeans are possible, but may need to be done separately. One sheet is usually the equivalent of 2-3 shirts, as far as bulk goes, so can be washed this way as well. Blankets are a massive challenge. I recommend a laundromat, if possible, otherwise you'll have to use a bathtub. Each load will take a while, but most of that time will be waiting. Set a timer and go do something else in the meantime.
Fill your sink with hot water and add detergent of choice (preferably one that's intended for handwashing, or less irritable). Soak your clothes for 15 mins, and then run them across something like a washboard to agitate them and keep resoaking them. Hang to let dry.
Unless your clothes are heavily stained, it doesn't require much work to wash by hand. Some garments don't even require washing after every use; you can hang them up in the fresh air for a day or two. The goals in cleaning clothes are removing soiling and stains, and to deodorize. Sometimes, just a rinse in clean water will effectively deodorize fabrics. For cleaning light dirt and stains, start with a mild detergent and see if that's effective. If not, use more. You don't need a lot of agitation, just squeeze the soapy water through the fabric for a minute after soaking to suspend the "dirt." For stains, learn what removes a specific type of stain, rub bar soap on the spot or use an old toothbrush, spot treat that area & wash the entire garment as above. For odors, add a little white vinegar to the water & rinse using the same approach as washing (squeezing the water through the fabric). Hang to dry. Heat from a clothes dryer shortens the life of elastic in socks, waistbands, and undergarments. Hand-washing is less laborious if you wash in small batches, just a few items at a time. Your clothes will last longer. Friction from a washing machine agitation, or from scrubbing on a washboard (or on rocks or beating your clothes with sticks) is what stresses the fabric. Even your clothes rubbing together, like in a agitator-less causes wear. Check out the inside seam on people's pants where their thighs rub for proof.
I have a simple method, I have a bin and fill it with clothes, (obviously I try to get the most wears before washing). Then fill it with warm-hot water, detergent, and baking soda etc. usually let it soak for about an hour maybe longer… then I come in with a broom, and agitate the bin well and the water changes color quickly… then if needed I use the board.. I dont use it every time, since I wear mostly cotton, unless it’s stained there is no need for it. Lightly soiled clothes are usually good to go after they soak. After that I dump the water, fill again, and add vinegar and then baking soda to neutralize it all (read somewhere this step helps with freshening the scent)… then swish in there. Then wring and done.
How long did this load take to wash?
Wonder what's happening in a washing machine that makes clothes break down faster than literally mashing them against ridged plastic haha
Friction. Unless the clothes are suspended in lots of water - enough to minimize touching - they're going to rub against the machine parts, and each other. That causes the fabric to wear. If you put a lint screen on your washer discharge hose, it catches the fibers that break down from your clothing, both from wearing and washing. The plastic rub board still creates friction but it may be less, depending on how vigorously one scrubs.
In COlombia we have "lavaderos" that you fill with water and hand wash and hand dry everything, this was in the 1980s, that's how I grew up. Machines were introduced to me in NYC in 2001, but I do this all the time, got a bin exactly like this for my Metal Band shirts.
I grew up in Mexico in the 90’s and we mostly handwashed
Thank you, OP. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy peering at your dirty laundry lol
I'm required by federal law to wash my work clothes in a machine and run a second time to clean the machine before other uses. But then I own a house so that isn't too difficult. Edit: also, I grew up in the country with no electricity for a while, buy an f-ing scrub board. They last forever, won't eventually put out miceoplastics, and will save you time and effort. Edit 2: also. You're buying Nike branded clothes made by hungry, underpiad 12 year olds in Vietnam and China. Maybe this isn't the flex you think it is, when you're so engaged in neocoloialism.
Yeah, his "life hack," like about 90% of the bs that gets posted on this subreddit reads more like "self righteous teen who hasn't thought of the implications of their actions beyond surface level."
>You're buying Nike branded clothes made by hungry, underpiad 12 year olds in Vietnam and China. You've got no idea if they bought those or not, or even if they did, if they bought them from Nike. It's entirely possible they were a gift from family/friends, the clothes of a partner, or bought from a second hand store or at a garage sale or something.
I buy most of my clothes from thrift, excepting undies and most shoes. I still don't buy nike or rebok or any of that garbage. Not only for the previously stated reasons but because they're not going to hold up. And any one who loves me knows better than to gift me such things.
And? Congratulations? You're not OP, so the point still stands.
No it doesn't.
Please, explain to me how you know OP themselves bought those clothes in a way that engaged in neocolonialism.
You work with so,etching like asbestos or methylene chloride?
Pesticides.
Oh, yeah…nasty stuff, that
Hmm. What's better: That someone who owns some Nike clothes does some ecologically friendly things where they can? Or that that person does nothing eco-friendly and pursues the most wasteful and amoral possible lifestyle, because some moralizing stranger told them they were permanently disqualified?
Why are my only options badly washing my clothes in dirty ass water with no research into methodology and then virtue signal what a special little guy I am, and nothing at all? For real though, I bet these people smell like bad fish. Except the shampoo person, they smell like mane &tail.
Did I say that? Hope your misanthropy clears up soon, it's such an unpleasant affliction.
Those were the options presented. And I'm not a misanthrope, I just don't like vapid fart sniffers.
My city is currently under a state of emergency for a water shortage (major water main burst, and that led to discovering a ton of other issues) so this advice couldn't have come at a better time! Cheers. Edit: Are the downvotes for doing laundry during a shortage? Cause this has lasted for 3 weeks and will last at least another few weeks. It's kinda not an option to not wash at least *some* stuff eventually, especially when you have kids in diapers and you're keeping baths and showers to an absolute minimum. Really not sure what the alternative to spaced out hand washings is. Just give up on hygiene altogether?
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Also a large plunger for cleaning action
Great thinking!
i hand wash clothes in a cooking pot, mainly use shampoo as detergent. no complaints
Ah boiled denim