If you do a lot of camping, you know there isn't always facilities for washing clothes or bedding...so you may have to resort to a more old-fashion manual sort of washing in order to maintain a less stinky sort of existence while one is out enjoying the great outdoors.

If you have packed up a vehicle with camping gear, rather than doing it the rough and ready hardcore camper route of minimalism, then investing in a 5 new gallon bucket with a lid and a toilet plunger is an excellent idea. Cut a small hole in the center of the lid just big enough for the plunger lid to go through. just add water and a little bit of old fashioned elbow grease and you have a manual camp washer. Don't forget to take some clothes line as well.

Baking soda and either white or apple cider vinegar are great all natural and environmentally friendly cleansers. Just add to wash water and swish around in your camp washer for how ever long you feel required to wash the clothes. Dump out the water and pour in some clean rinse water. Swish clothes to rinse, dump water and repeat if necessary.

Hang clothes, towels, etc. on clothes lines strung up between trees or poles.

I really like that idea, not sure if I'll be camping in a long time but i'd love to give that a shot

Besnardm (05:34am Tue, Jul  1, 2014)

I really like that idea, not sure if I'll be camping in a long time but i'd love to give that a shot

We have a manual washer we use at home too.  It doesn't take up too much room and it's really great to not have to worry about motors and stuff breaking down, or if the power goes down you don't have to worry about having a load of clothes sitting in water going all gross and stagnant like you do with a big ol' electric washer.

Me mate and I haven't owned an electric washer or dryer in YEARS. We don't even own a gas-powered vehicle...we each own an adult trike that we go every where on. 

hoodoowytch (07:55pm Wed, Jul  2, 2014)

Besnardm (05:34am Tue, Jul  1, 2014)

I really like that idea, not sure if I'll be camping in a long time but i'd love to give that a shot

We have a manual washer we use at home too.  It doesn't take up too much room and it's really great to not have to worry about motors and stuff breaking down, or if the power goes down you don't have to worry about having a load of clothes sitting in water going all gross and stagnant like you do with a big ol' electric washer.

Me mate and I haven't owned an electric washer or dryer in YEARS. We don't even own a gas-powered vehicle...we each own an adult trike that we go every where on. 

Wow not owning one in years is an achievement I must say

Hoodoo, that is a great ida for washing clothes !  I am old enough that camping is (hopefully) not in my future plans anytime soon; but like you said, there is always the possibility of having to wash clothes without power even at home.
We had bad tornadoes here a few year back, and had no power for around two weeks. We did still have water, which was a good thing' just no electricity.

When I had to wash clothes, I used a large plastic tub, and I think I did use the plunger with it to agitate the clothes. I had a couple of tubs, so I could use one for washing and one to rinse.
We always washed the white clothes, then the colored, and finally dark clothes and jeans. I had a clothesline, so I just washed out by there. There was no good way to wring out the heavier pieces of clothing, so most of those just got hung up dripping wet.

I am glad that I have a washer and dryer again, but if it came down to it; it is good to know that I could still get my clothes clean.

Wow not owning one in years is an achievement I must say [/quote]

If it were up to me I would never have either an electric or gas cooking stove either. I'd have a good old-fashioned wood cook stove. Save the electricity for running a computer and the indoor garden. However, when it comes to modern conveniences, my hubby will fight someone over his microwave... he loves his microwave. I loathe the things. LOL

Great ideas! Don't forget, if you're uncomfortable with "natural" washing stuff there are soap bar forms..they do not hurt the environment, in fact some of them are good for fish. So you could also look into that, if like me, you barf at the mere whiff of vinegar ha ha.

huh I thought they would hurt the environment

No they're made of biodegradable stuff. They're soap but not like what we have today.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-greenfield/lessons-learned-from-a-ye_b_5200734.html


Actually I just did some research and the claims are that it still hurts the water....so maybe soap up out of the water and rinse of on land. It won't spread so far and hurt things.

Bunny (06:29am Sat, Jul 19, 2014)

No they're made of biodegradable stuff. They're soap but not like what we have today.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-greenfield/lessons-learned-from-a-ye_b_5200734.html


Actually I just did some research and the claims are that it still hurts the water....so maybe soap up out of the water and rinse of on land. It won't spread so far and hurt things.

Basic, all natural, old-fashioned lye soap would work...and you can make it yourself. You can reuse the wash water for watering your garden with. I would never recommend washing right one's water source though...other critters drink and live in that stream or lake. If you are out camping, NEVER dump your wash water right int he stream or lake either. Pour it under some trees or down a drain if bathrooms are provided at the campground.