Washing Clothes At Sea....Soap Nuts Anyone?

[goldiphlox]

Ive been thinking about how I would wash clothes while not at dock...no room for washer obviously...even the wonder wash probably too big...but i found a manual rapid washer that i think might be sufficient with a 5 gallon bucket....it seems the rinsing takes the most water though and i was wondering if anyone has tried these soap nuts...no rinsing required ...100% organic...ive read great reviews on amazon..

[belizesailor]

Never tried them, but we sometimes do "tactical" loads of laundry aboard in 5 gallon bucket. Wash in sea water. Rinse in fresh.

But, mostly use laundry services ashore.

[Lagoon4us]

5kg washer on board, after years with buckets washing up to 30 nappies a day for our twins now in retirement we have the luxuries probably we don't need BUT do appreciate.....Cos now the grandchildren join us!

[Cheechako]

you wear fewer clothes, many places a local will do your laundry quite cheap, when you get stuck, 5 gal bucket with salt water followed by fresh rinse works pretty fast for shorts and towels! I only remember doing my own wash fewer than I cant count with my fingers in 5 years of cruising.

[Auspicious]

Washing in sea water and rinsing in fresh uses more fresh water (if you really get the salt out) than just washing in fresh. Away from shore services I do laundry in fresh water and ammonia and let it dry on the lifelines. Be sure to wipe salt off the lifelines first. You don't need to rinse with ammonia water as the ammonia all out-gasses as the clothes dry. Works great.

[bobconnie]

Connie and I have been washing in salt water for a while!! if ya have whites they sparkle!! LOL We got a bunch of nylon net bags at a surplus store, in the navy they were used for putting your laundry in to send to the ships laundry!! we tie a fairly long line on it add some salt water soap and toss overboard!! let swim for an hour or 2 pull in wring it out rinse in fresh and wring again hang and dry !! works for a few weeks till ya get somewhere ya can get it done or do it yourself in a "landry matt !!" we started out doing diapers this way !! worked for 3 kids LOL just a thought

[Entlie]

When you can't get to a laundromat, I second Auspicious' method of doing laundry in a 5 gallon bucket (we use our "look" bucket), with some fresh water and ammonia. No rinsing necessary, and it gets us through to the next laundromat. I haven't had great experience in having someone else do the laundry for us. Pieces from other orders get mixed in with yours and vice versa (sometimes after you've left for another island), things aren't done when they should be and you end up dinghying home to your boat in the dark...the list goes on. I'm the captain of my own laundry, thank you.

The past two cruises I have used the Purex 3-in-1 sheets - which are great for laundromat use. I wish they'd market a product like this with bleach as well.

Wood clothes pins hold better and last longer than plastic. Except for the large plastic tropical birds and flamingoes from Bed Bath & Beyond. I have four of these which have super grip and even fit over stainless rails.

Entlie
Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby

[Canibul]

Did you guys see this thing?:

Pedal-powered washer could make a big difference in developing nations

Looks like it might have some other applications.

[goldiphlox]

Originally Posted by Entlie

When you can't get to a laundromat, I second Auspicious' method of doing laundry in a 5 gallon bucket (we use our "look" bucket), with some fresh water and ammonia. No rinsing necessary, and it gets us through to the next laundromat. I haven't had great experience in having someone else do the laundry for us. Pieces from other orders get mixed in with yours and vice versa (sometimes after you've left for another island), things aren't done when they should be and you end up dinghying home to your boat in the dark...the list goes on. I'm the captain of my own laundry, thank you.

The past two cruises I have used the Purex 3-in-1 sheets - which are great for laundromat use. I wish they'd market a product like this with bleach as well.

Wood clothes pins hold better and last longer than plastic. Except for the large plastic tropical birds and flamingoes from Bed Bath & Beyond. I have four of these which have super grip and even fit over stainless rails.

Entlie
Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby

I never thought i would say this in my lifetime....i love those clothes pins lol

[DumnMad]

Goldiphlox;
Roe uses the nuts(off a tree) without rinsing. She was skeptical at first but they work well. She's not so sure about how effective they are for stain removal but can use something else to pre-washng a problem area. I've got allergies and I reckon they're good for my skin.