do laundry by hand - PEP BB nest.sand.handlaundry

Time to do a little laundry. I don't have a normal washer/dryer so this is a regular exercise for me. I have a small collection of different washing options, including an old electric wringer washer but for this BB I just used a plunger and a 30 gallon can and an antique hand crank wringer. I tend to presoak my dirty farm clothes for a while, agitating with the plunger periodically. I then drain and wring the clothes, measure the greywater friendly detergent and do the actual wash cycle. Wring, then rinse cycle, then wring again. Really not the best to put clothes with buttons through the wringer, it does tend to break them sometimes. The denim jacket I just squeezed out by hand, no way that's going through the wringer. Up to little second story deck where the pulley style clothesline runs back to the barn. I use mostly clothes pegs I make myself from willow and scrap cans. Once dry I folded them back into the basket to take inside.

here's my dream "washing machine"

I used the bucket and modified plunger method to wash clothes. I learned that holes should only be drilled in the top of the plunger - the holes toward the bottom all turned into cracks that would pinch and drag clothes on the upward pull.

I washed my laundry in a five gallon bucket yesterday and hung everything out on clotheslines to dry.
I couldn't get a picture of my laundry detergent because I had transferred it to another container but this is it: https://www.bio-pac.com/oasis-biocompatible-cleaners/oasis-biocompatible-super-concentrated-laundry-liquid/
After each "load" in the bucket, I found a different spot in the yard to dump the water. It was nice being able to use the water for plants instead of just letting it go into the septic tank. I also had no idea how dirty my laundry actually was until I saw the water in the bucket!
The socks came out kind of crispy and stiff and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for hand-washing cotton socks.

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are:
 - manual clothes washer, bathtub or large bucket
 - dry on a clothesline or drying rack
 - at least “a standard load” (about eight large items and a bunch of socks and undies, etc.)

To show you've completed this Badge Bit, you must:
- post two pics of clothes being washed
- post pic of clothes being dried (needs to show it hanging or lying out to dry)
- post pic of clothes folded

The laundry getting ready to be washed. This is about the size of a normal load in the washing machine.



First load in the bucket. It took three buckets to do this much laundry. At first I started agitating the laundry with a jar but eventually I just used my hands because it felt more natural.



Choosing a spot to dump the water.



I had no idea my laundry was so dirty!



Getting a fresh bucket of water.



Washing another load.



I ran out of clothesline space and had to hang a second line.



Rinsing laundry after the "wash cycle."



I ran out of line space again! Now I have three lines installed.



Here's all the laundry hanging up on my three lines.



A closeup of one of the lines of clothes drying.



Folding the laundry.



All packed up in the basket to bring inside.

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are:
 - manual clothes washer, bathtub or large bucket
 - dry on a clothesline or drying rack
 - at least “a standard load” (about eight large items and a bunch of socks and undies, etc.)

To show you've completed this Badge Bit, you must:
- post two pics of clothes being washed ✔️


- post pic of clothes being dried (needs to show it hanging or lying out to dry) ✔️
- post pic of clothes folded ✔️

Please see the attached photos and  video of my washing clothes by hand.
Blessing, Catherine