Handwashing clothes - detergent?

6119 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by EnglishTeacha, Aug 16, 2011

christinahudler

Discussion Starter · Jun 20, 2011

Would homemade detergent work well when handwashing clothes? I'm not going to be literally doing it "by hand" in the sense of washing them in the sink or anything, but I'm rigging up a contraption with some 5-gallon buckets and whatnot...but that's besides the point haha.

The point is that I'll be using cold water most of the time as well (though not always) and I won't be using a traditional washing machine so will a powdered homemade detergent work well? Or should I try and make something liquid?

I've never really hand washed clothes before, but my husband and I are moving into a duplex and our side doesn't have washer/dryer hookups so I wanted something for when we needed clothes quick (I'll save the big stuff for going to my mom's here and there).

So yea...any suggestions on what to use for detergent??

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christinahudler

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 21, 2011

That's similar to what I was going to be doing. I was reading about homesteading and camping and was talking with a friend about it. He told me he rigged up a 5-gallon bucket with a plunger and has been washing his clothes that way. I decided to look into it further and I think I've found some ways to make it a little more effective than his "just put the clothes in, plunge, rinse" method. We'll see I guess

.

How do I know if something is low residue??

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christinahudler

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 21, 2011

shoiji said:
How about something like this:

Sadly I have literally no money to work with, so I'm having to go with my rigged up device. My husband and I have been apart for about 2 months now and the only way to get him back here (long story...) and out of his parents house was to find a place for us (and I miss him!) which resulted in me having to take all of my savings to pay first months rent/security deposit.

I still will be going to my mom's to wash clothes at times, she doesn't live far so it would be cheaper than heading to a laundry facility. But there will be times I need things and it won't be worth the gas to go to mom's, so I needed an at home option.

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christinahudler

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 21, 2011

zakity said:
Two buckets and a new plunger (found mine at the dollar store).

Yup that's what I'm doing

. My mom has me two 5-gallon buckets and I already have a new plunger just for this

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