Walmart now carries Kollercraft mop pails. They are 14 qt. with wringer rollers. $11.99. With a plumbers toilet plunger to push soapy water through the clothes, this makes hand washing a lot easier.

This is a lot cheaper than the commercial janitorial pails that cost $50 and don't take up a lot of room. I have Arthritis in my hands and find this an easier way to wring out wet clothes.

Target carries the galvanized buckets for $29.95 but I don't know if this store is nationwide Foxrun

-- Foxrun (ardrinc@aol.com), June 30, 1999

Answers

Foxrun, my wife and daughter thank you! They are going to Wallmart today!

-- freddie (freddie@thefreeloader.com), June 30, 1999.

Great tip, Foxrun, thank you. I too have some hand problems. On the subject of the plumber's helper--in the old days in England, a "posher" was used to "posh" the clothes. It started with a broom handle, on the end of which was a copper contraption shaped like a beehive and punched with holes like a colander--but the size of one of the small colanders. I suspect that if you punched holes in a sturdy plumber's helper, washing clothes might then be more efficient.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), June 30, 1999.

Old Git, I can't believe I'm saying this but.....I have an answer you don't. WOW, that feels good! Just kidding.

Anyway I found something in the lines of what Old Git was talking about. It is a concreat hand mixer. It is on a short 3' handle, has what looks like a potatoe masher coil end. Works great for beating and stirring clothes in VERY HOT water. (Just a little tip, the hotter your water, the less soap you need to get the clothes clean, which means less rinsing.)

I found the clothes washing utensil at "Peoples do it yourself center" , it is kind of like a Ace Hardware store, but I think a Menards or Lowes should have one. You should look next to the trowls.

Hope this helps.

-- bulldog (sniffin@around.com), June 30, 1999.

Another TIp: Buy two 5 gallon plastic pails with lids,2 plungers,and amop wringer. Then cut a hole in both pail lids the size of the plunger handles.Use one bucket for washing.Use the plunger for agitating your clother. THen place them in the mop ringer and sqeeze all the soapy water out. Then insert them in the clean water bucket and agitate with the plunger . then ring them out again.

-- Char (Champagne@triton.net), June 30, 1999.

Note of warning on galvinized buckets... don't wash your "silverware" (stainless steel) in a galvinized bucket, it will ruin it. Something about the chemical reaction between stainless and the zinc used to galvinize the bucket sort of dissolves the stainless.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), June 30, 1999.

You folks are going to make the end of the world so much more pleasant with your helpfull tips. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart

-- corrine l (corrine@iwaynet.net), June 30, 1999.

Foxrun,

With the thought of again living off of the grid, as we did for years, I think the washer and vacum will be missed most in this house. Memories of "chapped hands" hanging steaming laundry in 30 degree weather (shudder!)

May I offer this advice: Any up coming clothing/linen purchases you plan to make, keep hand laundry in mind. Thick, large and soft towels are a luxuray indeed, put a pain to hand wash. Likewise with denium. My husband is a lifelong bib overhaul wearer...such a chore to get clean and very heavy/bulky to handle. I always wore jeans, but as they wore out they where replaced with sweatpants.

But on the upside, handwashed clothing lasts alot longer! :-)

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), June 30, 1999.

it sure nuff do lil. amen to that.

.

-- corrine l (corrine@iwaynet.net), June 30, 1999.

Check this out for a fancy version of the hand operated washing device. Washer

-- Sharon L (sharonl@volcano.net), June 30, 1999.

Excellent ideas!

Old Git: That handled contraption you've mentioned could be licensed by one of the Spice Girls. Or is it already?

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), July 02, 1999.