zombiepreparation wrote:I have now saved enough laundry money to buy the Breathing Mobile Washer, which is the heavy plastic version of the Rapid Washer. (excitement!) The Rapid Washer being the original 19th century design made out of tinned steel, not plastic. Several people have said in the internet that the R.W. is heavier, prone to rusting if not always dried, and 'can' damage clothes with its sharp edges if it gets bent so I chose the plastic version. They are both sold at
Lehman's. I don't really know anything about the store myself, I just keep reading its name in my research.
Anyway, excitement over today's purchase of the Breathing Mobil Washer. I washed curtains of all kinds this week-end, none of which I have ever had $$ to wash before this hand laundering thing came up.

With the B.M.W. I'm going to go for...... quilts & blankets!
Here is my update on my goin' native all hand washing laundry: The Breathing Mobile Washer plunger-type thing is G.R.E.A.T.!! Works perfectly in my 5 gallon bucket in my shower. Washes really good with very little effort from me, in fact I luv doing the laundry now.
I wake and immediately wash a bucket of laundry. I 'want' to wash that bucket of laundry. I'm getting something out of this that is more than just clean laundry. I like the simple exercise routine I've organized with that plunger and the bucket and I've refined it so I do not use my back in this method; torso straight, standing over bucket, arms locked & hands gripping the handle like a golf club, letting my legs do all the work. It is fast, I get lots of water splashing my legs and feet, it is fun, and I'm being totally successful in washing everything I tackle. I highly highly recommend having one of these for a prepper.
I never have a pile of laundry waiting to be done. Sheets are washed fast and easily. Drying jeans by letting them hang over portable shower rods dries them so they dry without a wrinkle to be found. And I quite enjoy the quick daily labor intensive work of washing and hanging out to dry. Go figure.
Lehman's also sells that Wonder Washer item. <drool> Most of the things I read about the Wonder Washer are that it is sold by The Laundry Alternative, Inc. But I very much think it is "Buyer Beware" with The Laundry Alternative, Inc. because their customer service is virtually non-existent and they have lots of angry customers with broken products getting nowhere, ever, and this has been going on for years. I think these Washers are being produced at one single factory so I 'think' they are all going to be the exact same quality, which makes my deciding factor to be purchasing one from a seller who has good customer service... which The Laundry Alternative, Inc. ain't got.
I have now saved enough in laundry costs that I am affording to purchase the Wonder Washer from Lehman's in the next couple of days to add to my home launderette.

I feel that this will round out my prepper laundry needs for self sufficiency in case of Zombie attacks. I will be armed with learning to 'hand' hand wash that I used first until I'd save enough to buy the Breathing Mobile Washer plunger-thing, and I really think this Wonder Washer is going to add another level of home laundering.
I am purchasing from Lehman's, NOT The Laundry Alternative, Inc because Lehman's seems to have good customer relations and TLA, Inc seems to have very very bad customer relations. This WW will probably be a simple heavy plastic contraption so will need to be used with respect to get it to last as long as I want it to, but like the Breathing Mobile Washer plunger-thing that I luv and that works so easily and well, I believe the Wonder Washer will have its own niche in my home laundering. I think I am really going to take to it like I did the plunger.
And allllll my research is saying steer clear of alllll those little electric spin dryers. (rats) Lots of problems and lots of lemons. I don't even think I will ever be interested in the BIG salad spinner for a spin dryer either. It is said to be inefficient, costs big bucks, and I am still doing quite good with my bucket drainer and hand wringing.
I'm standing by this. I have found nothing that says any differently, even now adding these spin dryers are not only breaking down after short time but also people are reporting damage to their clothing from parts poorly disigned.
I will be not only content with my bucket, plunger, and little hand turning washer, I bet I'll still be actually enjoying doing laundry daily. It has to be daily or I could get overwhelmed with a basket full of dirty laundry. Besides, doing little bits of laundry daily is adding something very real and tangible to the quality of my life in several directions, for heavens sake. Is that bizarre or what. I certainly would have could have never that the act of doing laundry would 'add' something to the quality of my life.

But there it is in my Poor Man's Prepping: Hand laundering and luving it. I highly recommend the 5 gallon bucket/Breathing Mobil Washer plunger-thing for prepping and as it had turned out for me, just plain old daily not putting coins in the laundry washers & dryers, and having cleaner wash and extra $$ to prep with.