Manual Washing Machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtbkXyWFFm8

(Watch the above video to see how to construct and use this device)

All parts are available at Home Depot:

Two (2) 5-gal. Homer Bucket; Model # 05GLHD2 = $2.97 x 2 ....= $5.94

Leaktite 5-gal. Homer Leakproof Lid; Model # 5GLD ORANGE LID for 5GL HOMER PAIL ….................................................................................................... = $1.68

NIBCO 1-1/2 in. PVC DWV Hub x SJ Trap Adapter; Model # C48017HD112 =...................................................................................................... = $0.88

HDX 5 in. Force Cup Plunger; Model # PSC2451 ….................................................................................................... = $2.98 ….......................................................................................................$11.48

There are two modifications to the model that are not shown in the video.

1.) Cut and 1-1/2 inch hole in the lid to the unit; then insert the 1-1/2 inch PVC Trap Adapter through the hole and tighten the adapter, this strengthens the hole in the lid where the plunger handle is inserted!

2.) Substitute a longer broom handle for the original handle that came with the plunger; this makes it so the user can now operate the device in the standing position which will relieve any back strain from having to bend over to manipulate the original short handle.

Do you like to camping?

Are you in an "off-the-grid" situation?

Is your financial situation such that you can not really afford to spend $10.00 or more to do a load of laundry several times a week?

Do you live in an apartment and often have small loads of 'personal laundry' that needs to be attended to on a pretty regular basis?

Then the above device shown in the link to the video may just be what you are looking for to help assist you with any of the preceding situations. Long before there were electric washing machines, most laundry in this country and still throughout the world was and is still washed by the manual process of hand washing. The usual method is one of each piece of laundry is individually 'scrubbed' by hand which take a while to go through the whole batch.

The manual washing machine that is shown is extremely low cost {less than $12.00 in total material cost}, can be used very easily in any urban, suburban, rural, and/or emergency situation. Some of the toughest "hard knocks" situations are when the electricity is not functioning for long periods of time and the home and/or commercial laundry facilities are not available to the general populace. Having this manual device sitting in a storage closet may not be a bad insurance policy. {just ask the people that were effected by Hurricane Sandy or the winter of 2014-2015 ice storms}

For the outdoorsman that enjoys going camping for any period of time, it may be just what is needed to bring some sense of civilization to that primitive lifestyle. Spending 20-30 minutes to process a load of laundry in most primitive settings my seem like a gift from society.

For the apartment dweller, it means not having to go to the basement laundry facilities hoping that the machines are unused and/or worse yet taking time and effort to travel to a commercial laundering establishment and spending the necessary money to accomplish the task there; just using the device in the bathtub or shower seems much easier.

SOMETIMES, the low tech solutions to solving everyday problems may be work better than some of the highest technical advances!