Laundry seems to be my struggle lately. A year ago, we were put in a house we couldn't use our washer at at all. I spent hours upon hours at laundromats, washing, drying, and folding 12-16 loads at a time. 30-40 bux a trip! With all the kids with me, and my advancing ptregnancy, it got horribly hard. In January, we moved here, and I was thrilled to use my machines once again. Until I realized that my laundry wasn't getting clean. The agitator belt had broken! ugh!!
Even when things were working, I noticed that my laundry was slowly getting dingy, grey, and horribly stained. My kids were quickly looking like forgotten raggamuffins, no matter how hard
I tried!!
Well, some wonderful ladies on my christian message board gave me some ideas for how to wash laundry, with out leaving the house, and without spending tons of money, and I have been doing it and refining it ever since. :)
First of all, it only works if your machine doesn't have a leak. Second, it only works this well if you are still able to use the SPIN cycle. :)
I load the machine up 3/4 sized load. I turn on the water, and leave the lid up (this makes it stop as soon as the machine is full). Once it is full, I add in a double measure of Oxy, a single measure of Gain, and a Color Grapper sheet. Then I plunge (yes, with a clean plunger) the load 100 times, to mix it all in well. I leave it to soak for about an hour, and then plunge it again 100 times. Then I set the machine's setting to spin, and let it drain. Now I start the rinse cycle by letting the machine fill up, leaving the lid open. I plunge the clothing another 100 times, and set the machine to spin. The clothes are clean and ready for the drier!
Each load takes about 1/3 to 1/2 of my day, as I leave it to sit inbetween steps until I am able to do the next step. All at once, a load may take less then 15 minutes!
All this work is making my arm muscles gain definition :-) I usually need to wash 2 loads a day to keep up with my family.
Misty, I'm having a hard time visualizing and wrapping my head around the plunging.
ReplyDeleteCan you describe in more detail what you mean?
Thanks.
No problem! I use a toilet plunger, the kind you use to unclog toilets. This was cleaned and scrubbed in bleach before getting used for laundry.
ReplyDeleteI grab it by the handle, and push it down into the water and clothing, and bring it up again, keeping the bottom of the plunger just under the surface of the water. This counts as 1 plunge. I plunge rapidly, agitating the water and clothing. After 25 plunges, I move the plunger to another section of the load and keep on going, until I have thouroughly plunged ALL the clothing.
If this doesn't help you visualize it, let me know. I'll try to capture it once on video :)
ROFLMBO...
ReplyDeleteThat won't work in my washing machine. But, sounds like a good idea.