Frugal Laundry Choices - wonderwash and other items

[awakenedsoul]

shadowmoss, That sounds like what I have. I think it's good for people who have to go to the laundromat.

Well, The Wonderwash and Nina Spin Dryer arrived today. I did a load of laundry. To be honest, it was a real hassle. I had trouble putting the Wonderwash stand together. It kept slipping apart. I finally had to use postage tape to hold it together. It reminds me of this awful desk that my mom sent me that was made in China. It continually fell apart! (That's why I now have all antique furniture.) Anyway, the drum of the machine is well made. It did get my clothes clean, but I'm not sure it really saves water. It would be good for baby clothes, or people who want to do a small load each day. I put in a few pair of socks and underwear, a sun dress, a nightgown, and shorts and a t-shirt. I also washed my flannel t.p. squares. It does work, but I had to clean it out afterward and wash out the tub. I'm not sure where I'm going to store it. Right now it's on top of my washing machine, and it looks like clutter. Time to clean out the closet. The spin dryer is fabulous! It really pulls out the water from the clothes. It'll be great for my hand knit sweaters. In the winter, it can take a few days for them to dry. This way they will dry really quickly. If I were to do it over again, I would probably not buy the Wonderwash. I would use my repaired Kenmore and just hand wash in the sink. But, I'll use it, since I have it. Now I need to clear some space. In such a small house, new "appliances" take up a lot of room. I feel like it's Christmas, and I have too many toys...time to donate some of the things I no longer need!

It would be good for camping or if you didn't have any hook ups, though. I'll figure something out.

[profnot]

So I have been using my new clothes washing products: a few sprays of simple green and 1 heaping Tbsp baking soda.

We still need soap to make water thinner. So I got shampoo from the dollar store. It's doing the trick at 2 Tbsp per load.

Great thread!

[awakenedsoul]

I've been using the Nina spin dryer regularly. I'm washing my hand knit sweaters in preparation for Winter. It's starting to get colder in the morning. It's a great machine. I wash the sweaters in the sink or tub with a small amount of liquid goat's milk soap. After spinning, they dry SO much faster! It used to take a few days for them to dry. Now they're done in a few hours. I used it yesterday after I finished knitting and blocking a baby sweater for my neighbor. I used to roll things in a towel. This is much more efficient!

[thinkgreen]

profnot - what a great idea! I love it. I wonder if dishwashing soap would also work. Scientifically I suppose we just need something to break the surface tension of the water allowing dirt to release into the water and leave the clothing clean.

awakenedsoul - that sounds like a powerful spin dryer. Better than the spin from the washing machine. Too bad the wonderwash wasn't an easier product for you to use but it sounds like you will still get some use out of it. I was thinking it would work for me but after hearing your review I think I'll pass for now. Thank you for sharing that info.

I have been laundering all the things that get done sometimes, for instance housecoats, shower curtains, mattress protectors, etc. and drying them on the line before the autumn rains start. Once the rains start I don't always have the opportunity to dry things on the clothesline and I don't want to use the dryer very much. My machines are 29 year old Maytags and seem to be working just fine (knock on wood).

[shadowmoss]

The other day when I went to my blog to find the pictures I mentioned I ended up lost in all my entries from Honduras. Sorry. Here is a link to the 'Wonder Wash' that I used there. I also have the one that is an oversized enclosed bucket on a stand that you rotate by hand, also called a WonderWash, so I'm not so sure which is being talked about here. I prefer the motor driven one. I worked well. That said, now that I'm back I walk across the parking lot and use the laundry room here in the park instead of either of those. The spinner was really what made the entire process work when I was using them, though.

http://www.amazon.com/As-Seen-On-TV-...ds=wonder+wash

Edited to add:
Here is the link to the one it sounds like you are using, but I may be wrong, it has happened before...

http://www.amazon.com/The-Laundry-Al...AWFA0PWSRYRW7S

[awakenedsoul]

thinkgreen, There are some Youtube video reviews of it, too. One is of a couple with a baby in NY. It is so funny! I really think hand washing in the sink saves more water and is just as effective. The Nina spinner does make up for it. It just sucks out the water. It's so nice not to have hand washables laying out for a few days to dry...
shadowmoss, Yes, the second link (The Laundry Alternative) is it. The measurements on my stand were off, and that is really important so that you can turn it with the handle. I'll use it now and then...it would be a good toy for kids. It says that you can use it for cashmere and woolens, but I thought you weren't supposed to agitate wool. It felts. I'm so careful because I've heard horror stories from fellow knitters.

[ctg492]

I had a similar product to the wonder wash I don't rememeber the name, I got it for $5 at a garage sale. It looked like a space egg and you spun it. I was trying to be ultra conservative that summer and thought wow this is going to help me on my mission. DId it work, yes. Better then hand washing, No not really. Wringing out the clothes was hard, to hard. It think it would be super for small baby items or tights and such. But again hand washing better. Sounded super however.