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Old 01-08-2017, 03:54 PM   #1
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Foot-operated washing machine

yirego

This could definitely improve the boondocking experience. The design seems to be better than other human-powered washing mashines currently on the market. I can't wait to see one when they become available. If anyone has experience with any of the other human-powered washing machines out there, I would appreciate it if would share your opinion.
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Old 01-08-2017, 04:02 PM   #2
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Here's a really annoying video:

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Old 01-08-2017, 05:05 PM   #3
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Hummm, the FAQs say you can wash one pair of jeans at a time (Each load requires approximately 10 liters (2.6 gal) of water. We recommend 5 liters (1.3 gal) for a wash, and 5 liters (1.3 gal) for a rinse.)

The machine weighs 20 lbs.
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Old 01-08-2017, 05:16 PM   #4
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I'm thinking if you choose the right fabrics for your boondocking wardrobe- i.e., ditch the heavy all-cotton stuff- you shouldn't need a fancy washer/spin dryer. A quick hand wash in any old tub, squeeze dry, and hang. That's from my backpacking past… Shoot, I had stuff you could wash and wear dry in the right season!

I agree, Donna- this seems pretty heavy and bulky for a single-function item. And $240? Yikes! That's a lot of quarters...
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Old 01-08-2017, 05:37 PM   #5
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I agree with you Jon about the quick wash with the right fabrics. However, in my experience, all the lightweight synthetic fibers will always hold on to the funky smells no matter if they are infused with silver, bamboo, coconut, or whatever anti-smell technology is used. The only fibers that didn't smell after washing was high quality merino wool and that stuff is not cheap either. I figured Some people might balk at the cost of spending $70 dollars on a shirt or $$150 on a sweater. I love the stuff and think it is worth the $$ when used for intended purposes. However, I'm not going to buy that type of clothing for my child who will likely outgrow or destroy the garments before I get my money's worth. Then again, I read somewhere else this Drumi was just over $100, not over $200. Guess I needed to do a little more research.
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Old 01-08-2017, 05:43 PM   #6
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Or....
For $40 - $50 you could get the Scrubba. https://thescrubba.com/
Vic picked this up for me last year. I was doubtful but it really does a great job. It also does double duity as a dry sack for kayaking!
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Old 01-08-2017, 05:53 PM   #7
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I really can't see the Virego machine working very well. Washers work because they have a large drum turning at a low speed that allows the clothes to tumble, rub against each other and constantly change shape in the machine. The water can circulate freely between them. Simply taking a wadded up ball of clothes and spinning it in soapy water doesn't do that.
A few minutes washing a few items in the kitchen sink works well and it's no harder or time consuming than standing there pumping that foot pedal. Plus you don't have to buy the machine and find a place to store it.
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Old 01-09-2017, 07:31 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BASE1360 View Post
I agree with you Jon about the quick wash with the right fabrics. However, in my experience, all the lightweight synthetic fibers will always hold on to the funky smells no matter if they are infused with silver, bamboo, coconut, or whatever anti-smell technology is used. The only fibers that didn't smell after washing was high quality merino wool and that stuff is not cheap either. I figured Some people might balk at the cost of spending $70 dollars on a shirt or $$150 on a sweater. I love the stuff and think it is worth the $$ when used for intended purposes. However, I'm not going to buy that type of clothing for my child who will likely outgrow or destroy the garments before I get my money's worth. Then again, I read somewhere else this Drumi was just over $100, not over $200. Guess I needed to do a little more research.
My experience has been different than yours. My Polartec jacket (which I've had for years and never go anywhere without) often gets full of campfire smoke and cooking odors during the evening and early morning. Hang it in the sun for a couple of hours in midday where the air can circulate, and it's as good as freshly washed. Same thing happens to a high-cotton sweatshirt, and nothing but soap and water will take it out (and it takes forever to dry).

I know the latest name-brand outdoor clothing can be expensive. I would never pay those prices. Online, clearance, discount retailers- decent, lightweight synthetics (and appropriate natural fibers) don't have to cost a fortune. A couple pairs of rip stop nylon pants, several long and short-sleeved non-absorbent athletic tees, the trusty Polartec jacket, my favorite wool camping sweater (less than $20 on a clearance rack), an unlined Gore-Tex rain parka (discontinued color, label clipped, $40). It's possible to put together a low-maintenance outdoor wardrobe on the cheap, provided you don't insist on the latest style, color, or gimmicky technology.

I agree that kids make it a lot harder. Got a couple myself, but I've never gone boondocking with them longer than 4 days, so no laundry in the field.

Best wishes figuring out what works for you. If you decide to give one of the laundry devices a spin (haha), I hope you'll post a follow-up report. Product reviews are always helpful.
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Old 01-09-2017, 08:24 AM   #9
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While this machine may work and work well, I see water as being the main issue while boondocking. I still can't get past needing 2.6 gal of water to wash one pair of jeans. Might be able to get by washing several items before rinsing, but I know if there's soap left in my clothes, I get itchy.
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Old 01-09-2017, 03:18 PM   #10
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There's also a hand cranked washing machine that gets pretty good reviews. https://www.amazon.com/Laundry-Alter...ashing+machine
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Old 01-09-2017, 03:43 PM   #11
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Or you could really keep it simple and use this with your bucket.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YQCOCAM?psc=1
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Old 01-09-2017, 06:36 PM   #12
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When I visited my brother in Idaho last July, he showed me a small antique hand-crank, drum washing machine made of wood. His wife's mother passed and they found this old thing, and he was listing it that day on CL. It was about 18" or 20" across IIRC and about the same in height, with 4 wooden beater bars inside the drum that would go around as you turned the crank. The wooden drum was no longer watertight, but the mechanism still turned just fine. We could make out a bit of the company and product name on the side, though not very well, and I think it was from the 1920s. It was a really neat piece. Just goes to show, the idea has been around for at least a hundred years.
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Old 01-09-2017, 08:05 PM   #13
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When I left on a several month trip in my old motorhome, I did just a little bit of research on clothes washing and the best, cheapest option I found was a plastic 5-gallon bucket and a toilet plunger, much like what they're selling in the Amazon link. I think that kind of setup would work really well. I bought a bucket and plunger...

I never used it. It was just me, and definitely no kids which I know changes everything, but I was out at one spot often for up to 6 days and just never needed to do laundry. And by "out" I mean 40-60 miles down a highway from a town, then another 10-30 miles down a dirt road, hours from the nearest business. If I was within an hour of a town I'd just drive in and do laundry every now and then. And I found that if I traveled from one spot to another once a week, doing laundry then when I was back on the road was plenty.

But that's me and everyone has their own idea of how they want to do it, and I can see the allure of sticking around camp, doing the laundry by hand and being self sufficient.

There were a lot of things I bought, figuring I'd need them during months on the road, leading up to the trip. A lot of what I bought I never used. A lot of what I never even considered buying, I had to grab somewhere along the way.

Not sure how experienced of an RV'er you are but if you haven't been out boondocking much yet, I'd wait until figuring out what you really need before spending much money on anything. If you've been there done that and know you need boondocking laundry services, then definitely go for it.
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Old 01-09-2017, 08:24 PM   #14
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When I left on a several month trip in my old motorhome, I did just a little bit of research on clothes washing and the best, cheapest option I found was a plastic 5-gallon bucket and a toilet plunger, much like what they're selling in the Amazon link. I think that kind of setup would work really well. I bought a bucket and plunger...

I never used it. It was just me, and definitely no kids which I know changes everything, but I was out at one spot often for up to 6 days and just never needed to do laundry. And by "out" I mean 40-60 miles down a highway from a town, then another 10-30 miles down a dirt road, hours from the nearest business. If I was within an hour of a town I'd just drive in and do laundry every now and then. And I found that if I traveled from one spot to another once a week, doing laundry then when I was back on the road was plenty.

But that's me and everyone has their own idea of how they want to do it, and I can see the allure of sticking around camp, doing the laundry by hand and being self sufficient.

There were a lot of things I bought, figuring I'd need them during months on the road, leading up to the trip. A lot of what I bought I never used. A lot of what I never even considered buying, I had to grab somewhere along the way.

Not sure how experienced of an RV'er you are but if you haven't been out boondocking much yet, I'd wait until figuring out what you really need before spending much money on anything. If you've been there done that and know you need boondocking laundry services, then definitely go for it.
Zacho, I would love to know which things you went out and bought because you found you needed them and which things proved to be of not much use. Willing to share?
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Old 01-09-2017, 11:28 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by ZachO View Post
When I left on a several month trip in my old motorhome, I did just a little bit of research on clothes washing and the best, cheapest option I found was a plastic 5-gallon bucket and a toilet plunger, much like what they're selling in the Amazon link. I think that kind of setup would work really well. I bought a bucket and plunger...

I never used it. It was just me, and definitely no kids which I know changes everything, but I was out at one spot often for up to 6 days and just never needed to do laundry. And by "out" I mean 40-60 miles down a highway from a town, then another 10-30 miles down a dirt road, hours from the nearest business. If I was within an hour of a town I'd just drive in and do laundry every now and then. And I found that if I traveled from one spot to another once a week, doing laundry then when I was back on the road was plenty.

But that's me and everyone has their own idea of how they want to do it, and I can see the allure of sticking around camp, doing the laundry by hand and being self sufficient.

There were a lot of things I bought, figuring I'd need them during months on the road, leading up to the trip. A lot of what I bought I never used. A lot of what I never even considered buying, I had to grab somewhere along the way.

Not sure how experienced of an RV'er you are but if you haven't been out boondocking much yet, I'd wait until figuring out what you really need before spending much money on anything. If you've been there done that and know you need boondocking laundry services, then definitely go for it.

I come from a backpacking/big wall climbing background and am use to having the bare minimum. The whole rv thing came about as my wife was diagnosed with RA and we had a child. Sleeping on the ground and dealing with living outside was no longer an option. It is amazing the amount of comfort a little trailer can provide! My wife turned me on to the foot powered washer and I was intrigued, especially if washing clothes became one of her chores😆. I have yet to finish our Trillium but I am already planning on long stays in the desert and mountains and if a gadget helps bring my wife on board...well it is worth it to me.
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Old 01-10-2017, 09:58 AM   #16
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Gotcha. And I would guess that a foot powered washer would be easier on the body than working a plunger in a bucket...

Well a big disclaimer is that what I needed and didn't need is going to be different from what someone else needs and doesn't need. I've never wanted, needed or owned a generator. For some people it's indispensable. No TV, no AC, no microwave. No bbq. Etc. It depends more on how you "camp", so my experiences won't necessarily apply to someone else. And I don't want to hijack the thread...but here's a quick list of what I remember (I'm sure there's more) and I'll be done with it.

I ended up buying a roof rack for the camper. I thought I'd either thin out my stuff enough or find places to put it, or be ok with it everywhere. But I needed it out of my way. So a lot of stuff went up on the roof.

I needed a cooler. I only had a tiny fridge, and when out for more than 3-4 days, it couldn't really hold enough food. I like to have a lot of fresh veggies. And in both the campers I've owned, I've had issues with the fridge just not being able to keep up once the temps get into the 80s.

I didn't use my coleman 2-burner enough to justify the space it took up. I figured getting out of the camper to cook would be great. And it would be. But I really just rarely did it.

I never used the camper table. The way it was set up just made it inconvenient so I always ate with my food in my lap. Ended up leaving the table in Moab to get it out of my way. I use the table in my new camper all the time.

Most important I just realized that you aren't going to be able to "imagine" what it will be like all that accurately. I mean you'll get close enough, but I think that realizing that you can't jump into it completely prepared is a realistic thing to expect. You really don't "need" much more than if you were car camping. Just expect that you'll work it out while you're on the road. Expect to be stopping by a Camping World or sports store or kitchen store and buying stuff as you realize you want it. Don't start out with a giant pile of all the coolest camper gear people told you you'd need, then realize a lot of it was wasted money.

Unless you've been car camping with others who have their RV with them and you've analyzed their set up and already have a really good idea of how you'd do it. I see a lot of my friends with all kinds of gear I know I'd never need. And every now and then they have something great that I go right out and buy.

But it all depends on the individual. There are some basic necessities for "camping" and traveling with a camper trailer. The rest is just dependent on how you RV.
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Old 03-10-2017, 09:20 AM   #17
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Cari & I just include a ~2hr chill time (usually wifi included) at a laundromat when going into town to resupply once a week. Other than the grocery store it's like our only contact with humanity when in our happy-hermits-in-the-hills mode : )
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Old 08-26-2017, 03:46 PM   #18
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For us it's once a week 2 loads for no more 2 hrs at a laundromat. Easier than doing a number of small loads in a bucket. Even our friends with big rigs with washer and driers end up using them all the time because the washer and driers are small capacity units.
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Old 08-27-2017, 09:57 PM   #19
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Read the book "Travels With Charley" by John Steinbeck for a lesson on traveling light. He describes how he washed his clothes with a 5-gallon bucket with lid that agitates while he's driving! I think this classic is a "must read" for any modern camper.
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Old 09-30-2017, 09:25 AM   #20
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washing

While its interesting I think I will stay with the laundermat. Keep adding things to your supply of junk and pretty soon no more room for you or you will go to the 70k 5th wheel motel on wheels!!
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