When going off-grid, things can tend to get a bit primitive, but you still need to get your laundry clean, there are many ways to do it, from washing by hand, to buying high tech off-grid washing machines. I have used a few different methods of washing my laundry. I often just toss what I need in the sink, wash it by hand and hang it out to dry, if I have a large load of laundry, I can use my neighbor’s washer and dryer (we trade out keeping his place up for such luxuries)… I have used a 5 gallon bucket with a long handled plunger.
This video shows some of the old washing machines before electricity, all are hand powered, well one of them is apparently goat of dog powered. I like the ones with fly wheels or rack and pinion gears. Most of them are simple machines, using gears to turn what looks like a model of a cow’s udders to agitate the laundry. At least one of them had a set of wringers, also known as a mangle on the top to get out more of the moisture.
I hope you enjoy this video, I know I did, and be sure to check out the rest of the videos on this YouTube channel.