Life without a washing machine

DisreputableDog

I'll have to start counting me coppers

kwmlondon

ljonski wrote: »

Who supplies her with her stockings?

She'll have an "arrangement" with the local American squaddies, no doubt... A few bathtub gins, quick bop to Glen Miller and she'll earn her bar of chocolate alright!

Seakay

Mistral001 wrote: »

Thanks everyone. Some good tips.

It looks like my hand washing technique cannot be improved much.

Using fewer items of clothing so that the dirty clothes do not build up is probably the key.

No launderettes in my area any more I am afraid.

I was very shocked when staying with my sister & her machine broke down to find that there was only one launderette within 20 miles of her house and it was on a street with no parking. There are a lot fewer around than there use to be, it seems, although I live in a city and there are two in walking distance of my house.

She scoured Freecycle, Gumtree, Freegle etc to find a second hand machine. I think that she paid £30 for the last one 9 months ago.

carefullycautious

I have seen an oblong wall mounted washing line on a first floor local authority flat (side wall) and this works well for the person living there.

Would you be allowed to do something similar with a brabantia wall mounted one?

carefullycautious

DisreputableDog wrote: »

I'll have to start counting me coppers

See above sorry forgot to add your quote

PlutoinCapricorn

One reason I got a (portable) washing machine is that I am afraid that the launderette I go to will close or change to dry cleaning and alterations only. This has happened to me three times in the past.

I think that they are similar to internet cafes in that the demand is dropping as people get their own facilities.

Tiffany_Aching

Our washing machine died last summer and, whilst saving up for a new one, I had to hand wash everything for our family of seven.

I'll be honest and say that there were some days where I got so bored and my hands were raw and so sore that I did have several woe-is-me-sob-parties! Things improved enormously once I got myself some rubber gloves, a bucket and a long handled plunger (although goodness only knows what the shop assistant thought I was going to get up to!)

Fill the bucket with soapy water, let the clothes soak for a while and then plunge the heck out of them! It takes a lot of the hard work out of the job. If you use the bathtub for rinsing (cold water and, again, use the plunger) then you can reuse the soapy water.

Savannah02K

You could also try contacting people who advertise that they do house clearances, they usually are quite glad to get rid of washing machines as they're one of the things that normally just get dumped at the tip.

zumbawaga

British summers not the most reliable when you want something clean. Full marks for small garments- hand washing , but larger items i.e. Towels need a good hot wash. My tips are;- look through free cycle, British heart website to see if any are either free or reconditioned. Failing that -find a large clean old baby bath, and fill with hot water etc. and leave items to soak, rotate with clean stick. Advertise for wanted item in local paper, most ads are free.


See if you could swop a favour with a Friend i.e. free Baby sit, in return for a free wash load.
Personally I wouldn't stint on a Washer, but hardly use dryer now. Peg out all year round, and put them in Dryer for 15 mins, if still damp, then I leave on a Rack with a Dehumidier overnight, really economical to run. although I don't advocate running into debt, a lot of companies do Monthly interest free, I've always asked , and got a deal. I built up my home this way, and also took in a lodger Mon-Friday(so he took his washing home at the Weekend) this paid for my interest free buys. If I can do it -anyone can, there's always something you can sell, if need be. Good luck

JustKeepSwimming_2

Mistral001 wrote: »

No launderettes in my area any more I am afraid.

Are you near any universities or hospitals that have residences?

For about 2 years after I left university I went back every week to use one of the 4 launderettes they had on site.

I did the same thing for about 6 months after I moved out of my hospital accommodation

This was all before photo ID passes, so NHS sites may be more difficult to crash these days, but I was never challenged whenever I went back to either site.

Just a thought :rotfl: