Housekeeping without Power: Laundering by Hand
"Sometimes you may not be able to wait until power is restored to wash clothes. Prepare for this by having on hand the following necessary and helpful items:"
Ah yes, the joyous past time of washing your clothes without the washing machine or power or anything.
I briefly touched on this when we talked about Wringer Washers in March.
Our Almanac suggests stocking up on these items for your Doomsday Checklist:
Bar of laundry soap, box of pre-soaking laundry formula, detergent suitable for hand washing, plumber's helper, washboard, clothesline, clothespins, wooden drying rack, and metal pants stretchers.
If you were scratching your head wondering what a pant stretcher is just take a look.
You can still purchase these today in 2018.
They are mostly meant to keep your pants from wrinkling while also giving your pants that crisp creased look too.
Now you will sort your laundry like usual.
If you don't have a washtub then do what our Homemaker Heroine is doing and use your bathtub.
Wash your whites or lighter clothes first before washing dyed fabrics that could bleed into the water.
Use your presoak detergent for any soaking.
Make sure what ever detergent you use for washing is safe for using on your hands.
Use a washboard to help wash heavily soiled items.
When your clothes are all washed up and you have wrung out as much water as you can, you are now ready for the clothes line!
The outside breeze will dry your clothes fast and limit wrinkles.
(I really don't know if that statement is true)
If for any reason you can't dry your clothes outside, use the porch, attic, basement, or anywhere indoors you can. Use the wooden drying rack to help.
After your clothes are dry, our Almanac asks the unthinkable.
It suggest...
gulp
...that you iron your clothes.
IT IS FREAKING 2018!
Why do we not have fabric that is un - wrinkle - able?!
In 1985, Dr. Emmett Brown took Marty McFly to 2015 and there were flying cars, hover boards, self drying jackets, self lacing shoes, and no one had wrinkles.
When Marty stole the Farmers Almanac to take back to 1985 to get rich and Biff did it instead, he messed up our timelines.
Now we are stuck in this timeline were we have wrinkles and Donald Trump is president.
Thanks a lot Marty.
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