In any end of the world scenario, electricity will be next to impossible to procure on a daily basis. As such, many of the luxuries that are commonplace today will cease to function. Items that run on a different energy source or human power, will reign supreme. As expected in an emergency situation, items that are non-electrical and efficient will be in high demand.
Although washing clothes in the Apocalypse might seem like a joke to sell a cheap gimmick, the reality is that it might just save your life. Anyone who has gone camping can tell you how important and crucial the act of keeping your clothes clean.
Usually, within 24-48 hours, foul smelling bacteria will flourish on areas of sweat. Prolonged exposure without cleaning can cause a slew of problems such as rashes, the build-up of dead skin, and odiferous smells. These concerns will be most prevalent in bodily areas that are susceptible to being warm and moist such as armpits, feet, and genitalia.
Washing by hand is viable, but it is time and water consuming, as well as exhausting. However, there is an item that is much more viable in a grid down situation, this is both practical and portable. Let us take a look at our first contender:
Without further ado, let us take a look at our choice in the best non electric washing machine.
The Laundry Pod
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Pros
- Crank operated
- Relatively small and easy to stow away
- Uses 6 liters of water and only 1.5 teaspoons of laundry detergent
- Fits up to 10 articles of clothing
Cons
- Human powered
- Slight chance of plastic malfunction
- Requires a good amount of time to correctly agitate clothes
- weighs 6 pounds
Average rating from reviews: 3.2
Personal Score: 4
This item is very well rounded. Allowing for use in a variety of situations, from camping, traveling, or even in everyday life. The small size allows for an easy carry and stows around the house, car, R.V. or campsite. However, a number of clothes capable of being washed is sizable. Coming in at around 10 articles, which can be all jeans, shirts, socks or etc. While being slightly cumbersome, this item does still get the job done.
The Wonder Wash
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Pros
- Can fit 7-8 dress shirts, 10 T-Shirts, 30 pairs of socks or 2-3 pairs of jeans per load
- 6 liters of water is used for a full load, and 4 teaspoons of laundry detergent
- Minimum needed is 1.5 liters and 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent
- Suction cups allow for greater grip to be held.
- 12 articles of clothing can be washed
Cons
- Human powered
- Weighs 5.5 pounds
- Needs space on the inside of the item to work correctly
Average Review of Amazon: 4
Personal Review: 4.5
The wonder washer is a great choice for an emergency or day to day use. With a capacity that accommodates the perfect amount that allows for a person to wash more clothes faster. The price is also very economical, paying for itself within 2 months. This item can be stored in a car, campsite, R.V and other such areas with little difficulty. The suction cups located on the bottom of the product allow for better grip when cranking the top of the item.
How to use either of these items:
Separate your clothes into different piles, according to color and type of fabric. Add from 1.5 to 6 liters water and 1-4 teaspoons of laundry detergent first. Add the articles of clothing second. The last step is physically turning the crank for about 5 to 10 minutes. This will suffice to clean the clothes out and act as an agitator found in normal washing devices. It is also possible to add another cycle of 5-10 minutes (if there is water to spare), which will act as the rinse cycle, after that wringing them out and putting them up to dry on a clothes line or similar location will suffice.
Final Thoughts
While in a long term emergency situation, having the ability to both clean and manage your laundry means less stress and increased cleanliness. The ability to keep up with ones personal hygiene makes one feel “human” during these potentially difficult times. Having a manually operated washing machine that is both portable and easily accessible lessens the danger of the potential disease and bad odor. Just for these reasons, anyone trying to be completely or wholly self-sufficient has to get washing machine like this.
Even in the short term, the overall money that can be saved is sizable. You can conceivable only use 3-4 gallons per wash, not to mention electrical energy is not a part of the equation, which in turn means less money spent. So this item would be perfect for anyone trying to lower the water bill as well. However, in any situation, the world will have dirty clothes that will need a wash.