How To Wash Clothes When The Power Goes Out
Today, it’s all about how to wash clothes when the power goes out! I have my emergency washing machine buckets, which I recently showed you in a post, but I have another option today. To be prepared for an unforeseen emergency, we can start by learning how to do laundry outside, and I love it! I remember seeing the sheets hanging on the clothesline when I was younger.
My family had one of those clotheslines with the metal “T” frames spaced about 20 feet apart and braided rope. We couldn’t use metal clothesline wires back then because they would rust the clothes. I promise that doing laundry outside can be a great family experience. I’ve updated this post to get the word out about being prepared to wash your clothes by hand—it’s that simple.
Were Our Clothes Stiff?
Growing up, I don’t remember our clothes being stiff (after drying them on the clothesline), but I think they must have been. We didn’t get a clothes dryer until about 1961, when I was in my early teens. My mom used good old detergent in a washer, and we hung the clothes and sheets outside to dry. My family didn’t have a laundry room or closet with a washer and dryer.
When I think back, we had very few clothes, which makes me realize it was the cost, but I also think we wore our clothes more than one day each week. We can’t imagine that today, but that happened years ago. I grew up with a washer and dryer after I was eleven. Wow, I’m starting to feel old right now. LOL! My mom bought a pink washer and dryer set; those were the days.
How To Wash Clothes
You probably know I want to be prepared for the unexpected by now. This means I need to know how to do my laundry if the power goes out and see that I CAN do it. I am happy to report that I found one new option, and I enjoyed filling these 17-gallon high-grade steel Behrens multi-purpose steel utility tubs made here in the USA with a hose! I used my lead-free hose, and I’m just giving you a heads-up. They are rust-free and odor-free. Lead-Free Hose
They’re galvanized and ready for me to do laundry outside! I could use some of the stored water if the water were shut off. It’s called practice makes perfect, right? I know I can wash my clothes by hand in several ways, and this is another one you may also like.
Why I Won’t Use The Bathtub For Laundry
Now, you might be thinking, why don’t you use the bathtub to do your laundry? If we had water lines or sewer lines severed, I don’t want to waste any water. If I use two wash tubs or buckets, I can use my detergent, one for washing clothes and the other for rinsing my clothes; if I use about 1/4 teaspoon of my homemade laundry detergent, that will be perfect! My laundry detergent makes very few bubbles because it has zero fillers.
Lavario Portable Clothes Washer
I’ve wanted to make a video with this Lavario Portable Clothes Washer, but I can’t wait any longer. This is the best emergency clothes washer ever made. It’s very affordable, and I love that. You can wash two pairs of jeans in this baby without any trouble. It holds more water and drains easily through the “valve” on the bottom right of the picture. I love it!
A real bonus is that this Lavario would be excellent for camping or RV travel. You are good to go if you have a clothesline, my friends. I signed up for their newsletter to hear about any sales they might have. I saved 20% off mine and got free shipping as well. You have to love it! Please check out their website: Lavario Portable Clothes Washer (currently unavailable). I quote: DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL, WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY PRODUCING LAVARIO. PLEASE CHECK BACK IN 2025.“
I hope they come back in stock. They are the best option out there. The others are too small. The buckets work great with the washboard.
Learn To Do Laundry Outside
Do you want to know why I think you will love doing your laundry outside? You can go outside to wash your clothes and enjoy the experience. Put your feet in the grass or earth and feel the air around you. Just think, we can teach our kids what our grandparents used to do. They may have had a wringer washer years ago. Or they had a washtub very similar to the ones above.
Put Down Electronics
Get away from the electronics, cell phones, and stuff for an hour or less. Go outside and have everyone in the family take a turn scrubbing their clothes in a bucket of water. You can have them rinse them and hang them over chairs outside. If you have a clothesline, that’s even better.
You can hang a braided rope and secure it to two walls in the garage or wherever. Then, wash with the washboard. Can’t you picture the kids doing this with their own hands? Please be careful with babies or toddlers around the filled washtubs. I would not leave the tubs unsupervised until emptied. 17-gallon Behrens Washtubs, and a Washboard, and a Portable Clothes Dryer
Have Your Kids Wash Their Own Laundry Outside
Trust me, the kids will learn to work and love it simultaneously. Have them wash their clothes and hang them up during the following week. The kids will quickly learn what it would be like to live without electricity, at least when washing their clothes. When my girls started doing their laundry, they were about ten years old. They soon learned that all the clothes on the floor were now their responsibility. My girls enjoyed doing their laundry.
Do You Have A Clothesline For Your Laundry Outside?
Here’s the deal: think about getting some braided rope that you can use to make a clothesline when and if you need one. If you can build a clothesline, that would be awesome as well. I did a YouTube with the clothesline I have. I had been looking for one for years when I found this one. My Favorite Clothesline-EarthEasy.com. I made a YouTube so people can see how easy it is to put up and take down. It blows in the wind and dries clothes perfectly.
Clothespins and Clothespin Bags
You may have seen my post about the best clothespins I like to use. These are the only ones I found to use outside that did not fall apart. They are called Kevin’s Clothespins.
Please look at the difference right here:
Kevin’s clothespin is the one in the center. It’s solid and easy to use. Please stock up on clothespins before you need them. I purchase clothespin bags from Prairie Pin Pouch (.net). They are the best ones out there; you will love them.
Laundry Detergent Recipe
- 1 bar Fels-Naptha Soap-grated either by hand, food processor, or salad shooter
- 1 cup Borax Detergent Booster
- 1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (not regular baking soda)
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Grate the bar of soap by hand, or use an electric vegetable grater.
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Put these 3 ingredients in a blender to blend.
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After doing this, it will look just like the store-purchased detergent, but will not include all the “fillers."
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You will use less product per load and will have fewer “soap bubbles."
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Remember, just having bubbles doesn’t mean clean. I use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per load, depending on the size of the load.
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I have a HE-High Efficiency washer, and it works great in regular washing machines as well.
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Store the finished product in an airtight container, preferably glass to keep it dry.
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I store some in 5-gallon buckets, but I don't live where it's humid. Just giving you the heads up.
Final Word
Let me know if you have shown your family how to wash clothes without a traditional washer and dryer, and I would love to share your stories. Please keep prepping, and you’ll be glad you did. May God bless this world, Linda
Copyright Images: Clean Freshly Folded Towels Depositphotos_3300495_S By Sandralise
The Lavario Portable Clothes Washer looks intriguing but for the price, I think I will stick to my 5 gallon bucket system that I already have.
Hi Leanne, I still have 4 sets of the buckets with the mobile washer. I saw a YouTube on the Lavario and new I needed to see if it was worth the $99.00 it cost with FREE shipping. I love it, but the buckets work great. I could never wash sheets in my 5-gallon buckets without some effort but it could be done. Life is good, but the prepper in me needed to check it out. I highly recommend it. For one person the buckets are great, Leanne. Linda
Great article Linda, i bet washing clothes when there is no power for an extended period of time is something most people have never thought of.
Hi Hearl, that’s my biggest concern, laundry when the power goes out for an extended period of time. That’s why we prep, right? We are prepared for the unexpected. I worry a few people just think the laundromats will work….no they will not. Great comment, Linda
Thanks for recommending the Lavario Washer in a previous post. I watched the videos and my husband and I decided to invest in it. So . . . last week I washed my first load in it and loved that I get a little arm workout with it. We figure that when we move into an independent living facility, this will also be helpful to do the smaller things in the shower and dry them on a rack. Lavario is well made and not difficult to use. Haven’t tried it outside yet, since doing it in the shower provides warm water to wash the clothes in.
HI Carol, I love hearing you bought one too! I was thrilled when it came and know that it will be my favorite way to wash clothes if and when I need it. I really hope today’s post inspires others to decide what they want to do for washing clothes when the power goes out and it will. So glad you got one!!! Linda
Many year’s ago ( at least 30) I bought a Maytag wringer washer at auction for half A buck. I used it for many years on my hobby farm’s to wash greasy work clothes and rags as I didn’t care to get my automatic washer dirty with shop grease. Worked a treat but the motor burned out last summer so I have decided that I am going to try and run it with a Maytag gas engine I bought at an auction A few years ago. The engine was completely restored by the former owner and I have never started it but I am sure it will run. They were designed to run wringer washers but not this exact model so some modifications may have to be made and I will need to move the washer outdoors so the fumes won’t kill me!
This should be the ultimate off grid washing machine! Just like great grandma used to have!!
Hi Gary, oh I remember those wringer washers, now we all want one!! Maytag is the best! Great buys you found! Loved your comment! Linda
I will probably take these wonderful tips. I’m new here and otherwise enjoying your website and information, thus far.
Hi, Francis, thank you, Linda
What would you use for soap in a pinch?
Hi Rebecca, I would use baking soda or vinegar. Those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head. Linda
An excellent cleaner to use in place of soap is Sodium Carbonate AKA Soda Ash and otherwise bought at any store carrying pool supplies. Called pH Up. Mix 1 cup Soda Ash in a gallon of HOT water. Use 1 cup solution per load. This solution is very caustic to skin so wear gloves. FYI: this is the solution dyers use to pre-scrub fabrics to remove everything accumulated on the fabric during manufacturing and prepare the fabric to take the Procion dyes we use.
HI Crystal, thank you for this information. I love learning new things. We never know when we will not be able to get regular cleaning supplies. Linda
Even without soap wash it. I’ve spent a few days with socks and underwear drying on the outside of my pack.
Soap is for society washing. Water is to keep you from getting rashes n fungus
Hi Matt, if you think about it, the sun probably “sanitizes” the items from the heat, maybe. I never though about NOT using detergent, great tip! I love it! Linda
I use a plunger type agitator and an old hand wringer I got cheaply many years ago if I need to do a wash when there’s no power. I have scrub boards but they’re not necessary unless your clothes are really dirty. I use 5 gallon buckets but have used the galvanised tubs in the past but the ones I had got old and leaky so they moved on to become wood bins. Right now new ones are a bit too expensive to replace them. It’s good to soak things for a while to loosen up dirt before actual washing. I can’t clamp the wringer on to the side of the buckets so I need to make a proper wooden stand for it. In my old shack I had a salvaged double laundry sink outside and the wringer fit nicely in the middle, using a small board for extra reinforcement. They just drained into buckets. Even with power I always hang my clothes on the line, or on drying racks in a covered porch or inside.
Hi Alice, oh a wringer would be awesome! I know I saw the price of the galvanized buckets have tripled in price!! We do what we have to do to get our clothes clean! Linda
I have been using “homemde” laundry detergent for years. I’ll never buy the store-bought stuff again. I keep a healthy supply of the ingredients in my storage so I hope to not ever run out (naturally it’ll be replaced as needed). I have a really cheap blender and mini food processor used only for making the detergent. I don’t ever want to use my good ones and find out something tastes like soap! All I have for washing is the plunger made for that. I would love to have the double metal bins on a stand. Christmas list maybe?
PS, Don’t you just love those prairie pin pouches? I finally had to replace one of mine from deteriorating in the sun. They’re the best, especially for short people like me!
Hi Robbie, thank you for the 5 stars on the detergent my sweet friend! She sent me one to try and I bought two more. They are so well made, and the cutest prints. http://clothespinbag.net/ Hey have you heard of a Thermal Cooker? If you come in December I have three and would love to gift you one I used only once. Linda. Here’s one post, but I have more on how to use it. https://www.foodstoragemoms.com/how-to-make-bread-in-a-thermal-cooker/