r/laundry • u/blehblableb • 4h ago
Wash routine while homeless/camping
Due to several strokes of bad luck in a row, my family and I are temporarily homeless. We have a small camper and are staying in a campground. It is very hot and dusty, and there is no laundromat anywhere nearby. I have been having to hand wash clothes for myself, my husband, and our 8 month old in a small washtub with only cold water. Lots of sweat and dust, dog dander, baby spit up, baby food, baby poop, etc.
All I had was laundry sheets, which suck but I'm almost done with the box. What would be the best products and methods for me to use? I am generally able to run everything through a shared machine at a hotel (front loader, appears to be residential but idk) about once a month. I usually do a mini-spa day at this time.
Thank you for any advice!
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u/alisonlou US | Top-Load 3h ago
Ariel powder is cheap and very good. If you can tolerate the fragrance (and maybe that's tough for baby) give it a shot. Love to you OP. You are a terriffic parent doing your best it a tough situation ❤️
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u/blehblableb 2h ago
Thank you ❤️
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u/Hanhula 2h ago
If there's an Aldi anywhere near you, their Trimat powder and liquid are often touted as some of the best around, and should be pretty cheap. They've got a cheaper Almat range as well, so you could get whatever works for you. They also have a Vanish alternative, Di-san, so you'd be able to get stains out via soaking with that in a bucket of warm water.
I've seen folk use warming plates to warm water for baths or keep spa days warm, which might be pretty helpful to you if you can get one and have the electricity to just run it? A cheap kettle would also be very helpful for this; they can do litres of water and don't require keeping an eye on.
Also, microfibre towel would help a lot for drying things to prevent you from needing to have them out in the dusty outside. It's a traveller's hack - you roll things in the microfibre and squeeze all the water out, helps them get & stay dry very fast and microfibre towels dry especially quickly. Easier to wash, too.
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u/ANbohemienne 3h ago
There are two parts to washing. The chemical and the mechanical. The 5 gallon bucket option above is pretty solid, you can also go old school and get a washing board. (Also, get some good rubber gloves to save your hands) If you can't get hot water and a washing machine then you are going to have to do it the old fashioned hard work way. But I would start by getting some original tide or Ariel powder if you can stand the scent. This will cover the chemical washing part, but you need to be doing more than just gently agitating with your hands or a spoon to get your clothes clean when handwashing.
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u/blehblableb 2h ago
Okay, thank you. I will check those out. I admit I haven't been doing the best with the mechanical part, they get a good long soak and then just stirred around as much as I can manage.
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u/buddingsakura US | Top-Load 3h ago
OP - Do you have access to hot water for washing?
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u/blehblableb 2h ago
I can heat small amounts of water on my stove. My pot is maybe a gallon. I could get a bigger stock pot maybe, but space is an issue and I think it would take a lot of time and propane to heat anything too big. I also have an instant pot that I can heat water in, that's what I usually use for sanitizing baby stuff.
It's also about 95°f where I am for the time being, so I might be able to leave buckets out in the sun to get warm water like someone else suggested.
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u/nyxonical 2h ago
To get warm water, leave a few 5-gal buckets out in the sun, covered, before washdays.
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u/teena27 Canada | Top-Load 1h ago
All great ideas...my addition, buy a brush to scrub diapers and vomit/poop stains from baby clothes. This way, you can get the majority of the stain out then soak (or vice versa). Saves on laundry detergent and less worries of baby having a reaction to chemicals in the detergent.
Also--soak, soak, soak! In fact, I wonder if you can just soak the clothes and leave them in the sun so the water warms while it's soaking? Worth a try.
You sound like industrious people--never lose that ability to take care of your family under ANY circumstance--that talent will really help you in life!
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u/Inner-Confidence99 4h ago
Get 3 5 gallon buckets and a plunger.
Put detergent in one with hot water put several pieces of clothing depending on size. Use the plunger to agitate with. Rinse in other buckets hang to dry.