Importance of having a washer on our bus

[ourmefa]

So, my wife and I have discussed the idea of taking our brand new high efficiency front washer on the bus. I would love to hear some feedback from those that have a washer and those that do not have one.

My feeling is that we can go without and use facilities as we travel (coin op), knowing that we can park the bus near by, shuttle clothing in and do multiple loads all at once.

This vs having to wait to do laundry when we are hooked up to water and sewer, or plan for full freshwater and empty grey water every time we want to do laundry.

I will say that the washer is a truly high efficiency at a water factor of 2.7, which is very low. That means for 4.2 cubic feet of wash space, it uses around 20 gallons of water, but that is still a lot of water. If we have a 100 gallon tank which seems common for skoolies, we would be able to do about 5 loads of laundry before the tank is empty. This is assuming boondocking of course.

The other factor is space usage, space is a premium and I feel like we will learn to live with doing laundry once a week and maybe get an extra day out of a pair of shorts, lol.

Thoughts?

[Stu & Filo. T]

I too have been thinking about this, to me the main reason not to put in a washer & dryer is it gives you reason if your boondocking to go into a town & pickup supplies, maybe catchup on some news.

[ourmefa]

Originally Posted by Stu & Filo. T

I too have been thinking about this, to me the main reason not to put in a washer & dryer is it gives you reason if your boondocking to go into a town & pickup supplies, maybe catchup on some news.

Yes!! Exactly! And also it gives use the opportunity to connect with the town where we are stopping. We actually plan to skip the dryer, as hanging works just as well for us.

I have considered the idea of building a small deck on the back of the bus and putting the shower and washing machine in a porch house or something. we know we want to utilize roof access for either a party deck and/or solar, so having a walkout back porch might be nice. We could downsize on the bus as well since those two big items are out of the floor plan. For anyone that maybe wondering, I plan to use a multi-point backup alert system on the bus. It will be on of the very first things installed on the bus, lol.

[EastCoastCB]

I've got a washer/dryer combo from a class A that I'd let go for nothing. Who wants it?
Sucker is HEAVY. Still haven't actually tested it yet.
Looks like this one-

[Rameses]

My wife and I were talking about this recently and have pretty much decided against having one on our bus. We'll just establish a routine with one particular day of the week includes a trip to a laundry joint. (Hopefully we can find one with a bar in it.)

[cadillackid]

front load washers are NOT designed to travel!! to travel you need to piut the shipping bolts in each time you drive or you can damage the suspended tub inside the machine.. Not to mention front loaders weigh a LOT!!..

the advantage to laundromat laundry is you can get all of it done in one swoop... I remember when I lived in a cheap apartment downtown yesrs ago I walked to the laundromat 3 doors down with a 2 wheeler loaded with baskets.. fired up 6 washers at once.. and then 6 dryers at once and my laundry was done in 2 hours,, now in my own house to do 6 loads of laundry im pretty much doing it all day as I shuffle from washer to dryer to closet...

-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

I can live with just washing my clothes off with a bit of Dr Bronners and letting them dry in the breeze.

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've got a washer/dryer combo from a class A that I'd let go for nothing. Who wants it?
Sucker is HEAVY. Still haven't actually tested it yet.
Looks like this one-

Good luck with that one....... It took me two years to get rid of mine


Seriously, efficiency is VERY important. I have an "apartment" sized stacking washer/dryer in my 5th wheel. If I use it sparingly my total water consumption doubles.

Left entirely up to me, I would not have a washer in my bus.

Just my $0.02

[PNW_Steve]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

front load washers are NOT designed to travel!! to travel you need to piut the shipping bolts in each time you drive or you can damage the suspended tub inside the machine.. Not to mention front loaders weigh a LOT!!..

the advantage to laundromat laundry is you can get all of it done in one swoop... I remember when I lived in a cheap apartment downtown yesrs ago I walked to the laundromat 3 doors down with a 2 wheeler loaded with baskets.. fired up 6 washers at once.. and then 6 dryers at once and my laundry was done in 2 hours,, now in my own house to do 6 loads of laundry im pretty much doing it all day as I shuffle from washer to dryer to closet...

-Christopher

When I was building the place we are at now I developed a laundry routine and discovered that the pub next to the laundromat made great burgers.

Every Saturday:

Order a pint and a burger.
Fill & start washers
Eat burger & finish pint
Move clothes to dryers
Order another pint
Make a friend
Finish pint
Collect clean laundry and go home.

[Rameses]

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

When I was building the place we are at now I developed a laundry routine and discovered that the pub next to the laundromat made great burgers.

Every Saturday:

Order a pint and a burger.
Fill & start washers
Eat burger & finish pint
Move clothes to dryers
Order another pint
Make a friend
Finish pint
Collect clean laundry and go home.

That's what I'm talkin about.

Maybe mix in a college basketball game on tv though.

[superdave]

got rid of mine o c l for 75 bucks, non vented model

[Carytowncat]

I like that this topic raises some good questions about how far off gridd is preferable. There are a few things for me that make my dependence on others nourishing, however inconvieneint. That being said i am pretty independent.

I am going to add a few more things here; I stopped bathing a few years ago. Sounded absurd to be when i heared someone share that 15 years ago, but amazingly i dont smell bad. I use apple cider vinnegar to wash my feet and hands, etc, and what is called magnesium oil keeps body oder gone. It is all natural.

None of this was an effort to be green, i am allergic to chlorine and most other chemicals.

I wear leather motorcycle pants, and they rarely need cleaning, just a simple wipe down... with motor oil lol yeah i recently did that.

I wash my clothes rarely but when i do i enjoy the laundrymat. My bus has NO water tanks. Lot's less hassle. I enjoy less hassle. I'm kinda soft and stress takes a quick toll on me, so anything to elminate stress is welcome.

However... sometimes eliminating some things causes stress, so i try to balance that. Can't think of an example yet but...

Sitting by this woodstove really gives me time to relax and type away lol

[lucasd]

Thoughts on laundry -

I've lived in an RV without a washing machine. I never want to repeat that experience. Even when we were staying at a park with a coin operated laundromat on site, within walking distance of our parking spot, I loathed doing laundry. It just seemed to take a lot of extra time due to the need to pack everything up and transport it back and forth, and the machines weren't always kept in the best condition, so drying clothes was often unpredictable. Laundry isn't exactly a favorite task in our home anyway, but with a washing machine and drier in the house, we can at least put clothes in to wash while doing other things.

Now, I will say that it might not have been such a bother if it had just been me or even just me and my wife, but there were four of us at the time. Between two adults and two kids, plus having pets, we could count on creating at least a load of laundry every day just from clothes alone. That didn't even include linens or cleaning up after unexpected messes.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Carytowncat

I like that this topic raises some good questions about how far off gridd is preferable. There are a few things for me that make my dependence on others nourishing, however inconvieneint. That being said i am pretty independent.

I am going to add a few more things here; I stopped bathing a few years ago. Sounded absurd to be when i heared someone share that 15 years ago, but amazingly i dont smell bad. I use apple cider vinnegar to wash my feet and hands, etc, and what is called magnesium oil keeps body oder gone. It is all natural.

None of this was an effort to be green, i am allergic to chlorine and most other chemicals.

I wear leather motorcycle pants, and they rarely need cleaning, just a simple wipe down... with motor oil lol yeah i recently did that.

I wash my clothes rarely but when i do i enjoy the laundrymat. My bus has NO water tanks. Lot's less hassle. I enjoy less hassle. I'm kinda soft and stress takes a quick toll on me, so anything to elminate stress is welcome.

However... sometimes eliminating some things causes stress, so i try to balance that. Can't think of an example yet but...

Sitting by this woodstove really gives me time to relax and type away lol

you dont *THINK* you smell bad.. but who knows what others that are not off-gridders think? doesnt matter if you only associate with other off-gridders...

just seems hard to believe someone wouldnt get rank sweating in the sumnmer or sweating in leather biker pants..

maybe what you have works better than what most who give up bathing use...

id be apprehensive I guess...

but I will say that Most on-gridders probably wash clothes far more often than actually NEED to be washed to keep them wearable.. and we probably shower more often than needed even if not using some kind of oil..

-Christopher

[milkmania]

Originally Posted by lucasd

Thoughts on laundry -

I've lived in an RV without a washing machine. I never want to repeat that experience. Even when we were staying at a park with a coin operated laundromat on site, within walking distance of our parking spot, I loathed doing laundry. It just seemed to take a lot of extra time due to the need to pack everything up and transport it back and forth, and the machines weren't always kept in the best condition, so drying clothes was often unpredictable. Laundry isn't exactly a favorite task in our home anyway, but with a washing machine and drier in the house, we can at least put clothes in to wash while doing other things.

Now, I will say that it might not have been such a bother if it had just been me or even just me and my wife, but there were four of us at the time. Between two adults and two kids, plus having pets, we could count on creating at least a load of laundry every day just from clothes alone. That didn't even include linens or cleaning up after unexpected messes.

Right now, it's just me & Buddy in my rig...
And we'll have a washer & dryer onboard

[Wutm8]

Without taking energy use into consideration it is a must for our family if we will be living in it full time. It's me my daughter's mother and my daughter plus 3 big pits and a cat! We have found an energy efficient washer dryer combo. The thing costs $800 but seems worth it.

[superdave]

Originally Posted by Wutm8

Without taking energy use into consideration it is a must for our family if we will be living in it full time. It's me my daughter's mother and my daughter plus 3 big pits and a cat! We have found an energy efficient washer dryer combo. The thing costs $800 but seems worth it.

be sure its a vented model

[New2Skool]

I dont live in my bus yet but, I have been testing out different things.
I bought a small portable washer. It holds 9lbs including water.
It works surprisingly well and is small. The same goes with the dryer, it is a spin drier and gets clothes about 80-90% dry just from the spin. So, it is not perfect but, it is easy on amps and doesnt require heat.
Hang on let me find a link.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HZRJVCO...I35B0UZCI7F1BI

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HT0958...I2N19AK4PTL976

They work pretty well if you do what you wore that day.
Basically, wash a pair of jeans followed by socks, t shirt and undies.
Same for drying, it takes a little more attention and time.
You cant beat the size and once, my bus is done it will be very helpful.
It doesnt take a great deal of water either. In fact the less you use the faster and better it works. I have been working on a measurement outline for each article of clothing. Typically, I go by ounces compared to gallons like a normal washer.

They are something to think about. I still get lazy and have clothes stacked up and sneak a full size load once in a while. Bedding and bigger items go in a regular washer and dryer.

[refinedj]

Started designing our floor plan for a conversion here and this has been at the forefront of my thoughts: laundry..?

Has anyone else just been terrified of being without the ability to launder at will off grid? I can wash by hand... and hanging is not an issue but then I saw this and thought ok, nice to have... thoughts lol


http://pin.it/kErJKED

[ourmefa]

Originally Posted by New2Skool

I dont live in my bus yet but, I have been testing out different things.
I bought a small portable washer. It holds 9lbs including water.
It works surprisingly well and is small. The same goes with the dryer, it is a spin drier and gets clothes about 80-90% dry just from the spin. So, it is not perfect but, it is easy on amps and doesnt require heat.
Hang on let me find a link.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HZRJVCO...I35B0UZCI7F1BI

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HT0958...I2N19AK4PTL976

They work pretty well if you do what you wore that day.
Basically, wash a pair of jeans followed by socks, t shirt and undies.
Same for drying, it takes a little more attention and time.
You cant beat the size and once, my bus is done it will be very helpful.
It doesnt take a great deal of water either. In fact the less you use the faster and better it works. I have been working on a measurement outline for each article of clothing. Typically, I go by ounces compared to gallons like a normal washer.

They are something to think about. I still get lazy and have clothes stacked up and sneak a full size load once in a while. Bedding and bigger items go in a regular washer and dryer.

This is so perfect!! I will consult with my other half on this idea. Socks are our biggest expense when it comes to laundry. It can be the dead of summer and my kids are out running outside in their socks. I bet we buy 200 pairs of socks a year between the four of us, lol. We are seriously going to need to get rid of the sock addiction. We will also be in shorts a large percent of the time, which smaller loads. I love that the water usage is so low!

Are there any things that you have learned about it that you don't like or wish were different?