Doing Laundry in a Bucket When You Live on a Boat

When you need to do laundry on the boat and there's no laundromat nearby, one unexpected tool will make the job easier. Here are the steps to having clean laundry aboard--no washing machine required!

Summary:

As budget cruisers in the 1990s, we did nearly all laundry on board. Today, we intend to splurge on laundromats. However, not everywhere has them. Or the cost can be high, like in French Polynesia where we are now. 

So what do you need to wash clothes on board? My supplies include two buckets, cold water detergent, fresh water, and a clean (unused) toilet plunger.  

Here's my method:

Fill a bucket 2/3 full. Pour in detergent and swish until it dissolves. Add clothes and use the plunger for about twenty minutes per piece of laundry. Wring out soapy water before rinsing in fresh water. Then wring clothes thoroughly to help them dry faster.

Pin clothes to your lifelines (watch for rain) until dry. And that's it.

Smaller loads are easier to wash in a bucket than large ones. So don't wait too long between washes. 

Check out my recommended products in the links. Listen to the full podcast for more information, including a tip about how much detergent to use in a load. 

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Links (Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning that The Boat Galley Podcast earns from qualifying purchases; some other links may be affiliate links):

Clean buckets (Amazon) - https://amzn.to/42Jd7eh

Dirty Labs Non-Toxic Detergent (Amazon) - https://amzn.to/3EFqJzj

Dirty Labs Non-Toxic Detergent - https://dirtylabs.com/products/signature-bio-laundry-detergent

Plunger (Amazon) - https://amzn.to/3RFlylT

Laundry Plunger (Amazon) - https://amzn.to/3RCEhi4

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