How I Wash My Clothes Off-Grid

I’ve had all sorts of washing machine woes throughout my 34 years on this planet. As a child my mom and I washed clothes in our apartment complex’s shared washing machine (emphasis on shared- think smelly socks).

Later on in life, I began to make use of the local laundromat where I would bring endless loads of lumpy laundry to wash in one foul swoop.

It wasn’t until I moved to Baja Mexico, and started living without grid services (such as – electricity, running water  and sewage) that I realized my washing woes from my past were really quite convenient chores. 

My niece Nancy was the first person who taught me to wash my clothes, towels and blankets using a lavadero.

A lavadero is a centuries old concrete washing board. It is connected to a rectangular bowl that is used to hold water. It is used frequently throughout Mexico, even in some homes that have washing machines. 

Upon first inspection of my niece’s lavadero I wondered how this contraption could possibly get my clothes clean. Moreso- how could I ever use the lavadero to get out the mysterious blob on my toddler’s shirt?

Many hours (and hand cramps) later I surprisingly inspected my works of art hanging from the clothes line. The whites were shining and my toddler’s mystery blob was gone! I felt so proud of myself for sticking through a new and physically demanding chore. Furthermore I felt so grateful to my niece Nancy for teaching me a valuable life skill that would come in handy (literally) on my new life as a homesteader.

“But how did you wash your clothes without a washing machine exactly, Rori?” You may be thinking.

Without further Ado, I present to you The Ways of the Wash: Off Grid Edition…

Step 1: Gather dirty clothes (whatever will fit in the back part of the lavadero near the drain) and place them on the left side of the lavadero.

Step 2: Fill up the rectangular water holder to the top. Make sure you have a cup to scoop the water in as well.

Step 3: Wet the clothes on your left side a good amount so that they are soaking.

Step 4: Pick out the piece of clothing that you want to wash and lay it flat down on the left side (the washing board side).

Step 5: Grab your powder soap or bar of soap (Zote*) and rub both the front and back side of your article of clothing.

Step 6: Start scrubbing! You’re going to scrunch up the clothing and scrub it against the washing board. Be sure to un-wad the article of clothing and ball it up and scrub again (and again) so that your clothing will be sparkling clean.

Step 7: Once you have scrubbed the piece of clothing clean you are going to scoop up water from the rectangular bowl and rinse out the article of clothing. You can do this by holding the piece of clothing with your left hand and pouring out the water with your right hand.

Almost there!

Step 8: Now, wring out the piece of clothing with both hands by squeezing the heck out of it!

You want the article of clothing to have the least amount of water possible so that it will dry faster.

Step 9: Now it is time to dry your piece of clothing. Hang it up on a clothesline or drying rack and let the sun do its magic. If it’s a foggy or rainy day you can hang up your wet clothes inside and hope for the best.

Yay! You did it, you homesteading rockstar. It wasn’t that bad, was it? Multiply that one piece of clothing times 50 every week and you might start to yearn for the convenience of a washing machine. I most certainly do from time to time!

What helps me to stay grateful in times of irritation and despair is remembering how this method of washing clothes helps me to:
a) have super buff sculpted arms without having to pay for the gym,
b) helps to build grit and perseverance, and
c) helps to build grit and perseverance in my children’s personality. 

If you live in a place where lavaderos are not sold, you can use a good ol’ washing board in a bucket. This seems like the less ergonomically friendly option, but I’m sure it will work in a pinch.

HAPPY SCUBBING!

Side notes:
– Zote is a popular brand of bar-washing soap here in Mexico. It is considered a stain remover, so you rub extra soap on the stain and scrub that part out.
– You will want to use Zote over powdered soap in my opinion. It targets the stain better and something about the formula works well.