How to do Laundry Without Electricity

Living off-grid in our Scamp 13ft, we have very minimal space and almost never connect to electric hookups. Running an electric washer and dryer every week is not an option, and I can’t be the only one that hates laundromats! If you find yourself in a similar bind, this is how to do laundry in a tiny camper without electricity and while being space-conscious.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Here are the products I recommend:

• Calliger Clothes Wringer
• Collapsible Laundry Bins
• Portable Clothesline
• Basic Toilet Plunger
• Eco-Friendly Detergent Strips

If you prefer to watch a video, you can see my laundry explanation on TikTok:

@visiblymary

How I do my laundry living in a camper #boondocking #scamptrailer #traveltiktok #nomad #digitalnomad #rvhacks #vanlife #vanlifehack #fulltimetravel

♬ I Think I Like When It Rains – WILLIS

The Steps: Doing Your Laundry

Set-Up

Now that you know what products I use, here are the steps to using them.

To start, grab your two Collapsible Bins. I recommend using collapsible bins because they save space living in a small camper. Fill one bin with clean water, and fill the other with water and an Eco-Friendly Detergent Strip. Detergent strips are more space-saving than a jug of detergent. Stick with Eco-Friendly Detergent because you likely will be dumping the detergent water outside when you’re done.

Now that your bins are filled, it’s time to set up your wringer. You can mount your wringer wherever works best for you. I often use tie-down straps to mount it on a table (as seen in my video), but you can also make a platform or use a sawhorse; as long as the wringer is situated evenly between both of your bins.

Doing Your Laundry

Now that your wringer is in place, it’s time to start doing your laundry.

Pile your laundry into the bin with the water and detergent. The water should just cover the laundry.

Once your laundry is immersed in the water, let it soak for awhile and then begin agitating it with your Toilet Plunger for several minutes. Hopefully this doesn’t need to be said, but only use a brand new toilet plunger that you’ve designated for this purpose.

Once your arms are feeling tired, it’s time to pass the clothes through the wringer and into the collapsible bin with clean water. This step helps remove the detergent from your clothing. When all of the clothes have been passed through and are soaking, go ahead and dump out the old detergent water. If possible, it’s best to locate a nearby sewage drain to dump into. If not, a ditch will do, as long as you’re using Eco-Friendly Detergent.

Now that your dirty water is dumped, it’s time to dry the clothes.

The laundry in the clean water should not have any detergent left clinging to them after soaking in the clean water. Pass your laundry through the wringer again into your now empty bin to dry them.

Once your clothes are dry, hang them out on your portable clothesline and they should be dry within a few hours, depending on the climate. This whole process should take around 30 minutes.

Tips & Tricks

• Keep tie-down straps handy incase you have a shaky set-up with your wringer. If you’re using picnic tables or whatever surface is available at your campsite, it may require additional stability.
• You can drill holes in your toilet plunger for less resistance when agitating your laundry.
• If the water is very dark after soaking and agitating in the detergent, this may be a sign that you want to pass it through another round before continuing.
• Do not overfill your collapsible bins. The weight can make the plastic bend. Only fill your bins halfway for each load.
• Mind where you dump your water. No one wants dirty detergent water filling up their campsite!

Enjoy your sunshine-fresh laundry!