MagicWash Portable Clothes Washer

Bill, this thing will probably work well, but I reckon decisions like this have most to do with how much cr@p you are prepared to carry while travelling. This thing looks like a PITA to carry.

We carry two buckets. One is a strong plastic one that I put all our tent pegs ,ropes and a few other things in while travelling. The other is a folding bucket that takes up little space. So neither take up much packing space and are handy for other things as well (fetching water from creeks, keeping the Red Claw alive, etc).

We do hand washing in these and hang the stuff on a nylon rope I string between a couple of trees. This is fine for us for clothing. For bigger stuff like sheets, bath towels etc, we get to a coin laundry every couple of weeks.

We try to focus on essentials. Our 'luxuries' when travelling are around eating, drinking, sleeping and fishing. Washing is way down the list.

To ease the washing burden, can I be so bold as to suggest that you offer to do it occasionally. Funnily enough, we have fallen into the routine that I do most of the hand washing when on the road, and Kathryn does the machine washing at CPs etc when a machine is available.

My two bobs's worth anyway.

Norm C

Was in ray's Outdoor the other day, they had some of these washers, sure they were aluminium. May pay to check with them before you buy a plastic one.

Hi Bill

I have a friend who has had one for 12+ years, she liked it. She was strictly your caravan camper type and not into roughing it. She had access to coin operated laundry just across from her site but she always used this unit. I haven't spoken to her in a while so I don't know if she still has or uses it.

Now if you want your laundry to be done whilst travelling then grab yourself one of those 10/20lt mayo buckets with a tight fitting lid. The morning before you travel off to your next destination or just a day drive put water, clothes and deterg (you will get used to knowing how much to put in), fasten on the lid (make sure it is on tight now otherwise your back will be full of sudsy water) and away you go. Washing is being washed as you bump and grind along. When you get back to camp simply rinse clothes in clean water, wring out and place on clothesline.

I also use Preen soap or Napisan for those clothes that need extra tending too or to keep the white's white.

Happy washing!

Cya
Muddies Other Half
:)

mate they work a treat if you use HOT water and low sudsing detergent like BioZet which is also the most environmental laundry detergent available if dumping your suds in the bush.

Don't want to sound like a party pooper, but if you have crook wrists, like carpal tunnel, then really, nothing short of a little washing machine that spin drys will do the trick.

If your in the late 40's onwards then constant hand wringing on the road may actually create carpal tunnel problems.

Regards Bob

I saw something similar in a camping shop a couple of years ago; was $79 i think then. I don't know if it was plastic or aluminium. I thought it not worth it compared to my two $5 buckets. The trouble is the Bushtracker gives the clothes too smooth a ride - freshens them up but any really dirty marks have to wait for a Laundromat. They would do better on the back of the Ute - but we don't tow with the Ute.

When on the road, we put our clothes in the bucket after our shower, let them wash during the morning and rinse during the afternoon. I am happy to climb trees and string the washing out, but when in Tasmania, bought a simple fold up clothes airer which could come in overnight and go outside again in the morning when the night air was damp. Also could hide it behind the caravan which was less unsightly than washing flapping in the the trees by the roadside. Anything big, towels, sheets as well as anything needing an extra wash get done when we go to a caravan park or Laundromat.

I would love something simple for spinning or pressing out the excess water, as my hands and wrists don't take kindly to wringing washing these days. I don't want to carry an old fashioned wringer like my grandparents used to use in the laundry.

We use the old tub on the drawbar trick. We use those 20l drums used for canoeing with a screw on lid with a very large opening. They are easily available at camping stores.

In Fact I have two set up. while one is washing the other is collecting discarded clothes. Finding water to wash with doesn't seem a problem and in the outback, the clothes dry overnight when hung out due to the very dry air.

Doh!

Done like a black chook - again.

SWMBO decides at the recent Melb 4WD show that she just has to HAVE one of the 20L fancy plastic buckets with a hand agitator in it (Plus blue written instructions all over the outside) which if you purchased right now! you also get a 'free' elastic type clothes line.

Yep! out came the good old plastic fantastic and $50 later we now own a a plastic 20 litre bucket with a lid on it.

Been thinking what am I going to do with this mother of a bucket.

Thank you all for abovementioned idea/s- its the draw ba,r big time, for that sucker .

Yeah! Yeah baby 'Moses' laugh your boobs off, but if you have a 'permanent sleeping partner' (PSP) then look out mate, cause it will be your turn big time one day.

I've had my PSP now for 350 years and gave up trying to figure her out, let alone do something about it, years and years ago.

Oooops! did I say 350 yrs - just seems like it - really 35yrs.

Anyway we are going to have the best looking plastic bucket out there - riding like a princess on the drawbar.

Thanks to all that replied. I think most of you have led me in the direction of what we can make do with, without overloading our van with items that we can do without. We are still at the bottom of the 'J' curve with this caravan business as we have only had 2 small trips in it so are still learning. A 20L bucket with a screw on lid is worth a go as it can be put to other use when needed. No doubt we will discard other rarely used items further along the track. It's good to know of others out there who are willing to help. Hopefully we will meet some of you on our new venture.
Bill

We carry an accessory for the 10 litre bucket that assists washing when stationary, or when at places (like eg Adel's Grove) that has tubs but no washing machines. It is a plunger made from a sturdy kitchen funnel mounted on a strong piece of dowel for a handle. The funnel has a couple of holes cut in it to let the water circulate. A plumbers sink unblocker gizzmo would work in the same way.
When SHMBO plunges it up and down in the washing/rinsing water the clothes circulate like they do in a "real" washing machine and end up nice and clean for minimal effort.
Still some refining to do on the spin cycle tho'.

John W

Hi Bill,

Just about to be getting into caravaning. In fact we pick up our first baby tomorrow. For the last few weeks we have been garage saleing to pick up the necessary things to stock the c'van and we bought a "Wash Bucket" for $10.

The seller told me it had cost him $80 at some caravan show and had been used once by him which maybe speaks volumes for the product. I gave it a try at home at probably the last of the places in Oz without water restrictions and where the dams are full. It worked OK but required several rinse loads of water to get the suds completely out. or maybe we use less powder next time

The design is fairly simple - a 20 litre bucket, lid with a hole in it to allow easy of emtying, a plunger (like the lid top with the its click sides cut off) attacked to a long handle and a 3 veined agitator at its bottom. All looks very simple to duplicate. Get back if you need a picture sent.

Read with interest the 2o litre bucket on the draw arm.. we have an ingenious lot out there. I have lots to learn. But...If the item becomes a didn't need to have thing I will have a good fisking bucket with a hole in the lid to pop the live bait through.

Regards
SKI'er