Modern appliances have made some domestic chores much, much easier. Doing the dishes is quicker and less messy thanks to dishwashers, while induction stoves provide an energy-efficient way to cook tasty hot meals.
Many of us would be absolutely lost without our washing machines, which help us to do laundry with little effort or fuss. But what do you do if the power goes out? Or what if you don't have access to power at all?
The latter is why one off-gridder had to get creative, and she landed on a smart solution to get her clothes clean and fresh.
@sunnysarahanne Great for people without a washing machine and on a budget! #fyp #laundryhack #offgrid #offgridlife #xyzbca #minimalist #tinyhouse ♬ Walking Around - Instrumental Version - Eldar Kedem
On TikTok, Sarah Anne (@sunnysarahanne) detailed how she uses a mop bucket to do her laundry in her off-grid home.
"Great for people without a washing machine and on a budget!" she wrote in the caption.
She fills up the bucket with water and some biodegradable detergent and then simply hand-washes using a washboard. When she is satisfied her clothes are clean, she then puts them into the wringer to get rid of the water.
"Everything got super dry from wringing it out here," she says. Then it was just a case of hanging the clothes up to finish the job.
Off-grid living has a number of benefits. As Sarah Anne noted in another video, her monthly bills are minimal, helping her to save money for the things she really wants and needs.
Her cabin runs on solar panels and a generator when necessary, and she uses electrical items that rely on AA and AAA batteries.
🗣️ How often do you wash clothes in cold water?
🔘 Every load 🫧
🔘 Most loads 💧
🔘 Hardly at all 💦
🔘 Never 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
While solar panels do require an up-front cost, the energy they produce from then on is absolutely free. In fact, even if you live in a home that is connected to the electricity grid, you can save around $1,500 a year on electricity bills by investing in solar depending on where you live and the size of the system you have.
Although the power the panels create might not be enough to run a washing machine on their own — since they consume vast amounts of power — Sarah Anne has provided a way to do your laundry in an eco-friendly and low-cost way.
Commenters on TikTok were impressed by the hack, with some even suggesting their own off-grid innovations.
"Gurlll that's so smart," one user said. "I use paint mixing drill attachment to spin mine."
"That's literally so smart omg ty for this," added another.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
