Flats Challenge Prompt Four

Thoughts on Handwashing - How am I doing?

I will start off this blog by saying that yes I miss my washing machine and yes handwashing was the part I was dreading the most about this whole challenge. Yet overall, I can say that it isn't that bad, especially when you do a few smaller loads instead of one big load. 

Here is my routine that seems to be working really well for me. First of all I keep my bucket in the tub and I fill it halfway with cold water. After every diaper change I take the flat and unfold it and throw it into the bucket, agitate a couple times and then just let it sit and soak. This helps get a lot of the yucky stuff off the diapers before I even start the washing process. Once I have enough for a load or I have the time to do a load, I dump the bucket and rinse the diapers off in cold water under the faucet. The next step is a hot wash so I fill the bucket with hot water and the tiniest bit of Ecos laundry soap. I rinse the diapers off with hot water under the faucet and then throw them into the bucket. Here comes the hard part ... Now I agitate for 10 minutes! I know that seems excessive compared to a lot of routines but I like the arm workout and I want to make sure the diapers are clean. I keep my phone nearby and I make sure that it is actually 10 minutes. Then I dump the bucket again and rinse everything in cold water under the faucet. Lastly it's another cold rinse, so I throw all the diapers back into the bucket, fill most of the way with cold water and agitate for a couple minutes. If there are a lot of bubbles left, I repeat the whole rinse process: dump, rinse under the faucet, fill bucket, agitate. I have never needed more than two rinses though. Then I wring out the diapers as best I can and I snap them a bunch of times before I hang them somewhere to dry. This week has been absolute crap as far as weather goes but I've been making due. When it isn't humid and cloudy they take less than 2 hours to dry, otherwise they take a looong time. 

I think that I'm doing pretty well with this whole handwashing deal. I've been doing one-two loads a day and it has kept it manageable. I try to ALWAYS do whatever is left in the bucket before bed because I don't want them to sit in the bucket overnight. I'd rather them be drying while I sleep. Then I don't feel as stressed in the morning either.

My overall opinion about the process is that it sucks if you have a perfectly good washing machine sitting in your basement that you would much rather use. However, for a low-income family that doesn't have regular access to a washing machine I can see how it would be easy and wonderful to be able to have clean diapers whenever. It takes me less than a half an hour from start to finish so it isn't terribly time consuming and I'll have stronger arms at the end of the week.