For many of us, the washing machine is something we literally cannot be without in our household. It keeps our clothes smelling fresh and clean, whilst maintaining the look of each garment and restoring them back to shop bought quality. Washing liquids and detergents themselves have taken a huge leap in our supermarkets, with smells getting better and better giving out clothes a unique smell that can be associated to the individual. But we are also putting our washing machines through their paces, with many of us using washing machines more than 3 times a week for our loads. Due to this it is any wonder exactly how many liters of water and energy is being used for washing cycles that may just be unnecessary to run. I was challenged to go a week without a washing machine. There are so many manufactures and brands out there at the moment that are pushing their washing machines. If you walk into somewhere like Currys or John Lewis you can sometimes be bombarded with marketing tools for energy saving machines or washing machines that are A + energy ratings. Really, alongside washing machines with these ratings we should be cutting back on the amount of loads we do during the week. What’s the point in buying a washing machine that is energy efficient if we are running it into the ground the same way, if not more, than we used to with our old washing machines? At what cost? The environment, of course.
I’ve decided to take the challenge to survive one whole week (yes, 7 whole days) without using my washing machine, in a hope to find other more environmental and ecological friendly ways to get around not using my washing machine. At the start of the challenge I can honestly tell you that I did not have a clue as to how I was going to survive the week. I am someone that uses my washing machine at least twice a week for clothes, living with my fiancé that makes it a washing load for two people. Especially as we both work in an environment that requires us to wear smart clothes, it seemed like it was going to be fairly difficult to keep up with the challenge. But if you don’t know me by now, I do love a good challenge, and I love finding ways to do my bit for the environment. With my survival guide, from Ramson Spares, in tow, this was going to be one long and challenging week.
It was more toward the end of the week that the challenge was actually getting more and more difficult. I am someone who goes to the gym on a regular basis, and therefore like to, naturally, have clean clothes to wear to the gym. Luckily I did a big wash before the start of the challenge, so the majority of my wardrobe had clean clothes in. What the challenge did force me to do, was wear clothes that I had purchased but either forgotten about or had never worn (which was a major plus, because I could justify my purchases).
During my challenge I picked up a few tips for a week without a washing machine:
1) The best thing I did learn whilst on the challenge was to shower after working out in my workout clothes, I don’t mean full work out gear, but like your sports bra. By showering in them you are not only saving energy and water, but they are also being scented with your shower gel.
2) With clothes it’s always a good idea to air dry them, outside if you’re lucky to have a garden. This will mean that the fresh air outside, or by air drying them will air out your clothes and any smells. Spray them with your favourite perfume, or just let fresh air do the work.
3) Try hand washing clothes; sometimes we put clothes in the washing machine if they have the smallest stain on them. There are so many hints and tips on the internet using everyday items to remove stains.
4) Febreeze is great! Use it to freshen up clothes that really don’t need washing after just one wash, items such as jeans or jumpers can go without being washed every time you wear them. So wear clothes more than once.
5) Use wardrobe scents, or make your own. By putting pouches of potpourri inside your wardrobe and within your clothes it’ll make your clothes smell cleaner without the need to wash them.
The challenge itself was difficult at first, but there are so many ways you can go without a washing machine. I had to keep reminding myself that I couldn’t use my washing machine and that it was broken. It really amazes me how much we actually use our washing machine and how much we rely on it. But, at the same time, we really don’t need to be using it so much, we can wear clothes more than once without needing to use our washing machine. The week without a washing machine really forced me to think about whether I really needed to throw some of the clothes in the laundry basket, because I really didn’t need to.
Would you survive a week without a washing machine? Have you tried this challenge before, and do you have any tips for going without one?
