Quite a few years ago, I was looking for the best washboard for laundry (see below). It’s a simple device for washing clothes by hand. It’s typically made with a wooden frame with an attached metal scrub board (although I recently discovered a lightweight plastic alternative on AMZN).
The washboard’s ‘scrub board’ is lined with ridges (ruffles, ribs – whatever you call them). The ridges help loosen the dirt while washing/rubbing clothes against them.
It’s what our ancestors used before the advent of the washing machine. Don’t get me wrong, we love our modern front-loading washing machine! However, a good old-fashioned washboard will always get the job done (without electricity), albeit by hand…
Best Washboard for Laundry
This washboard is very sturdily built. The ribs of the board are just deep enough…not so deeply ribbed that even the ‘finest of fabrics’ can be cleaned of spots and stains.
I did some research and this is the one I bought years ago. I am still happy with it. Maybe the best washboard for laundry? I believe that it is among the best and has excellent ratings and reviews, even to this day.
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MAID-RITE
(AMZN)
Think about the “what if”. What if we had to get by for a period of time without the conveniences of modern appliances (electric power grid down)? Think about your washing machine, for example. Yes, I know, washing your clothes will not be one of your immediate high concerns if and when the grid goes down for an extended time. But, eventually you have to wash clothes, right? Among the many tasks you’ll face will be keeping clean – including your clothes. How will you do it?
Or maybe you’re a homesteader who just wants to try it. Or simply to have a washboard for the sake of general prepping and preparedness, just in case.
How to use a Washboard
A good old-fashioned washboard. A little bit of ‘elbow grease’ will take out the ground-in dirt (you’re scrubbing will be directly proportional to the dirt involved)!
Many parts of the world still use washboards for washing clothes.
Clothes are soaked in hot soapy water in a washtub, bathtub, or sink. You might go to a ‘Tractor Supply’ store and get yourself a nice size washtub. That’s what I did.
Then they’re squeezed and rubbed against the ridged surface of the washboard to force the wash liquid through the cloth to carry away dirt.
A bit of scrubbing together with a soap bar of Zote or Fels Naptha will get the job done (see below).
Washboards can be used in a sink or bucket, or can also be used for washing in a river or any body of water, with or without soap.
Washboard Soap
Both ‘Fels Naptha’ and Zote have been popular laundry soaps for many years. When I bought my washboard, I also picked up a case of soap:
Fels Naptha (24 bars)
(AMZN)
When you are thinking about your prep items and what you may need during a worst-case-scenario (extended grid-down), don’t forget about how you will wash your clothes! Get yourself the best washboard for laundry!
[ Read: How To Wash Clothes Without Electricity /Off-Grid ]
[ Read: 20+ Other Uses For Soap ]
