"The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin

herbie · Guru

Washing Machines

Chevy · Member

Looking to buy a Twin Tub washing machine to take on the Big Lap. We have been told to avoid Automatics due to the amount of water used and especially the Lemair but due to breakdowns, hard to find repairers and parts.

Have found a 5kg that has XPB50 - 1288S or Wasser X5 written on it (Assuming that's the model no.) Also a 3.5kg washer and the standard Companion 2.5kg twin tub.

Anyone have any experience with these?

valiant81 · Senior Member

Hi chevy;
We have one of the little companion twin tub washing machines, in one word brilliant, best thing that we have bought in a long while . works well and is light enough for me to lift out of our pop top caravan and place on the table out side. Great for all of you small stuff, even a couple of jeans are ok. The big stuff like double bed sheets and pillow cases are best left for when you are in a caravan park. But for the price that we payed for the machine and about $130.00 new a couple of years ago now it has more than recouped the money that we payed.

gunnago · Senior Member

We also have the companion and will do 1 double sheet at a time available at most camping stores

the rocket · Guru

We have a Haier and it is fantastic. keeps on keeping on. It is about 3 years old.

GaryKelly · Guru

Sheets? Bugger the sheets. I bought a sleeping bag.

Santa · Guru

A washing machine doesn't even make the list of things I want/need to take with me in the motor home, uses water and power, adds weight and takes up space.
We drop in to a laundromat every week or so and while doing so take the opportunity to do a bit of shopping, look around the town and perhaps have a coffee, if it's a hot day a beer, when we drive away the laundry has been washed, dried, folded and slotted into it's allocated spot.
Easy. biggrin

herbie · Guru

We have a wahing machine (wife insisted on it when having this van built )she used it once and it has never been used again.It is just as easier and quicker to hand wash the small items and just take the larger items to a laundry matt or if c/ park wash it there.The water you use and the power you will need to operate this toy out ways the value of it.

Santa · Guru

herbie wrote:
We have a wahing machine (wife insisted on it when having this van built )she used it once and it has never been used again.It is just as easier and quicker to hand wash the small items and just take the larger items to a laundry matt or if c/ park wash it there.The water you use and the power you will need to operate this toy out ways the value of it.

Sounds like wer'e on the same wave length with this one Herbie. biggrin

valnrob · Guru

I Love my 3kg twin tub machine. Wouldn't be without it. Never need to use a laundromat. I only use out outside the van and it is light enough for me to take out and put away when finished. Bugger washing by hand.

Cheers

Birdy1710 · Veteran Member

wouldn,t be without mine either, while doing the wash i plug everything in to be charged up while the gennie

is going. washes 1 sheet & pillow case at a time or a pair of jeans. bugger washing by hand especialy in cold weather

jan-ed · Veteran Member

I love my twin tub as well. Its very light and i can choose the amount of water i put in to it...depending on the amount to be washed.

It will do my sheets and towels....and the best thing is...i know whats been in the machine the last time it was used!!!!!!!

Santa · Guru

herbie wrote:
Worst thing i ever did was weaken on this ...It is getting pulled out and i am going to use the space for the gear that needs washing .Kind of like a dirty linen basket i guess.Know one poor bugger that got flooded out from useing one ,when the hose came off ,while they were out side the van ,They really are just a toy ok i suppose to wash a hanky in,but we don't use hankies we use tissues.I have hot and cold water taps connected to out side of van , that has been handy in some places to have a shower out side in shower tent.If we have been fishing or really got our self dirty for some reason (SHE WHO WILL BE KEPT HAPPY ) dosn't want the inside shower used.

-- Edited by herbie on Wednesday 13th of March 2013 04:09:50 PM

-- Edited by herbie on Wednesday 13th of March 2013 04:10:46 PM

My better half came home after a lunch outing the other day highly amused, seems one of her friends had been to the Adelaide caravan and camping show and came home with a washing machine for their van.

SWMBO shares my thoughts on carting a washing machine around Australia.

GaryKelly · Guru

John Steinbeck, who wrote Travels with Charley, used a bucket with a lid. Each time before he traveled, he put the clothes in, a bit of water and detergent, closed the lid, and let the motion of his truck do the washing. When he arrived, he rinsed the clothes and hung them out to dry. Boom boom.

beiffe · Guru

I used to carry a single tub one that I had to ring the clothes out and found the wrists were getting a bit weak.

I bought a twin tub on EBAY for $40 delivered. Bargain at any price.

I use it every week or so when needed and I love it. I chuck them in and run the wash two times and then put them in the spinner and they are fairly dry when they come out.

$40 is less than two nights in a caravan park and as I don't have to worry about power it is no trouble.

I am trying to enjoy the last few days I have left and going into a caravan park to wash clothes is not my idea of fun SORRY. See we are all different.

I go into a town to get my food and fuel for the bus and perhaps find a good site from a local and then out again. My interest is out in the bush.

I carry everything I need in the Bus or the shed and as long as I have food and water and empty black and grey tanks I am right for a couple of weeks.

Regards
Brian

yeoeleven · Guru

Washing+Machine+003.JPG

My washing machine never breaks down and is very economical,

John

vk6tnc · Guru

yeoeleven wrote:
My washing machine never breaks down and is very economical,
John

I thought the motor broke a couple of ribs just recently ?

Happywanderer · The Master

Same as mine John, only mine is a metal paint stirrer from Bunnings.

buffy61 · Senior Member

I could do the bucket and plunger thing but I haven't a hope of wringing out the water with my hands!
My son suggested one of those mop and buckets with the squeezie device....put the wet clothes thru the ringer and use the foot pedal to squeeze excess water out of.
Going to look out for one of those next time I am at Bunnings.

Shogun · Senior Member

My new motorhome has a washing machine as standard, so wasn't worth taking it out. we will use it as a dirty clothes hamper and when it's full wash the clothes.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

GaryKelly wrote:
John Steinbeck, who wrote Travels with Charley, used a bucket with a lid. Each time before he traveled, he put the clothes in, a bit of water and detergent, closed the lid, and let the motion of his truck do the washing. When he arrived, he rinsed the clothes and hung them out to dry. Boom boom.

That works well Gary... put a little napi-san in with small items and half-fill with water, lid on and shake all the way to your destination. Give them a rinse and you will have beautiful clean socks and jocks!

Edit... oops. Sorry sandsmere, hadnt seen your post when I wrote the above.

-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Thursday 14th of March 2013 04:52:10 PM

-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Thursday 14th of March 2013 04:52:42 PM

Chevy · Member

Thanks Everyone for the hints and advice.
We have done a few short trips where our washing came out of the laundrmat machines dirtier than it went in. Henceforth the caution!
I really don't want to take anymore gear than we have too but clean washing is a must.
I just have to decide if the 5kg is viable as it is new to the market or to stick with the smaller model. The 5kg has the same outer dimensions as the 3.5kg and the weight is about the same. Can't find any info on whether they have put the same motor in the larger machine.
We met a couple of people with the Companion and the transparent blue one. They swore by them too. Also have heard that the built in Autos use far too much water for Free Campers even with water available nearby.
The bucket for washing clothes while traveling work really well especially if you add a bit of Napisan. It's the wringing out that's the problem but the wringer bucket sounds practical. As a Cleaner I have one so will try it out & report back.

sandsmere · Guru

Haven't used a laundramat since I saw a woman washing her guinea pigs blanket in one .

We use our washing machine in the van most of the time . Power it with the gennie .

Do use the plunger ( see yoelevens post ) now and then .

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Happywanderer wrote:
Same as mine John, only mine is a metal paint stirrer from Bunnings.

Me too Marj - love it - works well, and the ringing is ok - heard of someone putting wet clothes around the bull bar, and ringing out that way. - I just ring out what I can, then let it drip dry - bonus is the wrinkles drop out while hanging on the line!!

GaryKelly · Guru

Lemme get this straight. The plunger sits on the floor of the bucket while the stick is raised and lowered, sucking water through the holes and spitting it out again, while the clothes remain on top of the plunger, getting cleaned by the turbulence of the water. Right? And one other thing... the holes... are they already in the rubber plunger when you buy it? I've never seen one with holes before.

herbie · Guru

GaryKelly wrote:
John Steinbeck, who wrote Travels with Charley, used a bucket with a lid. Each time before he traveled, he put the clothes in, a bit of water and detergent, closed the lid, and let the motion of his truck do the washing. When he arrived, he rinsed the clothes and hung them out to dry. Boom boom.

Gary if we are on the move , we use one of those white plastic fishing buckets with the lid from Bunnings around $20 but the lid fits really tight ,as made for fishing bait and water. The bucket has another 100 usess beside the washing .When we were working up in Gove we had no access to a washing machine ,so used this method to do the washing for over 6 months. we would use wool wash instead of washing powder ,as no need to rinse if you use wool wash. Also the ironing board came in handy to help with the ringing the water out of the bigger items (sheets towles)we just emptied the bucket onto the ironing board and the water just run out through the holes on top of the ironing board.Just had to push down on items with hands or even the plunger would work. Just make sure the ironing board is not set up right next to your camp as you do not want to have a muddy mess around your camp.

Grams · Guru

Our new van has a washing machine too, I insisted it had to have one. I have lived in caravans for years without one and no way was I going without and using the Laundromat. I have also seen what some people wash in them.

I will only be using the washing machine when we have running water available. Otherwise I will use a bucket and wash in that.

GaryKelly · Guru

Wool wash, huh? Now there's an idea.

Santa · Guru

I'm no spring chicken, at various times throughout my life I/we have used laundromat facilities quite regularly and will continue to do so.

I/we have yet to contract the plague, distemper, parvo, aids, equine influenza or venereal warts from one of them and have never heard of anyone who has, just lucky I guess biggrin

I suspect those who have a fear of contracting a medical condition from laundromats may already be suffering from nosophobia. wink

Cloak · Guru

Slightly off topic but has anyone used one of those spherical washers that are rotated manually? I saw one on TV a few years ago and thought they would be fine for on-the-road life...

"The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.