Wringer Washing machines are a favorite choice of homesteaders who want to be “off the grid” and save a bundle on laundry. One reader told me that she started saving $80 a month once she started using a wringer washing machine. But what is a wringer washing machine? How does it work? Where can you get one? Keep reading to find out all about this frugal trend to see if it might be right for you and your family.
I learned about wringer washers from some Amish friends. They don’t use electricity, but they can do their wash in a wringer washer that uses an alternative energy source.
Wringer washers can save money on water, heating and electricity costs. A typical washing machine uses 40 gallons of water to fill the tub for one load. It also uses another 40 gallons to rinse the water. In comparison, a wringer washer can use that save 40 gallons of water to wash three loads. rinsing is the same. So three loads of wash would use a total of 80 gallons of water, as compared to 240 gallons of water for three washes in a typical washing machine.
Wringer washers use less energy, too. A wringer washer can be set to run for as long as you like. For normal clothing, wash for 9 to 15 minutes. Heavily soiled loads can go a bit longer. Compare that for 30-45 minutes with a typical washer from start to finish, depending on the settings. You can find wringer washers that run on propane gas (like the model my friend uses) or wringer washers that run on manual power using a crank. The crank is a lot of work, but if you are interested in not using any purchased energy, it is a good choice.
Wringer washers can use less laundry detergent, too. Our reader tells me that the increased agitation of the wringer washer gets everything very clean with just a bit of detergent.
Next up: Using a wringer washer.
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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