It's So Campy!

Next on my to-do list is making a manual washer or "camp washer".  When I've taken flat diapers up to the Boundary Waters before, I did my washing by just soaking in a bin and scrubbing by hand.  Worked just dandy but it was a bit hard on my hands.

But the fabulous folks over at DirtyDiaperLaundry.com have posted a how-to video for a simple camp washer made out of a 5 gallon bucket and a plunger.  Seeing as how I've been so wicked crafty lately, I thought I'd also try being handy.

And since any task is more fun with a friend, a cloth-loving-flat-challenge-buddy came over to help me and also make her own manual washer.

No, really, I helped too.  As did Ivy.

As it turns out though, you don't really need help.  It's super easy and took about five minutes to make two.



Guess what's great about bucket washers? 

Child labor.  Make 'em wash their own stinkin' diapers.

Except that it seems as though the Walmart bucket lid may be a little cheap and brittle (whaaa?  Walmart sells cheap, poor quality crap?)  because as soon as my four year old had a turn, the lid cracked.  So it's back to Walmart I go today for another lid - a sturdier one if they have it, or if not then I'll have to be more careful and actually do the diaper washing myself - darn!

After prepping my diapers and making my washer my Flats and Handwashing Stats are:

Total $$ Spent: $90.43 with tax, but I'm going to have to buy another cover so add like a buck.Total Time Spent: 1:50 (prepping took about an hour and a half but since I spent most of that time cooking dinner and cleaning the kitchen, I'm only counting 45 minutes of it - it wasn't labor intensive, mostly just waiting.  5 minutes to drill the washer holes, super simple.)
Total Diapers Changed: 0
Total Leaks: 0

Flats and Handwashing Challenge 2011:
A Walmart Shopping Spree
Getting Prepped
It's So Campy
Bye Bye Love
Day 1: So It Begins...
Day 2: Homemade Love
Day 3: Wordless Wednesday
Day 4: Noso Glory
Day 4.5: The Apoocalypse
Day 5: TGIF!
Day 6: Sharing the Love
Day 7: Your Grandma's Diapers
Reflections in a Yellow Puddle
The Happy Anteater