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Friday, September 18, 2009

Thrifty Tips

SAVING WATER
  • Try not to leave water running while brushing teeth or washing dishes, etc. If it must run, it helps to let it run very low instead of just gushing out. Or lower the water pressure altogether.
  • A lot of water runs from a spicket while waiting for it to heat up. This extra water can be collected in milk jugs to be used later for rinsing dishes, watering plants, doing laundry, and so on.
  • Make water do double duty. After wiping a counter, for example, catch the rinse water used to rinse out the dish cloth into a bowl that needs soaking while sitting in the sink.
    Also, instead of first filling a basin for washing dishes, begin with just a little soapy water and it will fill up as you wash and rinse utensils first and then wash larger pots and pans. Dishes can next be washed as you rinse the hot soapy water from the pots and let it flow onto the dishes. Or pour the leftover soapy water over them from the basin or kitchen sink before pulling the drain plug.
  • It is possible to use cold to lukewarm water only to wash the dishes (as well as pots and pans). That means washing them immediately for health reasons, and with a dab of undiluted dish soap that is directly scrubbed onto the dishes to cut any grease. All the (scoured) dishes may be soaped up well first before doing any rinsing. A final rinse may be added afterward with very hot water such as in the case of washing dishes used by guests or when someone in the household is sick. You can boil just what you need on a stove instead of keeping a hot water heater running.
  • Vice versa, rinse everything in hot water first, then wash and rinse with cool water.
  • Take quick showers with as cool water as possible or use a bucket with measured amounts for a bucket bath.
  • Take only cold showers in the summer.
  • Don't throw out cooking water that was used for steaming or boiling. Steam the vegetables, or boil the rice or dahl in it next. Let it cool and use it to water plants or a dry compost pile.
  • Leaky shower? Meanwhile, a large bucket can be kept underneath to collect the water dripping out. Use it for flushing the toilet, gardening, laundry and so on. Pour a large bucketful into the toilet to flush.
THRIFTY LAUNDRY
  • If you must use a washer, take good care of it by reading the user's manual and following the tips given.
  • Save scraps of soap in a little water to soften. Use this soft soap to pretreat stains and other laundry that needs extra attention. 
  • Clothes that are changed daily generally do not get very dirty. Wash them in cold water, therefore, whenever possible, or at least always set the rinse on cold. Using 1/2-3/4 less the recommended laundry soap amount will still get clothes clean.
  • Some of us find laundry detergent too harsh on the environment and dangerous for personal use such as hand washing. In that case, milder and less harmful dish soap works just as well on laundry that is not overly dirty or left sitting around long, unwashed.
  • Save the more costly laundry detergent and warm-hot water for clothes that are very dirty- work clothes, etc. On the other hand, dirty clothes may be allowed to soak over night to make them easier to clean and the need for hard chemicals less.
  • Instead of thick bath towels that are a waste of time and money to wash every day, try gumshaws (thin, absorbent towels used in India). Whenever these are unavailable, an alternative is extra large, 100% cotton, solid colored baby receiving blankets (without any fancy borders or other frills). These make good bath towels that are easy to wash and quick to dry, and large enough to wrap around the whole body.
  • It is also possible to use smaller towels instead of large ones, for the purpose of drying off only, not to wear wrapped around the body outside the shower room. A reusable shower robe or simple house dress can be worn after drying off instead.
HAND WASHING LAUNDRY IN A BUCKET
This is how many devotees wash clothes in India. It is good exercise and very suchi since no clothes have to wait around to be washed. Of course, the weather in India is suitable for outdoor or balcony drying almost year round. Also for a family, this is only possible to do if everyone (except very little ones) agrees to do their own load of laundry daily. Furthermore, simply made, lightweight cotton and wool clothes are easier to deal with. If you are stuck with only western clothing, forget it!

Now, in India the shower room had a marble floor with a drain and it was separated from the toilet area. Elsewhere, one will need facility to wash clothes in a place where plenty of water is available and space to wash the clothing and drain the water easily. Another idea is an old fashioned hand washer and wringer available online.
 
Simpler than this arrangement is to use a large, wide tub (Usually these are plastic, some are made of metal.) and agitate the clothes more easily by stepping on them or running in place while bathing.

If you are lucky enough to meet the above or similar requirements, here are some suggestions for handwashing:

First of all, the best time to do laundry is before (more suchi) or after bathing. Pretreat stains with soft soap as described above. Use a little brush and gently scrub with the soap.

 Fill up the wash tub and add soap, then agitate the clothes. This should be done with close to a few hundred steps. Next (in the situation of a hard floor that drains easily or a shower floor separate from the toilet) pour out the wash water and begin pounding the clothes on a hard surface to continue forcing water and soap through the fabric. Meanwhile you can be refilling the bucket.

Next, wring out the clothes or step on them (if it is a large item such as a blanket) to aid drainage. Do not wring out delicate clothing and knits - this will cause stretching and misshaping. Squeeze firmly instead, getting as much water out as possible.

Now, do a final rinse with clean water. Agitate the clothing as described above but this can be done in little less time if desired. Then pour off the wash water, wring out the clothes very well (this takes a little practice) and hang outdoors on a laundry line to dry.  Shaking them out before hanging helps prevent much wrinkling. Be sure to hang the clothes in a way that plenty of air and sunlight can reach them.

Bad weather outside? Drip dry them first outside, in a sheltered area, then bring indoors to hang beneath a ceiling fan or in a heated room on a line, a portable hanging rod with hangers or a large folding rack.

 The old fashioned washer and wringer many great grandmas used is making a comeback for those interested in simpler living values. It also provided good exercise.

LAUNDRY UPDATE: Recently, I am living in a small apartment complex with no place to hang clothes outside and a laundry mat that has few machines available and frequent break downs. So what works currently is:
  • a couple of large plastic buckets I got from a nearby devotee restaurant for washing and rinsing
  • a clean plunger from a hardware store for agitating clothes
  • Kirk's Castile Coconut Soap and other remedies that are good for pretreating stains. 
  • Baking soda. Soak clothing at least 30 minutes before washing to deodorize.
  • Vinegar added to rinse water to get out soda and or soap and leave cloths soft
  • Using the drip dry method using hangers and a bath tub. Just a couple hours of drips (especially with a breezy, sunny bathroom window open) and then the laundry can be hung normally in a warm, airy sunny room.
  • Two dryer racks
  • Several hangers and a clothes rack for hanging laundry also. Later note: A freestanding larger clothes rack with hangers works, too.
Combined, this system has been working great and only dirty work clothes and a couple loads of sheets and pillow cases, etc. are gathered up to make a couple more loads a week, but at the laundromat.

SAVING SOAP
To make bar soap last longer, leave them unwrapped as soon as they are purchased to dry out and harden. The bars of unwrapped soap in a basket or container on a shelf will also give a nice scent to the bathroom such as these strawberry scented ones.



For last bits of a bar of soap, take the piece that’s left and press it firmly into a new bar after moistening. Then let it dry merged together.

LIFE WITHOUT TOILET PAPER see Suchi Rules

SAVING ELECTRIC
  • Keep lights off as much as possible and use natural lighting instead during the daylight hours. And try to use only one light at a time in the evenings.
  • Candle light or other natural lighting in the evening is also nice, but some cautions must be observed so not to cause a fire.
  • Do not leave a refrigerator door open long. Get all the things you need at one time and shut it right away. Return all items at the same time, too. In other words, open the refrigerator sparingly.
  • Don’t store unnecessary items in the fridge, because it takes more energy to run the more often the door is opened and the fuller the contents.
  • Living without an air conditioner you’ll sweat more and (especially in the south) sometimes feel like you are in a sauna, but like a sauna, toxins are being sweated out. Plus you’ll drink more water which is a great internal cleanser. Open windows with fans and ceiling fans and a quick dip in a shower (two to three times daily) are some of the many ways to keep cool. Sit on a shady porch or shady tree in the cooler part of the day. 
  • It's a good idea to plant trees around the house if you live in hot places.
  • In India and other rural parts of the world, the use of an old fashioned, manual powered fan is still employed. It is yet another way to get exercise...and show love, if you are fanning someone besides your self.
  • Dry clothes on a line whenever possible instead of using a dryer, at least during the summer months. Clothes will last longer, too.
GAS
  • Cooking breakfast, especially baking in the oven, helps warm up the house on a cold morning.
  • Using lids on pots to bring water and preparations to a boil faster, also saves energy.
  • Pull back the shades from sunny windows during the day when sun is high to allow warmth into the house.
  • Keep doors shut during the cold season. Use a draft dodger at the base of the door and windows. A curtain may be hung over doorways in doorless rooms to keep central heating running less.
  • Wearing warm clothing in layers, thermal underwear, socks and a head covering during the day and extra blankets along with warm sleep clothes, socks and a cap at night, helps keeps the thermostat at a lower temperature. 
  • More cold season preps and ways to keep warm include: putting up thicker curtains and drapes, putting out throws and using flannel sheets. Putting out rugs and floor mats. Preparing hot drinks. Using thermal underwear. Sleeping with a hot water bottle.
  • Advantages of lowered heating: produce stored outside the fridge stays fresh longer, fridge can be lowered in wattage, keeping active to keep warm means better health
FOOD-
  • It's a good idea to cook from scratch- homemade breads, soups, noodles, etc
  • Eating out becomes a super special treat when it doesn’t happen often... and if you can find a devotee restaurant.
  • Share meals with family and friends. Take turns who cooks when or cook together or pot luck.
  • Pack your own lunch if you must eat away from home.
  • Drink water instead of nonsense commercial beverages.
  • Breastfeed baby instead of wasting money on formula.
  • Use a baby food grinder (or a fork!) to mash table food instead of buying baby foods.
  • No snacking between meals gives better health, better appetites and better teeth. But make sure meals are on time! Also small children may need simple snacks, since they eat less at meals and digest faster.
  • Butter wrappers -Save these to grease baking pans before tossing.
  • Fasting on holy days saves food, time and our souls.
  • Healthy eating also means less doctor bills or having to buy any medications. True story.
  • Save money by filling up on inexpensive food items such as potatoes, cabbage, corn and rice.