This Easy DIY Washing Machine Can Help You In A Pinch While Camping

Sometimes, things go wrong on a camping trip. Perhaps you planned for a short vacation and brought minimal clothes or blankets, only to make a mess everywhere and be left with nothing to change into or to curl up with at night. In that case, you may be wondering if you have to turn around and call the trip quits, but thankfully there is another option, which is to DIY a washing machine. It does take a few items, namely two plastic laundry baskets, a plastic pipe and crank, and a large storage bin. 

Sure, the average camper probably isn't carrying all of these items. That said, these are items easy to find in most stores in nearby towns, including Dollar Trees, for rather cheap — and you can always forgo the crank if you can't find something that works. As a preventative measure, you can buy these items in advance and keep them around for emergencies. This method is great for washing your laundry with minimal work on your part. However, if you don't have these items and don't mind being more hands-on with laundry, the best method for washing your clothes while camping only requires a bag.

Overall, the kit shouldn't take up much space. If you keep the lid, you can store everything in the bin and stuff it into the back of a car or your RV as needed. And when you are done with the baskets, you can make a few changes and transform your old laundry baskets into an ideal strawberry planter. 

The video above is short, but covers the basics of what you will do to make your washing machine. All you need to do is take two small laundry baskets, zip-tie them together at the top, cut a door in the side of one to put in clothes, cut a hole, and push a pipe or rod through the middle of both baskets, and on top of a plastic bin. From there, you can add a crank for easier use, add some water and laundry soap, and you're ready to begin. 

There are a few benefits to choosing this method over, say, coin laundry in a nearby town. For one, in the long run, it will be cheaper, and it can save you quite a headache if you don't carry coins for the laundromat. Additionally, if you are car camping or don't have a backup vehicle for your van, you don't have to give up your spot to run into town. You can get your laundry done right at your campsite, hang it to dry, and be sure your spot is still yours.

There is one other note here. If you are camping, take care to bring eco-friendly laundry soap along with you, and not any random kind. This will help to protect the environment as it degrades naturally. However, it's important to note that biodegradable soap requires soil to break down, which means you don't want to do your laundry within 200 feet of any water. Since you're going to hang-dry your clothes, you probably don't need dryer sheets, but bringing them with you camping is still pretty handy, as this laundry essential keeps pesky critters out of your tent and camper.