Why learn how to do laundry for preppers or doing laundry without aid of electricity? Off-grid laundry technique is one of the secrets to cleaning clothes as well as fabrics that every prepper must know. What may be a common household chore perfected by your great grandmother, it can now even made easy through the use of more convenient equipment. To jumpstart your search, here are the top items to buy for the perfect laundry for preppers kit.

1. Wash Tub or Basin

Remember those galvanized tubs or basins where you sometimes keep those beer cold during camping or when hanging out with family and friends during the annual Super Bowl? Those are actual lifesavers in time of devastation. Whether round (see above) or oval (below) or square, these wash tubs are designed for various heavy duty use, like prepper laundry, as they are made of high-strength steel reinforced with high-strength wire on top and corrugated bottom to prevent rusting. Simply separate white laundry from colored ones, soak them with detergent and wash them using your hands. Rinse, wring, hang, and voila! Clean and fresh just like how Grandma Jane wants them to be.

2. Twin Wash

For added comfort, you may choose a wash tub complete with stand and drain system, like this twin wash tub from Dover still made from galvanized heavy-duty steel. With its easy-rolling casters, you can easily roll it right where you can get ample water supply as well as to the area where you’ll be air-drying the laundry. You don’t also have to go around bending your back when scrubbing them clean as it is designed to stand at a comfortable 33-inch tall. To drain, an outlet can also accommodate a 30-inch hose.

3. Hand-Crancked Laundry Wringer

Wringing wet laundry by hand is not only toilsome, it is also proven to be inefficient. It can crumple your clothes and leave plenty of water behind making the whole drying process tediously longer. With a hand-cranked clothes wringer like this classic one from Calliger, you can speed-up laundry drying time. No sweat! It’s like flattening dough for your cookie cutter.

4. Washboard

Washboards make washing tough dirt off your laundry pack less tedious and much faster. Old-school laundry for preppers expert stand by their galvanized steel scrubbing washboard, like the one from Behrens above, when removing stubborn stains off their laundry. Or you may go the non-expensive route by buying biodegradable yet durable Japan-made plastic washboard below.

5. 2-in-1 Laundry Wash Basin

To save more value for your money, buying a wash basin integrated with its own washboard, like this premium quality plastic variety from Japan, will make washing much easier. Light and portable, it can be transported anywhere you go. So long as you have water supply and washing detergent, you can clean those shirts, towels, socks, undies, and what-have-you without a hitch.

6. Anti-Stain Scrub

There will come a time when stain cannot simply be removed using a washboard or simple hand-washing. Have a multipurpose silicone scrub handy to help remove unwanted dirt and stain off your clothing. It may also be used as scrubbing material for removing dirt on floor, walls, or sinks to remove harmful microorganisms like molds and fungi from propagating in a flooded home.

7. Clothes Line and Pin

Air-dry your laundry by hanging them into a clothesline then, securing them with a pin. This 100-foot long All-Purpose Cotton Clothesline from Household Essentials is highly recommended by Amazon. Now you can guarantee not snagging or staining your fabric. Simply tie it into a tree or a post and hang your laundry to dry. To make sure those laundry don’t go around flying with a strong breeze, secure them with heavy-duty multi-use Good Living Cleaning Solutions Plastic Clothespins.

8. Clothes Dryer

Don’t have enough space for a clothesline? Then, use a drying rack. Instead of going for poorly made painted steel or chrome-plated variety, pick stainless material like this variety from Cresnel. Can be used in both outdoor and indoor setting, it comes in a convenient foldable design for easy storage and transport. It is also rustproof.

9. Handheld Washer

Do you know that there is also another way of washing your laundry without breaking a sweat? Handheld washers, like the Breathing Mobile Washer is considered one of the most practical method of laundry for preppers? This plunger-styled laundry item can be used anywhere– in the tub, on the sink, with a galvanized bucket, and so on– removing tough stains and malodorous remnants to your laundry pack.

10. Hand-Cranked Washing Machine

Feel free also to go the portable, hand-cranked washing machine route. Take Avalon Way’s EcoWash, for instance. Economical and time-saver, it cleans clothes, linens, and delicate items in as little as 3 minutes. Simply secure it on top of a kitchen sink or any flat surface then, use your hands to crank your laundry clean. To drain, simply place end of the spout on top of a sink or bath tub then, refill with water for rinsing.

11. Laundry Cleaning Agent

Of course, remember to also stock on laundry detergent– and if possible go for a brand that’s not only gentle on your clothes but also on everyone’s skin. Take this Dropps Laundry Detergent Pacs. MAde from plant-based formula, it is hypoallergenic, non-toxic, non-irritating, biodegradable, and quick-dissolving. Each pod is also pre-measured steering you clear of any messy residue. It also works on either electric or non-electric washers with hot or cold water– for all types of fabrics and colors, too.

If you want to go detergent-free, this 2-pack GreatDeal1 Eco-Friendly Washing Ball also comes handy. It sanitizes 99.9 percent of bacteria off your laundry and removes stains and dirt via “clustering.” Each ball can last up to 1500 laundry loads.

Without a doubt, laundry for preppers is going to be a tough endeavor as everyone seem to have gotten used to simply plugging-in their washing machines complete with spin dryer or going to the nearby laundromat. But when devastation– flood, tornado, cyclone, earthquake, or civil unrest– comes and electricity no longer works, these prepper laundry must-haves will definitely be your saving grace in keeping yourself and the whole family clean and fresh-smelling. To further add an uplifting vibe to your laundry, add a drop or two of melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil on the last rinse to keep clothes clean and insects away.