Product Review: Washing Wand

Around January, my husband and I found out that we could finally buy our first home next year. I immediately went into "Where can we save money so that we can pay off everything possible between now and then?" mode.

One of those areas was laundry. We were spending upwards of $40 a month going to a laundromat. $40 plus the amount of time taken away from my husband's job because we only have one vehicle plus the extra miles on the vehicle equals me deciding I was going to do laundry the old-fashioned way (by hand) but with a modern twist.

The Washing Wand
Enter this doodad. It was an initial investment of $8 (I got it on sale) and the amount added to the water bill by doing laundry in the tub at home was $12. That's half of what we were spending per month at the laundromat, which means the Washing Wand has already paid for itself in the first month of use.

I know it looks like a toilet plunger, but it's better:

• I don't have to worry about someone forgetting there's one for the toilet and one specifically for laundry only. 
• It's designed to agitate water, not un-plug a toilet, so it agitates better than a plunger. 

Tips and Tricks

1. Let your laundry soak in the soapy water for five to ten minutes. 
2. Dump that water and replenish it with fresh, then agitate it for 40 motions (think 'churning butter') or two minutes, whichever is longer.
3. You may have to rinse twice, depending on how dirty the stuff was.

Q&A

Can it handle sheets and blankets? 
It can, if you have a large tub to let them soak in. You might have to work harder to get them clean, though. 

Has it proven to get the clothes clean?

Yes.

Would I trust it with the crocheted stuff I do for Jade Rose?

I haven't tried that yet, and am a little apprehensive about it.  Do you blame me?

My Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Pros:

• There's no "ick factor" of using a toilet plunger
• It gets things clean
• It breaks down easily for storage/transportation
• It's inexpensive

Cons:

• It's exhausting to use if you're out of shape.
• It's a bit hard on your hands if you're not used to gripping something for long periods of time.
• The cup could use a couple more holes added to it to aid in the agitation of the water.

I recommend this product.