For those who thought yesterday was fun...

How to wash your hair on the homestead (sans shower)

I have made a discovery since living out here and it's that you never appreciate things like showers until you have to do the following:

#1 find a wash basin of some kind that you can bend your head into.

#2 make sure you have enough water (again this might be hard if you have no well, if this is the case follow my suggestions for getting water on the last post)

#3 heat some water (again this might be hard, also you might want to watch the temps a bit closer than with dishes or clothes) I am sure you don't want the “OH MY GOD IT'S HOT” water.

#4 if you have long hair (anything past your shoulders) grab a partner as it is a team effort.

#5 pour your water into the basin

#6 pour COLD water into the basin as I'm sure it is too hot

#7 bend over the basin getting as much of your hair into the water as you can

#8 have your partner pour water over your head (watch the temps as hot for your scalp is different than hot for your hands)

#9 take hair out of water

#10 soap up hair (note you will be dripping water)

#11 put hair back in basin

#12 again have your partner pour water over your head

#13 Ring out water

Repeat for conditioner or dry

Washing Clothes on the homestead

*Note this is verrrrrrry true!!!!

Without a well:

#1 Find a washing vessel, this can be anything that will hold more than 3 articles of clothing; with water of course.

#2 Make sure you have enough water to wash with (if so jump to step #4)

#3 go to your water provider via car (that is if you have the gas for it)

#4 fill a water heating vessel with half of your washing water, (what ever is the easiest)

#5 while waiting for water to boil place some clothes in the washing vessel, add soap if you are not using a bar soap. (note bleach on your hands hurt so if you want to do whites bleach them overnight in bleach water and wash them first)

#6 Once water is boiling hot add to your clothes in the washing vessel

#7 add cold water till you can touch the water (*note water will either be not quite hot enough or “OH MY GOD IT'S HOT” decide which way you want it to go)

#8 if using a bar of soap (which is the easiest) take one article of clothes and rub soap into a portion of it and then rub that part against the rest until soapy. If not using a bar agitate the water (note you may have to do some spot cleaning if there are some nasty stains)

#9 rinse off soap in washing water

#10 if necessary get extra water vessel to help rinse soap out and rinse again

#11 Wring out clothes (note clothes will be very wet even after you wring them out)

#12 hang clothes to dry depending on air temps and wind this can vary

With a well but before plumbing:

Follow step #1 then find/get/borrow a hose and hook up to your well and fill your water containers then continue at step #4.

With Well and plumbing but no washing machine:

Follow step #1 then fill from tap and continue at step #4

Washing dishes on the homestead:

follow above steps but change clothes for dishes

Bathing on the homestead:

follow above steps but change clothes for yourself