Laundry

Not having a washer/dryer is not something I'm used to yet. When doing the laundry back on the mainland I'm used to measuring out a spoonful of detergent, picking a mode and letting technology work its magic. Living in a house that's not even wired for a washer changes this chore (Yay for moving this weekend).

I'd avoided doing the laundry up until this point, hoping that I'd track down an affordable washer dryer. Finally having found one, I realized my house wasn't wired for the appliances. American Samoa, being a humid, sweaty place takes its toll on shirts and underwear. Since my supply of clean clothes won't make it through the weekend, I decided it was time for an old fashioned laundry evening.

Starting with a drain plug and sink I filled it with warm water and detergent. Add the dirty clothes, let them soak and then agitate. Scrubbing the load of dirty clothes with my hands was a first for me. I had cleaned individual garments in a sink before, but doing two loads with your hands quickly beats up your fingers. Then you continue to punish your hands, since you then need to rinse all the clothes you finished washing. Then you're left to wring out the excess water (how I miss you, spin cycle).

Now I just need to figure out how to get them dry when it's 100% humidity all of the time and rains most days. Time for indoor drying lines and some well positioned fans, since if the garments linger too long they will mold and end up dirtier than when I started.