How to Wash Clothes in Costa Rica

See the garden hose in the top left corner? Yes, that is how this manual washer is filled with water.

How to Wash Clothes in Costa Rica:

1. CHECK weather for rain by looking up at the sky and all around you. 

NOTE: 
Weather apps are very unreliable. It can be raining in the town that has the sensors, but sunny hot in your town. 

1. IF it’s rainy, THEN DELAY laundry for another time or day. 
2. IF it’s sunny, THEN PROCEED with laundry. 
3. VERIFY the drain is CLOSED. 
4. VERIFY the water hose that fills the washer is secure and properly positioned. 
5. OPEN water hose valve.
6. WAIT until the water level is appropriate to the load of clothes.
7. ADD about a cup of laundry detergent. 
8. ADD clothing.
9. SET agitation timer for as long as you want. We usually do 15 minutes.
10. SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time. 
11. When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the washer turn off, DRAIN water.
12. CLOSE drain.
13. OPEN water hose valve.
14. WAIT until the water level is appropriate to the load of clothes.
15. SET agitation timer for as long as you want. We usually do 15 minutes.
16. SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time. 
17. When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the washer turn off, DRAIN water.
18. MOVE clothing from wash basin to spinner basin.
19. SET spin timer for as long as you want. We usually do 5 minutes.
20. SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time. 
21. When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the spinner turn off, MOVE clothing to clothesline. 

NOTE: 
Clotheslines in full sunlight are the quickest way to dry clothing. 
The better clotheslines are just under roof overhangs. 

  22. Using clothespins, HANG clothing on clothesline.
  23. MONITOR clothing until dry. 

CAUTION!  
Rain will wet clothing and delay drying. The delay can cause clothing to stay damp for days. 

  24. When clothing is dry to the touch, REMOVE and STORE clothing. ​
  25. Repeat directions as often as necessary. 

Our bed and chair covers on clotheslines to dry. If you were expecting underwear, well, you'd have to visit us and take a chance.

Out of clothesline? Use bushes in the sun!