Trevorum 24 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 With summer camp coming up quickly, this is a good time to talk about laundry at camp. Some kids are fastidious but others just don't have a clue. The jelly spilled down the front of his uniform during lunch on Monday will still be there when he goes home on Saturday. And we hear, "Wash clothes? You're kidding! We're just camping!" How do you convince these fellows that "A Scout is clean" means doing their laundry at camp? We always try to take the opportunity to teach these youngsters - who may have never done a load of laundry before in their life (!) how to wash their uniform. We modify the standard K.P. routine, using three 5-gallon buckets and a toilet plunger. Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 I'll be honest, I have never thought to wash clothes (i.e., field shirt) at camp...but it sounds like a good idea. We'll add that to our Wednesday schedule. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
orennoah 11 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 We pack a bottle of Woolite and scrounge up a clean plastic garbage can. If the camp is particularly dirty (read dusty), we'll have two "laundry nights," one on Wednesday and one on Friday, right before we go home. All the Class A stuff gets dumped in the Woolite and water-filled garbage can and the Scouts have a great time taking turns being the "agitator." Using hoses, we rinse them all off (and some Scouts, as well) and hang on rope rigged between trees. Everyone seems to have a good time. Boys playing with water, and all that. - Oren Link to post Share on other sites
acco40 95 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 Good post orennoah, however, when aScout has only one uniform shirt/shorts etc. and is supposed to wear it daily to evening meals, chapel service, OA ceremony, opening & closing ceremonies, etc. finding the time to wash and dry is difficult. Link to post Share on other sites
Sturgen 10 Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 I would suggest daily uniform inspection by the SPL or acting SPL for summer camp. Uniforms are just that uniform, and ought to be kept clean and ordered. As a camp staff member for 5 years i was able to keep my uniform clean for the entire summer, and have never seen a reason why the scouts can't do the same. (just a side note: this whole running around with shirts untucked has resulted in more than one "show some respect to the uniform, tuck it in or take it off son" speeches from the fish) Link to post Share on other sites
Trevorum 24 Posted June 17, 2005 Author Share Posted June 17, 2005 Acco, at most of the camps we've been to recently, full field uniform is requested only for the evening flag ceremony and for supper. This gives the boys plenty of time to wash their uniform and let it line dry the next day. Unless, of course, it rains. (Which it is apt to do.) Most guys won't get their field uniform shirt dirty enough to need washing. The bigger problem is with the activity uniform tops (troop T-shirts) which become pretty rank if worn 2 days in a row by a sweaty teen-ager. And skivies. Even if the boy has 2 or 3 of these shirts, he'll have to launder a couple on Wednesday to have clean shirts for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Link to post Share on other sites
madkins007 10 Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 KISMIF (Keep It Simple, Make It Fun) Bucket washing machine with plunger is one way to make it more fun for the Scouts- especially the younger guys who haven't yet 'seen it all'. If you have a bucket with a really tight fitting lid (I like the screw-on retro lids you can get some places), play a game of 'kick the can' (well, roll the can- it hurts to kick it!) or field bowling. A couple small fist-sized rocks tucked in an old sock helps the agitation. Teach'em the Zip-Lock Washing Machine (gallon-sized heavy duty zip bag, shirt (or a change of undies and socks, whatever), some water, a dash of cold-water soap, inflate, and shake, shimmy, and dance! Put some good music on and turn'em loose. It takes a bit of practice to find the right level of water- the bag gets heavy and easy to splash quickly! Find an old-fashioned washboard and tub (if you don't have to haul it too far) and turn'em loose- the sheer novelty will work for you at least one time. You sometimes see ads for a small clothes washer- it looks like a mini cement mixer. Claims great results with little water and no electricity. If it works it would be perfect! Demonstrate humility. Without any fanfare or explaination, go (or arrange for another leader to go) tent to tent one evening and ask for all Scout uniforms, nothing in pockets please. Gather them all, dump them in a big barrel/tub/bag of sudsy water and commence washing. Rinse them, hang them, and don't say a word about it. Show your appreciation for every Scout who says 'thanks', and let Scouts help who seem genuinely interested- but do not ask for any help. Use it as the topic of a SM minute- sort of like Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. Quiet, humble, simple, helpfulness. Link to post Share on other sites
Kudu 186 Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 I understand that a fun washing machine can be constructed out of a five-gallon bucket (the kind that bulk food comes in), and a new toilet plunger. Cut a hole in the center of the top of the bucket just large enough for the plunger handle, and use that as a the agitator. Use Woolite for soap. Link to post Share on other sites
hendrickms24 20 Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 When I went to summer camp I would bring a pair of shorts and t shirt for each day I was at camp plus an extra day worth. This would eliminate any washing until you would get home. Remember Be Prepared, Mark Maranto Link to post Share on other sites
packsaddle 753 Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 How about making them practice a 'swim rescue' exercise in uniform? That should work. Link to post Share on other sites
Fuzzy Bear 12 Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 Simple washing instructions for the Scout uniform only at Summer Camp. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, have the Scouts wash their Scout shirts. They first empty their pockets; take off the temporary patches as well as their epaulets. When they go to the shower that morning, they wear their shirts and they are instructed to bar-soap wash all of the reachable areas. A friend can wash their backs with bar-soap or if they feel that the back is clean, then just soak it. After they wash the shirt, then they are to take it off and wring it out and wash it again without soap and wring and wash it out two more times. When they return to camp, they are to hang it out to dry until the evening meal. *After the last rinse cycle, they should return to the shower to complete their personal washing. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, the Scouts do the same with their Scout pants. Pants usually take more dirt and last longer than the shirts. If the pants do get dirty before washing time, then just wash them along with the shirt. They can wash their Scout socks daily if they have two pairs. Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewtastic 10 Posted June 28, 2005 Share Posted June 28, 2005 Sturgen, thank you for the idea. I'm glad I'm the acting SPL Link to post Share on other sites
Bob White 20 Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 It takes two things to get uniforms washed at camp. 1- a camp wash mashine (5 gallon bucket with lid and a plumbers helper) 2- a knowledge of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain About Wednesday when the scouts were returning for lunch they would find me sitting on my chair working the plunger in the bucket whistling or humming a tune and ignoring them completely. Within minutes one of them would wander over and ask what I was doing I would say, let me show you, go grab some dirty clothes from your tent. The scout would run off and bring some items back, I would take my clothes out, throw his in, and tell him to start plunging like I did. afetr a couple minutes I showed him how to rinse them. almost every time before we got them hung up a small line had formed of scouts waiting to do laundry. Link to post Share on other sites
Lynda J 10 Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Take two, two gallon jug with a lid. Spot uniform and put in jug with water. Screw lid onto jug and shake like heck. Take uniform shirt out of jug and place in second jug with clean water. Shake again and repeat. Hang shirt to dry. Our camp only requires Class A for dinner. So they don't get as dirty, HA HA. We have an old shower rod that we put in the back of the trailer. The shirts hang in there. Each night before dinner the boys put their shirts on and when we get back they take the off and hang the back up. We did wash then once last week at camp. Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewtastic 10 Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 We're required to wear full Class A for flag every morning, dinner, and for camp fire. Not to mention the 9 hour trip to the camp itself. Since it is Camp "Rainey" Mountain, there will be plenty of mud. I'll probably have to wash my uniform at least once. Link to post Share on other sites
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