How do you do your laundry?

In the WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) discourse, laundry practices have largely been ignored. Washing
clothes is an important aspect of everyday life. Often perceived as monotonous and tedious, washing
clothes holds the key to a healthy and hygienic life and if done efficiently can be water saving.
In order to understand It was seen that women and
current laundry practices, young girls had the
MetaMeta Research responsibility to wash clothes.
conducted a short study in They followed traditional
collaboration with CDHI in method for washing clothes
India where 14 households where clothes would be soaked
at two villages (Bhuiya line, for 30-40 min in detergent
Raipur tea estate and water and then it is
Randhamali) of Jalpaiguri handwashed. They do wringing
district, West Bengal were by hand and no special tool and
interviewed. equipment is used to wash
clothes

Challenges and Risk Opportunities

Physical Pain
Body pain after washing bulk amount of clothes
Fear of accident by slipping around the water source
Fingers get damaged while washing heavy clothes like blankets and Quilt

Social Distress

Feeling shy to wash undergarments

Drying female undergarments and menstrual clothes
Time Consuming
Time consuming and felt very worried in taking care of small kids
Washing clothes is a time consuming and labour
intensive activity. The women felt that they if the
challenges are addressed, they could allocate
their time to family and leisure and lead a
healthy and dignified life.

Way Forward: What do we bring to the table?

MetaMeta Research have been working on developing and promoting different tools that will not only
reduce the time for doing laundry but also help in saving water. These tools (as can be seen from the
pictures below) are easy to use and reduce time and water consumption demand.

A needs assessment study Plunger can be made locally and MetaMeta Research is looking
done in West Bengal revealed was seen as a source of income to collaborate with other
that women preferred and livelihood apart from organisations working in the
corrugated washing board as it reducing drudgery related to development sector. After
is low cost, very simple to laundry. understanding the status of
prepare, easy to handle it and laundry in different countries,
user friendly for all age group. Additionally, women welcomed we feel the urgent need to take
The wooden hand washer is the idea of being trained in some action in this domain.
also very popular as it can be developing these tools locally
time saving and they can which will allow them to expand
operate without causing their income options as well as
physical pain. Under garments allowing them to lead a healthy
could not be seen in a closed and dignified life.
case which will ensure privacy.