comments | wonder wash update | typewriting

Comment by Kyle Pula

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 21:01:03 -0800

Do you think hand wringing clothes shortens their life span (compared to them going through the spin cycle in an electric washer)?

Comment by scott reynen

Tue, 01 Feb 2005 06:38:18 -0800

yeah, probably. but i was also formerly putting clothes through an electric dryer, which i suspect adds more wear than wringing.

Comment by Dean Gagne

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 16:27:38 -0800

I just got one of these from a friend of mine, but they didn't have the directions. Do you know where I could get them?

Comment by scott reynen

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 07:14:37 -0800

i have the instructions, but not the time to type them out right now, and i don't see them online anywhere. the instructions have very specific amounts of water, detergent, and spinning time for different weights of clothing, but i pretty much just guess all the time and that works for me. the only part i've found important is to use powder detergent and don't use more than a couple tablespoons per load. otherwise, it will get far too sudsy.

Comment by Jessica Montgomerie

Sun, 06 Feb 2005 15:25:25 -0800

In reply to Kyle's question about hand wringing, there are some clothes I hand wash specifically because they get beat up when I put them through an electric spin cycle, particularly anything with straps that get caught on the middle post and stretched out. For me, hand wringing avoids that problem. But I guess you don't have strappy clothes, Kyle :)

Comment by caleb

Sat, 05 Mar 2005 17:28:58 -0800

I'm about to order one of these. I talked to the owner, Corey, and I am really excited to try it out.

Some of my friends have been jeering me that this is a scam... I hope they'll be eating crow soon.

Comment by ryan

Sat, 26 Mar 2005 07:50:25 -0800

caleb,

how did it go? did you order it? i'm still skeptical that it will clean as well as soaking it in a washing machine.

Comment by scott reynen

Sat, 26 Mar 2005 11:07:45 -0800

ryan, if you already have a washing machine, it might be worth the $50 even if you only use as a secondary portable washing machine. but i think for general use, the results are not noticably different between a wonder wash and a standard washing machine.

Comment by Modean Moon

Fri, 22 Apr 2005 00:41:15 -0700

I'm so happy to find this conversation. Has anyone tried washing a sheet in the Wonder Wash?

Comment by Carl

Thu, 19 May 2005 17:55:31 -0700

Just got one and I think it's great. But the handle is not strong enough at all. It WILL break... and soon. I'm going to look for a spare auto window crank and adapt it to the Wonder Wash.

Comment by Rob

Sat, 21 May 2005 21:21:30 -0700

Does anyone know of a good product for ringing clothes that could compliment the wonder wash?

Comment by scott reynen

Sun, 22 May 2005 10:40:05 -0700

Rob, I've been using my hands for that, largely because all the wringers I've found have been too large for my apartment.

Comment by Hanna

Fri, 27 May 2005 15:11:50 -0700

In reply to Dean Gagne's request for the instructions, if you email bachmanmail (at) yahoo (dot) com, I will email you the instructions. I have them typed out (too long to post here.

Comment by Chris Winter

Thu, 02 Jun 2005 06:38:54 -0700

Got a Wonder wash last week. But without the instructions. Don't know how much water and detergent to use.
Could someone e-mail them a copy.
winter_chris@hotmail.com

Comment by Dan

Mon, 13 Jun 2005 04:08:17 -0700

I second the question. Has any one washed a sheet(s)?

Comment by Mike

Thu, 23 Jun 2005 04:23:56 -0700

I've washed a sheet in mine. It did a good job on it. As good as the washing machine would have. I've had my Wonder Wash for 6 or 7 years now and have used it for a lot of small loads. I'm happy with it and it has help up fine so far.

Comment by Kathy

Fri, 24 Jun 2005 09:56:42 -0700

I wonder if using a wringer meant for a mop would work instead of hand wringing.

Comment by Modean Moon

Mon, 04 Jul 2005 00:06:36 -0700

Thanks for the information on the sheet. Still thinking, but thinking strongly, of getting one.

Comment by consumer_q

Tue, 26 Jul 2005 17:25:20 -0700

"I wonder if using a wringer meant for a mop would work instead of hand wringing"

Good idea!

Comment by allie

Thu, 04 Aug 2005 17:29:45 -0700

i looking in to getting something like this cause i am not able to have avy connection to my sink..what can u actually wash? pants how many? can u wash sweatpants if u wanted to..

Comment by Pete

Sun, 15 Jan 2006 08:35:28 -0800

I've had one for many years & do all my washing in it,
Inow need a new lid, is it possible to get one or do I need to purchase a new washer

Comment by LazyGirl

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 22:10:54 -0800

CARL--Hi, yes, there is a great little electric spinner sold by Laundry Alternitive folks. It spins my wet cloths far better than the spinner on my old washing machine. I use this little spinner with my Wonder Wash crank washer. Cheers!

Comment by Momof2

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 19:30:09 -0800

I was thinking about getting one of these, but not sure if it is worth it.
How much clothes can be washed at one time? And you have to manually crank it to wash clothes, does that take a long time? Wanting more info before I buy..

Comment by Scott Reynen

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 20:32:31 -0800

I usually do a few days of clothes in a load and I spin it for three minutes (which is more than the instructions say). But then I spend maybe ten minutes wringing everything out and hanging it up to dry.

Comment by Momof2

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 20:40:00 -0800

When you say a few days of clothes, does that mean, couple pair of jeans, shirts, socks, under things? all of that can fit in there?

Comment by Scott Reynen

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 07:40:30 -0800

Momof2, yes, that sounds about right.

Comment by LB Marek

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:59:36 -0700

Replacemnt lids can be found at http://www.lehmans.com/

Comment by Rik

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 05:56:38 -0700

Hi all

I am in a very space challenged environment. How small does the unit become when not in use?

Thanks

Comment by Scott Reynen

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:01:06 -0700

Rik, it's actually kind of awkward to store it, because you can't really put anything on top of it without worrying about breaking the legs. But it doesn't take up a lot of space. It's smaller than the bowl section of a standard toilet, and much smaller than a standard washing machine. If you'll be hang-drying, though, that does take up a lot of space.

Comment by Rik

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 08:32:19 -0700

Scott

Thanks - I was thinking of for our sailboat - she is not large and storage is always a problem

Comment by herbie

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:00:43 -0700

i have used a wonderwash fot the 1st time today thankyou for insructions but what does the 5 min drying info refer to.
i have brought for a washing machine break down quite easy to use good results

Comment by Mika

Tue, 29 May 2007 12:28:42 -0700

I ordered a wonder washer from Laundry Alternative about two weeks ago and have been getting the runaround, my credit card has been charged but no delivery. Has anyone else had problems like this?

Comment by Billy

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 05:55:15 -0700

I am thinking of buying a sailboat to live aboard. None of the ones I have looked at have washer/dryers. Why is that? You'd think that someone could come up with a good compact washer/dryer that you could use on a boat while dockside and on dockside water/sewage. What is the problem with washers/dryers and boats? Is it water, drainage, head, durability, space? What is it?

Comment by Big Tom Silly Boy

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:26:44 -0700

The Laundry Alternative is the worst place to get one of these, I have had nothing but a headache with that horrible company. I bought my Wonder Wash 6 years ago off of a Info Commerial and use it all the time. It is a part of my family. I also own a washing machine but it just sits there because the Wonder Wash gets my clothes cleaner than my washing machine does. And yes, you can was sweat pants, bed sheets, towels, you name it, you can wash it all in there. Just not all at once. I use a great crank hand wringer to remove the water, it takes off twice as much water from the clothes. Even better that the spin cycle in my washing machine. Then just hang the clothes to dry, they don't even drip, thanks to the Crank Hand Wringer. I have also heard of people who have gone to Industrial Restaurant supply stores and have bought a 5 Gallon Salad Spinner to spin dry their clothes in. What ever works for you is good. I do know of a number of people who have bought a Spin Dryer, the kind they sell on the crappy laudry alternative website. They break down quickly, even the Spin-X spinner breaks down quickly. I prefer my crank hand wringer and love using it.

Comment by Big Tom Silly Boy

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:31:43 -0700

Oh, I should let you know, you can buy a crank hand wringer at Lehman's or get one on eBay. You can also buy the Wonder Wash on Lehman's

Comment by Mika

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:47:49 -0700

I finally received my wonder washer. It took over a month and at least 3 threatening emails to finally get them to send it. It works okay. I need a wringer though. A friend has an old wringer washer she is going to give to me if it works. If not I'm ordering a hand wringer like the dyna jet hand wringer. (about $100) I will NEVER EVER order from laundry alternative again. I will NEVER EVER tell anyone else to order from them either. I have never received such absolutely horrible customer service. I'd return my wonder washer and order one from Lehman's in a heartbeat if I thought for one second that I could get my money back!!!

Comment by DOUG

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:06:17 -0700

the lid broke one my the 2nd day I had it! I repaired it with some household goop only to have the threads of the lid strip after another 4 washes. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT!!

Comment by MIka

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:41:03 -0700

My wonder washer works pretty decent. I've even loaded a whole set of queen size sheets into it and it seems to be holding up just fine. Now that I've been given an old washer/spinner twin tub machine though I probably won't be using it as much. I still like using it for delicates and things that can't handle the agitation of a regular machine.

Comment by Cubanmeow

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:12:01 -0700

Ok, the first post is dated 2005. Is that Wonder Wash still usable? I'm contemplating getting one.That aside, does that mean I still have to wring it by hand??? Has there been improved models since the first one sold?

Comment by Scott Reynen

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:18:17 -0700

Yes, my original Wonder Wash from 2005 still works. I haven't been using it this whole time, though. I've had in-home laundry facilities for portions of the past two years and have grown lazy enough to use them over the Wonder Wash. But it's still great for travel, camping, etc. I don't know of any good alternative to hand wringing.

Comment by Cubanmeow

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 06:40:47 -0700

Thanks Scott. I've been getting really annoyed with the apartment's communal washing machine always breaking down or occupied whenever I need to use it. So I've been handwashing from time to time. My biggest problem is wringing jeans! I guess Wonder Wash doesn't really end my frustration then.

Comment by Cole

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:42:59 -0700

I wish I would have read here before I ordered from Laundry-Alternative. I hope my order processes smoothly.

Cheers!

Comment by Elise

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:57:23 -0700

Cole has your order processed smoothly? I'd be glad to buy the product elsewhere, but it looks like the one on Lehman's is an older product... Laundry Alternative makes a point of the washer parts that have been improved/strengthened. Does anyone know about this? Is Lehman's product the same, or an earlier version?

Comment by Eric

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 20:02:22 -0700

My lid has just broken on the first run through (just to one up Doug). I've just tried using contact cement to see if that will hold up. Has anyone faced this defect successfully? Is it just hit or miss to get a good lid??

Comment by Suzette

Fri, 24 Aug 2007 05:23:10 -0700

I was all gung-ho to buy one of these for my cabin (no electricity there) or even to use it at home. The machine at Lehmann's looks chintzier- and has a different name - and 3 bucks more - than the Wonderwash.... people with broken lids, which version do you own? Does L. Alter. do replacement parts?

Comment by Bob the Tool Man

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 06:20:15 -0700

Lehmann's replaces all products that are defective. The Laudry Alternative does not.

Comment by Mika

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 07:47:30 -0700

Almost all Wonderwasher type products no matter what the name on the side are made by the same company overseas. Lehman's and Laundry Alternative put their own name on it when they sell it. I would NEVER order from Laundry Alternative again. They are nothing but trouble. I've never ordered from Lehman's but I'm sure they MUST be better than Laundry Alternative!!!!!!

Comment by Elise

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:18:36 -0700

I ordered mine from Lehman's and the order went very smoothly. I've used it once, and not had any problems. I'm excited to use it more in the future!

Comment by PennyPA

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 05:29:46 -0700

You can also order them from Camping World who, I think, will back them up if something breaks.

Comment by Meave

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:07:03 -0700

Laundry Alternative has TERRIBLE customer service. I cannot believe how unprofessional and rude they have been to my partner and me throughout the five weeks (and counting) it's taken for them to complete the order and delivery for our wonder wash.

After a phone call, the following email exchange occurred:
to Laundry Alternative
Hi. That 'lady' was my partner, and was indeed calling on my behalf. I listened to the very rude message you left her, and have some problems with your own interpretation of the facts. In your message, you state that you "confirmed with [me]" that the spin dryer was out of stock, but I only received this information after asking you through email for a status update, a full three weeks after I placed my order. In the meantime, the wonderwash was not shipped--Laundry Alternatives provided no reason for the delay.

Three weeks without informing me that one of the items I've shipped is out of stock--three weeks without shipping the other item I ordered--three weeks without any action on your part, until I have to write you and ask for an explanation--this is very poor customer service indeed.

Further, I received no notification of the shipment of the wonderwash. All other companies I have dealt with have sent me notification of
shipment along with my tracking number and customer service contact information for both the seller and the shipping company; you finally supplied me with only a UPS tracking number only after my partner was forced to call you on the phone.

The way in which you do business has left me feeling very distrustful of your company. If you cannot cancel my shipment now, please bear in mind that I will refuse to accept it, and cancel any charges you have made to my credit card.

Reply
From: Laundry Alternative
She left us a condescending, whiny message (like your email) You told us to ship the Wonderwash now, which is exactly what we did. We even gave you the tracking number! If you didn't want it and wanted to cause us all this grief, why did you tell us to ship it?

We don't care if it was your wife or not. She was dismissive and critical, did you listen to her message? It is one thing to be rude and dismissive, but when you are also costing us money and time it makes it a lot worse.

How can we cancel the shipment? It has already left! Then to top it off you threaten to abuse the credit card rules and cancel payment. Are you just trying to spite us to make us lose money? It sure appears that way. You can refuse the shipment and we'll return your money at that time (even the shipping, even though it isn't fair it's worth it not to deal with you). We do need proof that you refuse the shipment, otherwise if we issue the refund first you'll just keep it for free.

Oh and you can forget about your spin dryer. Go buy an overpriced $450 model from the only other company that sells them. We try to sell a reasonably priced eco-friendly product and this is the thanks you give us.

I am filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and I suggest others who have had problems with this business do the same.

Comment by Susan

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:39:19 -0700

I originally bought a Wonder Washer a few years ago from the Real Goods Catalogue and I was very pleased with it and used it for about 3 months. It did a good job of washing clothes. Then the lid broke and when I contacted Real Goods they gave me a phone number of a company to contact for parts. I ended up doing a Google search on the Internet and came up with Laundry Alternatives. Their Wonder Washer was the genuine article and the one I had bought was an imitation. Anyway, I am surprised that people have problems with Laundry Alternatives because I had no problems with them whatsoever. I sent them a money order and a hand written order form and received my Wonder Washer in the mail a few weeks later and I've been using it for a few years no with no problems. It has a drain pipe on the bottom, which the other one doesn't have. I do all my laundry in it. It does as good as the coin laundry would do. I don't use detergent. I use home made soap in it that I made a lot of a number of years ago. I used to have a lot of trouble with exzema on my hands when I was younger. Detergent gave me exzema too but my homemade soap doesn't. You can also use it to bathe, so it's mild. My clothes get just as clean as with detergent.

Comment by Mark Thompson

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 03:38:28 -0700

go to this link
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/portable_spin_d.php
and read about the Laundry Alternative and their Spin Dryer. There are so many complaints with that company, I am surprised they are still in business.

Comment by Mika

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:23:26 -0700

Hey Meave: I can totally believe that you had such problems with the Laundry Alternative. I persisted in being nice to them just because I didn't think I could get the WonderWasher anywhere else. But you can also order it from Lehman's. When I tried to contact them about 3 weeks after I had placed my order they refused to respond to my message. So I played a little trick on them. I have 2 email accounts. So I sent a general enquiry, using a pretend name from my second email account. I had not heard from them about my order in over a week, but it only took about 20 minutes for them to respond to who they thought might be someone new to get money out of. After responding back and forth a few times I asked how long it would take to get my order up here to Canada. After promising to this "new customer" that it would only take 2 weeks I couldn't hold back any longer. I said well isn't that funny, this is my name and I've been waiting for over 3 weeks. The other thing is, they wouldn't answer my phone calls unless I hid my phone number when I called. It's truly disgusting to me that people like them are still in business after such mistreatment of customers who WANT to do business with them until they find out how awful the Laundry Alternative really is.

Comment by ana

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 11:21:53 -0700

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THE LAUNDRY ALTERNATIVE INC. This is the absolute worst company to purchase items online from. They have awful customer service representatives who are so rude and unhelpful. I simply emailed them to ask them how long my order would take to arrive, and I was called difficult and unfriendly. I'm not sure what I did wrong… it was just a question. The wonderwash doesn't do much more than what you could do in a bucket or in the sink, and it is just as much work. The spin dryer really doesn't cut down on drying time enough to spend $150 on it. Also, this company has no interest whatsoever in being environmentally friendly. They are simply trying to make money by overcharging for very simple items. Please research the company before doing business with them. MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND WORSE.

Comment by consumer_q

Sat, 27 Oct 2007 17:12:02 -0700

Hello

I purchased and have used a Wonder Wash since May 2007 (this website helped with my decision). I use for 3-4 laods per week combined with Seventh Generation powder detergent, and have been pleased overall.
My workflow:
Add a tablespoon of detergent to the bottom of the tub for a partial load, then fill half way with hot water.
If a load is a full load, 2 tablespoons of detergent are used.
Add the clothes, then after the clothes are in the tub, add the remaining hot water.
Crank for a minute, then let it sit and soak for a couple minutes (I tend to multitask), then come back and crank it for two minutes.
Allow to drain.
Add cold water for the rinse cycle.
The rinse cycle receives a full minute of cranking.
Allow to drain.
Hand wring, then line dry.

I spot-clean stains per normal before putting them through the wash, and for the rare occurrence when I have muddied clothes, perhaps after some especially dirty gardening, I will wash those items by themselves. It sometimes helps to crank & wash jeans and heavy pants by themselves for a minute before adding the other items to a load.

My Wonder Wash was purchased from Laundry Alternative. I was a bit hesistant to do so after reading reviews of customer service problems on TreeHugger.com . However, I was eye-balling the Spin dryer that L.A. was also selling, so I figured I would experiment with their customer service through a $50 purchase. Besides, if things did not work out, I could get a Wonder Wash equivalent from Lehman's.

As has been posted previously here and elsewhere by many other customers, I received subpar customer service. After placing my order I received an automated response confirming the order. After about a week, my credit card was charged, but I never received my promised notification/tracking number indicating my item had been shipped. The Wonder Wash finally showed up announced 3.5 weeks after my order was placed, which is quite a long time for something that was purportedly in stock.

A month later I decided to order the Spin Dryer, because my hands would get sore from manually wringing out the clothes. . After placing my order and many days going by without my credit card being charged, I attempted to call the 888#but the voicemail box was full. I then emailed customer service and recieved a cordial response within 2 hours containing an apology that the item was out of stock . A month later I checked on the stock via an email (tel# still had full voicemail), and received an email a few days after my message stating that they were out of stock until the end of summer, but assured me that I would be contacted immediately when they were available. During this whole time the website still showed them in stock.

Now it is the end of October, and I have heard nothing back from L.A. During the wait I have watched the complaints from other customers grow here and on Treehugger, so I have given up on the vendor and the electric spin dryer, and I will instead look elsewhere for a hand crank wringer.

Comment by L.A.com -, but washer+

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:17:45 -0700

DON'T BUY FROM LAUNDRY ALTERNATIVE
they seemed great! sent me the stuff, (though delayed my order by emailing me asking if i really really really understood that the dryer was a SPIN dryer and did not heat. yes, goddammit - i know it's a spin dryer.) got my order and all was good... until the parts started breaking. the drum is made of good stuff. steel rotation bar, drum is of heavy hard plastic, nice and thick. no leaks. - it's the bleeding frame that sucks. the suction cups break, and now the handle's going. anyway - emailed asking if i could buy a new frame, as mine was breaking (and here i thought maybe i was overloading the machine) they offered to replace the parts! great! free!

but then came the part. half a frame.
i politely emailed, saying that i needed a whole frame, or two suction cup parts. i thought perhaps i hadn't ben specific enough. OFFERED TO BUY AGAIN.

sent new part! great! free! ... wrong part. wrong size, wrong color - everything.

emailed again. finally becoming upset, i asked if they were sending me used parts or something?

got very rude reply, in which they finally informed me i was getting 'free parts' because of warrantee. they then scolded me (THE CUSTOMER) of not thanking them ever for their precious time and parts. (note: i offered to BUY THE FRAME several times-just so i could know exactly what i'm getting).

actually i ended each email with thanks, as well was quite polite until i couldn't stand it anymore.

finally got my parts - but suction cups are breaking again and handle is cracking. - will have to go through the nightmare again??

WTF laundry alternative.

yeah, i'll find a bleeding alternative alright.

--the wonder wash works great, so long as you can find a sturdy frame and new crank handle. the drum itself is high quality, and i love my machine.
it's the company mostly that sucks.

Comment by L.A. -, but washer+

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:23:00 -0700

Y HALO THAR WONDER WASH - or should i say 'wash n dry clean'

http://www.cyberbrands.com/pub/powerwashanddry.html

Comment by L.A..com-, but washer+

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:32:46 -0700

found an alternative: albeit less well marketed.
"Wash n dry clean" a google search should bring up a few sites. a couple on ebay, i've found.

Comment by Falcon4

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 04:30:27 -0700

Well, I think I'm going to be unsatisfied customer #1-billion. The "wonder wash" is a neat "toy" for curious little kids, but certainly not to be relied upon. The whole "pressure washing" scam was a red flag from the beginning - you can't "force" molecules of soap into clothes just by increasing the environment pressure. The whole premise of the product was bogus with the entire "pressure cleaning" schpool, but what got me to buy it was that it operated on the same idea of a high-efficiency front load washer - the drum rotates, the clothes clean themselves through abrasion, not using an agitator. Neat idea. I figured I'd buy it. I, too, was eyeballing the spin-dryer and having seen the prior reviews of LA's bad service, wanted to try them with a small purchase first, then maybe grab the spinner after I got sick of dripping wet clothes. I was tired of feeding quarters into a laundry room washer/dryer, so I opted for my own solutions.

I didn't have any customer service problems with LA. My card was charged a couple days after ordering (could have just been the delay in showing up on my online banking), and it arrived about a week and a half after ordering (damn UPS ground). It arrived with an instruction booklet and a myriad of parts. I put it all together without opening the book, but I immediately noticed the cheap plastic frame construction. Hmm...

I did my first load, noting the (ridiculously conservative) water/soap amounts. First thing that happened? Clatter, clatter, clatter, I hear inside... when I went to drain it, the well-designed drain "unblocking" plug fell out and clothes were blocking the drain port. I had to fish around inside and replace the filter/plug mushroom-cap. Bleh. The frame was also bending and swaying as I cranked, sometimes even popping out the hole-plugs in the sides. Ugh! Well, it was saving me quarters, so I was happy. Until it came to drying, which was a nightmare! Let's not even get into that, though, since the Wonder Wash wasn't to blame there...

Now, about 14 days into using the Wonder Wash as my primary clothes-support appliance, I have to say I'm sick of it. The washer can't even get out the simplest, newest of stains. It doesn't clean anything other than water-soluble dirt and stink. For example, I sometimes do work on my car, and I pay no mind to my clothes because routinely, I can run them through a washer and they'll get brand-new clean. But with my Wonderwash, I tried all sorts of tricks, washing with boiling-hot water and more soap than usual, cranking for 7 minutes straight, and I could barely get the stains to fade. And in all my endless cranking, I'm starting to hear snaps - most notably was the most recent crack, making the tip of the handle (the ball part) very loose and wobbly. The flimsy handle, the flimsy frame, and the flimsy construction make this a very crappy product overall, and I plan on taking advantage of LA's 30-day "guarantee" thing. Hopefully there are other portable/mini washers out there that can do the job better than "crap"... I can go to Best Buy and get a small portable washer, with spinning capability, for about $150, the price I would have paid for a Wonderwash and a spin "dryer" (it's a water extractor, dammit).

All in all, Wonderwash seems to be one of those as-seen-on-TV products with known flaws that's being marketed to people who buy the ad. It's far from a complete or reliable/usable product, cheaply manufactured and sold by a cheap company. It has the potential to be better - add a motor capability, strengthen the base, and add some kind of agitator on the inside and cut the "pressure cleaning" crap, and you might just have a good product. Meanwhile... pbbbbt.

Comment by Load o' Laundry

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 09:40:47 -0800

I got a Wonder Wash through eBay over the summer. Before that, I *thought* I had ordered one from the Laundry Alternative, but I discovered that whatever link I had followed was outdated. How I managed to enter the checkout page, input all of my order information (including card number) *and* receive a confirmation by e-mail, all through a bad link, is a mystery. The next day, I received a befuddled-sounding e-mail from a Laundry Alternative rep, wondering how I had found their old shopping cart through the link I had used.

Turns out they were out of stock on Wonder Washes at the time anyway. They were nice enough to e-mail me a few weeks later when they replenished their inventory to ask whether I still wanted to place my order, but by that time I had gotten mine through eBay. Based on what I've read above, I'm glad I didn't order from Laundry Alternative.

I put my Wonder Wash together the same day I received it, then promptly put it back in the shipping box and didn't touch it again for nearly five months. Something about the machine must have intimidated me, and for some reason I no longer relished the thought of cranking my laundry clean.

I dragged it out again a couple of weeks ago, because seeing it sitting there unused made me feel wasteful.

Let me say this right off the bat: It beats washing clothes by hand in the sink, which is what I had been doing.

But it's not a patch on a conventional washing machine. I'm only using the Wonder Wash until I can afford one of the former. I guess it's a reasonable choice if you're really into conservation.

I also find it more convenient than lugging clothes to the laundromat. It requires a little more work, but it doesn't take as much time (and doesn't need quarters!).

I've had pretty good results so far. I haven't had many stains to contend with, so I can't speak to how the Wonder Wash handles those. Wringing the clothes out is a bit of a pain, but since I do have a working gas dryer, I only have to wring them out well enough to get them from the sink to the dryer.

I've never had to deal with Laundry Alternative's customer service, but I can verify that most of the complaints about the Wonder Wash itself are valid.

The plastic frame is flimsy, wobbly, and creaky...if I had to guess which part will break first, that'd be my bet. The frame plugs constantly pop out...I'm not even sure what their purpose is.

I disagree with Laundry Alternative's recommendations on water and detergent measurements. They suggest 1.5 liters for the smallest load. I tried that and found that the clothes absorbed almost all of the water and soap! When that happens, cranking becomes a pain, as the clothes flop around unevenly inside the drum. As others suggest in the comments above, the drum should be about half full of water for an average load.

The suction cups on the bottom of the frame don't work all that well, so the Wonder Wash constantly slides around the countertop as it's cranked.

Gripes aside, for me, it's still better than hand-washing. I just wouldn't recommend the Wonder Wash as your sole washing apparatus, if you happen to have a choice in the matter.

Comment by justme

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 08:52:04 -0800

hmm I wanted to order a wonderwash from Laundry Alternative but they haven't been answering or returning any of my calls to place an order and that scares me about their customer service. I guess I'll go hunt one down somewhere else after reading all of these negative reviews about that company. Thanks for the post guys and gals. :)

Comment by Mary Ann

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:04:14 -0800

I was interested in the Wonder Wash and the large Spin Dryer. I emailed Laundry Alternative (www.laundry-alternative.com) to see if these items were in stock or on back order. I received an email the very next day stating that they were both available and ready for shipping. I placed the order for both and received them in about a week. The Wonder Wash is an increible product. It does get the clothes clean using very little water or effort. The large Spin Dryer is just amazing. I put in 3 sopping wet beach towels and in 2-3 minutes almost all the water was removed. I was able to line dry them in under 15 minutes! These products are a must for anyone with a boat (or camper). I am shipping mine to the Caribbean as the laundry service there is very expensive. These products will pay for themselves in no time. I am a very happy customer of laundry alternative and would highly recommend them to anyone who currently uses a laundry service, or does not want to spend a lot of time doing the laundry. Thank you Laundry-Alternative.

Comment by Scott Reynen

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:58:19 -0800

Mary Ann, your comment looks a lot like astroturfing. If it's not, you may want to share a bit more information about yourself, e.g. your employer, to remove that impression.

Comment by Leah in NYC

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 13:54:36 -0800

I just want to jump in here because I love my wonderwash thingie, which I just got this fall (2007). It exploits the basic principle of pressure-washing, and that's how it gets things clean. I've taken to soaking things a while before washing if there are any odors such as sweat that I want to remove thoroughly. It does a fantastic job. I love the fact that I don't have to use electricity. I love not having to rub my knuckle skin off with handwashing. I love not walking down 5 storeys to some godforsaken laundromat. Now I am in the market for a spin dryer or a crank wringer or perhaps I can locate the 5-gallon salad spinner mentioned above. Actually I had been hoping to find a plunger-activated (nonelectric) spin dryer built for clothes. I asked the laundry alternative people whether they might come out with something like that and they said that if they did, it would probably be more expensive than the electric version -- but that would not bother me. Just to add in closing that I, too, encountered problems with laundry alternative's "customer service," but nothing egregious, and never anything rude. I just felt like I was dealing with a non-corporate business that didn't completely have its act together, and I decided that that was not a bad thing. In fact, it was kind of a relief. So yeah, it took quite a while for the thing to be back in stock, and then when it came I was afraid it had been destroyed because the shipping box was flimsy. Then I was surprised that the thing itself seemed rather flimsy. But in fact, so far, it's been totally fine. And g-d knows that price-wise, it was the opposite of a rip-off, which I appreciate greatly. I use mine in the tub, BTW. Much easier than on the countertop, I would imagine.

Comment by Leah in NYC again

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:04:47 -0800

Reading further back on this thread I want to add that I can believe what's written here about laundry alternatives. However, my own experience, while not entirely positive, was not nearly as negative as the experiences of others, apparently --

Comment by S.F in NYC

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 07:43:24 -0800

I ORDERED FROM LAUNDRY ALTERNATIVE

I purchased Wonder Wash and the Mini Countertop Spin Dryer. I placed my order on Jan 4. Received a confirmation of my order and received the items on Jan 10. I also sent an email on Friday Jan 4 and received a reply on SATURDAY. Whatever issues this company had with customer service appears to be resolved. These products work and do everything promised. I will recommend this company again and will not hesitate to place another order if needed.

Comment by L.A..com-, but washer+

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:31:29 -0800

I will say i've switched to just dumping everything in the tub, using a clean (read: brand new) 'fold' type plunger, and it gets my clothes just as clean. i don't have to wash two pair of jeans at a time anymore, as in my wonderwash. -- the spin dryer (the larger model at around $120), is a must have, if you get a wonderwash or otherwise. if you're washing more than one load, definitely get the spin dryer. it will save you so much frustration and drying time. My wonder wash is awaiting camping season, but i no longer use it. the handle is near ready to break, and the frame keeps breaking, and getting a new one was horrible from L A.

Comment by Stacey E-not affiliated with Laundry Alt

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:11:55 -0800

So, Mary Ann might have ulterior motives but all of the "people" complaining about one particular company don't? And I put people in quotes because you obviously can assume all of the aliases you want. I find it hard to believe that a company that treats all of its customers badly would still be in business for this length of time.
I think one of the main problems is the view that somehow anyone working in customer service is a peasant. I know this from personal experience. It's why I no longer do it. I'm not going to be treated as less of a person by people with much lower IQ's than mine. This attitude that you're somehow the queen of planet earth and can start demanding immediate results for everything you want. Get over yourselves, people. You use the toilet like everyone else.
If you treat others rudely, you should expect to get it back. Even if it's supposedly someone's job to be nice to you, no matter what. Act like a demanding ass, expect to be treated one. It's what you deserve.

Comment by El Grego from Ohio

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:53:15 -0800

When I saw the commercial I assumed it was a fraud. They showed wet clothes being removed, and voila, no stains. Of course! You can't see stains on wet clothing. Seems by what I've been reading it might be good for an occasional, "I have to wear this shirt to work tomorrow and I don't want to go to the laundromat" moment. Some of the people whining about bad service at some of these outlets should just be patient. I know they took a month or two for the washers to arrive, but we've been too accustomed to immediacy here. Reminds me of all the folks who complain about GWBush. Personally, although I don't think he's perfect, I'd rather he be able to run for a 3rd term then have the alternatives.

Comment by Hanna Bachman

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:01:10 -0800

I've gotten several emails lately from folks wanting instructions for the WonderWash. They were posted here for a while but seem to be no longer available. So for anyone wanting the instructions here's where I posted them: http://swap-a-loaf.blogspot.com/2008/02/wonder-wash.html.

Comment by mary

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 12:14:27 -0800

I'm fifty fifty % on buying one of these....a few more positive comments please......

Comment by Karen

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:57:42 -0800

Mary, I bought mine a few months ago for my NYC walkup and it works great. I treat it with basic TLC and it's in good shape. Now I just have to get a spin dryer and rig up some kind of retractable clothesline. Advice on the latter would be welcome.

Comment by 3

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:01:43 -0700

Our customer service wasn't perfect in the past, but it wasn't nearly as bad as some of the posts would have you believe or we would have gone out of business a long time ago. It's human nature to be much louder about things we aren't satisfied with. We hired a fulltime customer service rep in January and the customer service level has gone from below to above average. People are welcome to agree or disagree but we do want to point out a few facts:
1. The spin dryers are well made pieces of equipment, any claims to the contrary are simply false. The same is true of the Spin-
X by the way, they don't "break down quickly" either. Poster #34 is not well informed.

2. The Wonderwash is not perfect in every way but we have made a number of improvements including changing to a more expensive and sturdier material. We are not content to just ship cheap products that break. People should do more investigating before making these kind of uninformed comments. We actually spend a lot MORE time and money on product improvements than most companies.
3. The Wonderwash is the same as the Wonderclean or other products. Again this is false, ours is much better and prospective customers are welcome to ask us specifically why.

#55 was a fine customer, even though he posted a negative comment about us. He seems to think there was a need to pay for replacement parts, that somehow by paying he would get "new" or "better" parts. The truth is all the parts are the same, you don't get a higher quality part if you pay. However we were not able to convince him of this. We also didn't think it would be fair for him to pay as it was under warranty.

Comment by Chris

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:09:07 -0700

It doesn't seem to me like a customer who reports that the product they received seems flimsy and bends a little while cranking needs to do "more investigating." I haven't purchased this product yet because I've been trying to find out what the difference was between a Wonder Clean and a Wonder Wash, but what I do know now is that I won't be getting either from LaundryAlt. I don't mind if some people haven't gotten the quickest service from Laundry Alternative, but this many different people reporting that they don't return calls or emails or that service has actually been rude is enough to scare me away.

Does the Wonder Clean not have a drain? What about the handle? LA says the Wash has been reinforced with metal- is the same true for the Wonder Clean? What about the base on the Wonder Clean? I can't seem to find more than one angle picture on the Wonder Clean, whereas there are several for the Wash. I really need a product like this because hand-washing in the bathtub is just not cutting it! Thanks!

Comment by Candyman

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:11:50 -0700

Maybe if those who worked at Laundry Alternative spent less time replying on blogs and spent more time serving customers, they wouldn't have this problem in the first place.

Comment by angus

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:02:53 -0700

can any body tell me whre I can buy a spare drain hose for the wonderwash

Comment by Iriemon

Sat, 10 May 2008 11:15:29 -0700

I used a hand cranked washer similar to the Wonderwash (it appeared to be the same unit though I don't know) for about two years while cruising on a sailboat. Given the limitation of power and fresh water the unit appealed to me. It worked pretty well and IMO was a significantly better alternative to hand washing in time and effort. I washed the clothes in the unit by spinning it at 60 cycles per minute for about 5 minutes, drained the soapy water, and then used it to rinse with fresh water (generally took two cycles of rinsing to get all the soap out). Then hand wrung and dried on the lifelines.

They could make the unit stronger. I had to reinforce mine (particularly at the handle connection) to make it strong enough for regular use.

The unit washed clothing well enough to remove normal dirt and they came out clean and fresh smelling. It does not remove stains as well as an agitator in an electric washing machine, but for normal day to day use it did the trick for me.

My brother in law had a different opinion and did his in a bucket with a T-broom/mop stick. Though I noted that after a while he gave upon on that and would take his clothes to commercial launderes or a laundromat, which can be an expensive proposition while travelling and not always available or an attractive alternative IMO.

With these conditions, I'd recommend it as an alternative to hand washing. I plan to get another one on my next cruise.

Comment by pam

Sun, 18 May 2008 07:28:12 -0700

how much can i wash in one load? one outfit per day (socks, jeans, t-shirt, ect) or less?

Comment by KC

Wed, 21 May 2008 19:48:57 -0700

FYI, the WONDERWASH sold by LAUNDRY ALTERNATIVES is made in China. My plug/drain leaked, and the handle snapped off. The WONDER CLEAN sold by Lehman's is made in the USA. 'nuff said. It has no plug/drain. Just remove the clothing and dump out the water. One less element to fail.

My Wonder Clean works at least as well, if not better than my way overpriced front loading washing machine. I can do a week's worth of laundry for my family of 4 in half an hour. No elecricity, no noise, no vibration shaking the house all day. I love it. I have yet to buy a wringer from Lehman's (I keep dropping hints, but apparently no one believes I really do want a wringer for Christmas, my Birthday, Mother's Day.....) so hand wringing is still an issue, but it still beats my beast of a machine.

Do it right the first time and get the WONDER CLEAN. The WONDERWASH is just another example of made-in-China rubbish.

Comment by KC

Wed, 21 May 2008 21:03:19 -0700

Sorry, I forgot to mention that my Wonder Clean came with clear instructions for water temp/amounts, detergent ratios, and how long to turn the handle for different amounts and types of loads, etc. The Wonderwash came without instructions. As I can see from the blogs, that seems par for the course.

I also had nothing but trouble with Laundry Alternatives. Lehman's is a reputable company that has been around for decades. I've ordered from them twice. Delivery was quick, and all was as it should be. I have no complaints.

As a side note, I decided to try this machine after our washing machine made us sick. I know it sounds absurd, but it's true! The whole family was sick for months on end, and no one could figure out why. Then our new washer (which we bought a month or two before the onset of our illness) began to stink, as did our laundry. I'll spare you the gory details, but it turned out to be MOLD! Our washers get infested with mold, which is then distributed on our laundry when it's washed. Then we walk around wearing mold infested clothing, and sleep between mold infested sheets! No wonder we were so sick! We were suffering all the same symptoms as people whose houses are growing mold in the walls and carpets, etc. And it was all from our brand new, High-Efficiency, water-conserving, eco-friendly(er), front-loading, washing machine! Apparently this is a common problem with newer front-loaders. Just do a search of "moldy washers" or "stinky washers" and you'll see what I mean. Although I've also read about top-loaders having tha same problem, so maybe it's even more universal. It's a good thing we have blogs, or I'd never have guessed the root cause, and we'd be getting sicker every day.

Yes, this device may require a bit more hands-on attention than we are used to, but there may be more reasons to give this machine a go than just the obvious ones like no more laundromat, and less environmental impact, etc. It may actually be beneficial for your health. We all got better once we started using the Wonder Clean and got rid of the washer. I'll never go back.

Comment by Meti on Aug. 26, 2008

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:49:58 -0700

Does anyone knows the manfacturer of this product
Thanks