Can I reuse the water from my washing machine?
When you do a load of laundry, your washing machine uses water to clean your clothes. After the clothes are clean, the water is drained from the machine. Can you reuse this water for other purposes, such as watering plants or cleaning?
The answer to this question depends on a few factors. The first factor is the type of water your washing machine uses. If your machine uses hot water, then you should not reuse the water. Hot water can contain harmful chemicals that can damage plants. If your machine uses cold water, then you can reuse the water.
The next factor to consider is the type of detergent you use. If you use a detergent that contains harmful chemicals, then you should not reuse the water. If you use a detergent that is safe for plants, then you can reuse the water.
The final factor to consider is the type of plants you are watering. Some plants are more sensitive to chemicals than others. If you are unsure whether a particular plant can tolerate the chemicals in the water, then you should not reuse the water.
In conclusion, you can reuse the water from your washing machine if your machine uses cold water and you use a detergent that is safe for plants. You should not reuse the water if your machine uses hot water or if you use a detergent that contains harmful chemicals.
STEP 1 – Prep the adapter
First we need to prepare the adapter by drilling holes on both sides of it as close as we can to the edge, hold the adapter with one hand and the drill with the other being careful since the force from the drill might twist the adapter and your hand too. Another option would be to cut the adapter at the edge using a hacksaw.
STEP 2 – Make the drain hole on the container
Locate the plastic crate on the containers bottom face, this is in order to determine an ideal location from where the water will flow from the reservoir. Once you have set the position, drill a hole on the container using the spade bit.
STEP 3 – Add gaskets and sealant tape to fittings
Insert one of the gaskets on the adapters treated end, place the gasket parallel to the adapters face and add sealing tape to the adapter and to the elbow treated segments, one loop and a half will do.
STEP 4 – Add fittings and hose to container
Insert the adapter through the hole on the container, we’ll need to insert another gasket on treated segment that sticks out of the container. Treat the street elbow to the adapters treated end.
Place the prepared container on top of the crate and pass the elbow through one of the openings from the plastic grate. Cut a bigger opening on the crate in case the cutout is not big enough. Pass the garden hose trough one of the crate side cutouts and treat it to the street elbow. The container is now ready to be set next to the laundry machine discharge line.
STEP 5 – Cut 1-1/4″ pipe, set prep container next to laundry
The PVC pipe needs to be attached to the laundry discharge line, here is where you need to determine the length for the PVC pipe.
The 1-1/4 PVC elbow needs to be attached to the pipe end in the container. This is in order to create a swirl effect on the water flow, if no elbow is added the pressure from the water could backup to the laundry discharge line and PVC pipe connection point.
Now is time for the water to come out from the container to the end of the garden hose. We can re direct the water to a desired location on our lawn or garden as long as we have a long enough garden hose.
I hope you could help saving water using this or a similar setup.