A simple small basin does not eat bread, but in the sink, it's very clever... to collect water.
Since I moved to a smaller house, in particular for reasons of voluntary simplicity, I found myself without a dishwasher for lack of space. It's a shock after 20 years. It bothered me knowing that today we spend a lot more water doing the dishes by hand rather than using a dishwasher :between 30 and 100 litres, compared to 10 to 20.
Fortunately, I have a double sink for the dishes:one for washing, one for rinsing. Phew! But the plugs were too old, I was leaking. So I unearthed two identical basins to please my new sink. As the cupboard below is almost empty, I can easily store my small basins there next to the alcohol vinegar, black soap, clay stone and household alcohol (essential!).
Recently, by chance, I forgot to put away one of my basins. She had remained very quiet in the sink. And I started cooking. And I peel the carrots for you, and I rinse the vegetable peeler. And that I cut the potatoes for you, and I rinse my knife (it's not dirty with the vegetables, I put my knives to dry right away. Then, I ran water so that it was cold in my carafe after running hot water to wash my hands. (Wow naughty! Should have done it before.) My son filled his water gun several times, letting it overflow each time.
After an hour, my basin was full (7 litres) still clear water. So drinking a good aperitif fruit juice, I sat down and started to list all the uses I could make of this water that I can recover almost every day.
If I did not use soap above my bedpan:
- wash my vegetables, adding a drizzle of vinegar,
- half empty my basin, then add hot water to do the dishes for the meal that follows,
- use the other half to wash the worktop, the stove and the table after the meal,
- water the plants,...
If I washed my hands with soap, it doesn't matter, we can still do things:
- use the entire basin for the next flush
- soak very cra-cra football boots, or even socks
- or the rags that were used to open oysters or go fishing
- clean the garden table, my bike, the rims of my car
- wash the floor
Don't forget to wash your small basins with Marseille soap before storing them. They will stay like new longer.
I'm sure you'll find plenty of other possibilities. And as I love love stories, tell me about your basin and your sink in a comment.
Oh I forgot, if you are looking for the beautiful "Betty Boop" basin in the photo, you can find it here. Now I recommend this one more because it will cost you much less;-).
Calculator, report! A quick calculation on how much water you can save on a daily basis.
Between 7 and 14 liters of water per day , depending on whether you are at home for lunch or not, that makes us 210 liters per month, and 2500 liters per year!!!! At 2.80 euros per cubic meter, here are 7 to 14€ of savings per year.
As long as you have a dripping tap, while waiting for it to be repaired, you won't be wasting any water.
