Doing the Laundry - - - -

The laundry was done on the back porch (in the summer) in a machine similar to the one below. It was filled with hot water and, of course, detergent.

The whites were always washed first, because the water was clean and hot. After the clothes agitated for a while, they were pulled out and run through the wringer. This was usually accomplished using a wooden spoon, because the water was still hot. On the other side of the wringer was a tub of cool water for rinsing. Clothes were lifted in and out of the water numerous times to rinse the soap off and then run back through the wringer. The handle on the side of the ringer allowed it to swing around to the position needed for rinsing or into a basket. Then came hanging out the laundry (see post below). Whites were hung first, 'cause they were first to wash! Next usually came light colors, then dark colors, towels and levis last, as the water cooled and became not so clean. Untold numbers of fingers and hands have gone through wringers. They did have a safety feature that popped the wringers open if too much went through, saving many a broken bone.

I used one for quite a while when Jason was a baby. It was actually quite enjoyable to do the laundry outside in the shade of the trees.

Hanging the clothes out to dry - - -

I got this email at work today, and I wanted to share the process of hanging the clothes out on the line to dry - - you younger gals may not remember this, a time before we had a clothes dryer. There is nothing better than climbing into a bed made with sheets and pillowcases right off the clothesline!! I will save the washing and ironing part for another time!!

THE BASIC RULES

1. You had to wash the clothes line before hanging any clothes. Walk the length of each line with a damp cloth around the line to remove dirt.

2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order and always hang whites with whites and hang them first (this is a result of the washing rules, which I will tell later.)

3. You never hung a shirt by the shoulders, always by the tail. What would the neighbors think

4. Wash day on a Monday ........... never hang clothes on the weekend or Sunday for heaven's sake!

5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines so you could hide your 'unmentionables' inthe middle.

6. It didn't matter if it was sub zero weather.......clothes would 'freeze dry.'

7. Always gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes. Pins left on the line was 'tacky'.

8. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothespins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.

9. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket and ready to be ironed.

10. IRONED??????????> Well, that's a whole other subject.