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| Modern day washer! |
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| Step up to modern washer |
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| 1949 Whirlpool |
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| Old farm and country photographs |
Grandma's instructions on how to wash clothes:
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"Warshing Clothes Recipe" - imagine having a recipe for this ! ! !
Years ago a Texas grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:
This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook, spelling errors and all.
"Warshing Clothes Recipe" - imagine having a recipe for this ! ! !
Years ago a Texas grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:
This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook, spelling errors and all.
WARSHING CLOTHES
Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.
Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.
Sort things, make 3 piles
1 pile white,
1 pile colored,
1 pile work britches and rags.
To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.
Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.
Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.
Hang old rags on fence.
Spread tea towels on grass.
Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.
(a requested re-post Aug. 2019 - CR)
.
Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert.
Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.
Sort things, make 3 piles
1 pile white,
1 pile colored,
1 pile work britches and rags.
To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.
Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.
Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.
Hang old rags on fence.
Spread tea towels on grass.
Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
Turn tubs upside down.
Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.
(a requested re-post Aug. 2019 - CR)
.
Photo credit: Mrs. Bostain washing clothes, vicinity of Penland, N.C. ca. 1930. Bayard Morgan Wootten Photographic Collection, University of North Carolina.
"Warshing"--growing up in the Midwest? That's how it was said.
Never ever complain about laundry now.
My mom taught me to work the washer, too, but decide she was happier with that job and I could do all the clothes hanging to dry, and take them down and fold, or sprinkle and roll to iron.
ReplyDeleteShe taught me to iron, too. When my brothers complained of the quality of their ironed shirts, mom taught them to iron their own shirts.
Are you sure you didn't live down our road!! That is exactly what I did.
DeleteTechnological progress is amazing. It has changed human life so much.
ReplyDeleteThat washing clothes procedure is amazing.
Modern appliances changed life tremendously.
DeleteThank gawd those days are gone. I'll be doing two loads of laundry tomorrow and will scarcely have to lift a finger. And ironing? WTF is that?
ReplyDeleteI didn't even mention the ironing! That was also primitive (compared to now) in my day.
DeleteMy family said "warshing" too. Of course, they didn't start out in California.
ReplyDeleteI've always liked doing laundry. I'm glad I never had to do it that way.
Our family was 7 in number, on a farm. Warsh day was an entire day, nonstop work.
DeleteI can remember when we 'graduated' to an automatic washing machine and how privileged I felt. And still do. I also remember 'boiling the copper'. Hard work. Damn hard work.
ReplyDeleteIt is unimaginable, "boiling the copper".
DeleteI have a front loader automatic machine now, but I remember way back when I was five or six, mum had two tubs in the yard outside, one with hot water and a scrubbing board and a bar of yellow velvet soap, the clothes got rubbed with the soap then scrubbed on the board, wrung out well then rinsed in the second tub of cold water before being hung on the long line stretched across the yard and supported in the middle with a long forked pole. White things and sheets were boiled in soapy water in the "copper" which had a fire going under it , this was inside the brick room just off the back porch. There was great excitement when we got a Simpson washing machine with a wringer attachment.
ReplyDeleteOh, indeed! getting a new washer is heavenly. When I was 12, we bought a modern top loader washing machine shown above.
DeleteMama used the black wash pot until I was about 5. Then that wonderful wringer washer that caught my fingers only ONCE trying to do what mama did while she was busy sorting.
ReplyDeleteYes things sure change and I wonder how those tough ladies of old DID IT with every thing else.
Sending love yall's way.
Sherry, jack & JJ in Utah
Utah! Beautiful state. How did my grandma and her mother did this, I do not know.
DeleteMy grandma had a wringer washer in the basement, next to the shower my grandpa used when he got off his shift at the lead mine. He piled his work overalls there by the washer. I liked to watch Grandma use the wringer, but never had the urge to help!
ReplyDeleteDid you get to hang out the laundry?
DeleteI learned to use that same magtag at age 10 also, before that I was just hanging flat things on the clothes line. it was a lot of work. the recipe is priceless... and I am soooo glad i did not have to do that kind of warshing.. love that photo .
ReplyDeleteHow the old woman above was very healthy, I do not know how she did all that.
DeleteWhat blessings we have today! Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteAmen.
DeleteWe had that first washer when I was ree little, but moved up when I wasn't much bigger, so I have no real idea of it's operation.
ReplyDeleteYouTube can show a "tutorial" on how to use the wringer washer.
DeleteMy mom was sick when I was 11, and I eventually ended up doing the job until she was better. Whew. Work indeed.
This was so much fun to read. I particularly enjoyed the Whirlpool ad, "if wind is pert" (my wind always is pert), and then to go and get cleaned up after working hard and sit a spell and count your blessings. It doesn't get better than that as far as advice goes.
ReplyDeleteAnd have a cup of tea, pus on a clean dress!
DeleteI can remember my Mum washing clothes in a wash tub, turning a spindle back and forth. The hot water came from a tub, she lit a fire under it and boiled all the whites. Goodness me, I am glad never to have had a special wash day myself, I was always desperate for the day to finish. Now I switch on the machine and take laundry out when it’s finished. Hallelujah!
ReplyDeleteToday's machines take what used to be a full hard day and changed it to a few simple hours here and there.
DeleteThings were so different 50 years ago.
ReplyDeleteAmazing, isn't it?
DeleteI remember my mother and the wringer washer that sat in a corner of the kitchen. It was on wheels so it could be rolled over to the sink. I haven't thought about that in years. Thanks for the memory.
ReplyDelete