Doing the Laundry - Now and in the 1930's and 1940's...

 Laundry Day, Now and Then...

My fairly new front loading washer started giving me the flashing sign this week, telling me it needed to be freshened and cleaned.  I had to go find some washer "cleaner/freshener" at the grocery store that was compatible with front loading washers that require HE detergent before I could wash again.  I grumbled at the inconvenience and wondered why a washer that is designed to clean clothes, needs to be washed?  I've done laundry for 48 years and have never had to clean my washer.  As I read the instructions, I saw that you put the "cleaner/freshener" in the detergent cup, turn on the washer and wash for about 5 minutes, and then pause it for about 5 hours, before finishing.  I thought crankily, I guess I won't be washing that quilt today, after all.  I had really wanted it on the bed tonight, as we are expecting a cold front.

As I was looking through an old cookbook today, I came across an article that I had torn out of one of my favorite magazines, Country Living, November 1991 edition called :Doin' The Wash, by Mary Seehafer Sears.

Reading about women's laundry day at the turn of the century made me sorry and ashamed I was complaining about my washer. 

Ms. Sears said:  Mondays were wash day, an arduous, dusk-to-dawn undertaking.   "Wash day" usually occurred on Monday because clothes were changed for church and Sunday dinner the day before and it was just logical to do the laundry the next day.  Every woman wished for bright sunny weather on Mondays.  Clothes were soaked the night before.  On Monday, in the basement or outdoors if the weather was fine, pots were set to boiling.  Washday routine included sorting,  washing, rinsing, and wringing the clothes.  When ready, the wash was hung on outdoor clotheslines.  In bad weather, they were hung in the basement to dry--and dry--and dry. 

Ok, now I'm feeling pretty ashamed at my thoughts of my "hardship" of having to go get the washer "cleaner/freshener," waiting for the washer to clean itself, and then throwing in a load of clothes.  No boiling the water, no making starch, no rinsing, no wringing, and no walking up from the basement to hang out clothes or back downstairs to iron them. 

I remember my grandmother doing laundry for a family of five, at the age of 60 in the 1940's and 1950's.  Her wringer washer was in the basement and she had to carry each basket upstairs  inside the house and down the 5-6 stairs on the back outside stairs to hang the clothes outside.  She then gathered the dry clothes, took them back to the basement, where she ironed each piece of clothing, including bed sheets, and then carried them back upstairs to the bedroom.  This memory makes me wonder exactly how many times she climbed stairs on washday? 

I realize how privileged I am, to have a nice inside first floor washer and dryer.  My only hardship is that my washer and dryer needs to be reversed because I have to reach over the washer door to put my clothes in the laundry. When that gets switched, my laundry chores will be even easier.  I seldom visit my iron...I'm ashamed to say.

                                                        

Also, in Mary Sears' article is a copy of an anonymous note (c.1900) on display at  the Whistler Museum and Archives, in Whistler, British Columbia, entitled "Recipe for Washing Clothes"  which described washday in the following 12 steps.  

                                         ~~~~~~~

1.  Build fire in back yard to heat kettle.

2. Set tubs so smoke won't blow in eyes if wind is pert.

3. Shove one whole cake of lye soap in boiling water.

4.  Sort things.  Make 1 pile coloured, 1 pile white, 1 pile breeches and rags.  

5.  Stir flour in cold water to smooth.  Thin down with boiling water. Starch.

6, Rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, then boil.  Just rinse and starch.

7.  Take white things out of kettle with broom handle.  Then rinse, blue and starch.

8.  Spread tea towels on grass; others on fence.

9.  Put rinse water on flower beds.

10.  Scrub porch with soapy water.

11.  Turn over the tubs to drain.

12.  Go put on a clean dress.  Smooth hair with side combs.  Brew tea. Sit and rest.

       Rock a spell.  Count your blessings.......

                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~ 

Ok, I'm really ashamed.   Just imagine doing laundry for a husband, six to 12 children, and yourself.  (In those days large families were fairly common.) 

This afternoon, I'm going to sit and watch TV and blog a bit, while my new washer cleans itself.  It is raining outside and today is Saturday, but I may still have time to wash my quilt and dry it before bedtime.  Electric washers and dryers are miracle machines....and I have a new perspective on what doing the laundry means!  Piece of cake!!!

And now we know why cottages of old had back porches.....don't we?

Pleasant daydreams!  Phebe