Volume 12 , Issue 38

Washing Clothes In 1930s

On page 156 of the 1934 Home Comfort cookbook, it suggests and gives us a hint of how our ancestors used to wash clothes. Did your grandmother, mother use the following means to washing her clothes?

Washing Clothes -- "To wash clothes without rubbing, it is not necessary to buy any of the various so called labor-saving compounds, since they all work on the same principal -- that of dissolving the oils in the fabrics and thus releasing the dirt which is then washed away. One of the very best solvents is soap, and soap is at its best as such when it is in the form of strong hot suds.

"Shave one-half to tow-thirds of an ordinary cake of laundry soap i about one-half gallon water and boil until soap is completely dissolved; pour this into one-half to two-thirds wash-boiler of boiling hot water; put in enough clothes to loosely fill but not pack; it is not necessary to boil them furiously, but keep the temperature to, or a shade under, the boiling point until all the dirt is loosened; have at hand another boiler of hot water, and pass the clothes, one at a time, into it with the stick, agitating it in the water to rinse out most of the suds and then pass the garment through the wringer into the final rinsing water i the usual way.

"Wash white clothes first, and if the water has not become too dirty, the colored goods may be put into the same suds which, of course, must be kept hot.

"Flannels, woolens, blankets, sweaters, etc., are washed in the same manner as above, but never let them boil -- keep the suds just under the boiling point; rinse them through two or three relays of clean, warm water; squeeze them out, but never twist or rub woolen goods as it distorts the fibers.

"Silks, and dainty lingerie require a more delicate handling; do not use extremely strong soap and after the soap is dissolved in a little hot water, use just enough to form a good lather in warm water -- for silks, use nothing but warm water in which the hands ay be comfortably placed; never wring or twist silk goods, but squeeze out the water; do not hang them out to dry, but press out with a warm iron -- not hot -- until they are dry; all crepe fabric should be lightly stretched wile pressing.

"Laces, lace curtains, tatting, etc., are washed and handled exactly as silk fabrics.

"If you have a clothes-wringer, try folding your sheets, tablecloths or other flat pieces lengthwise to form a strip that will pass through the wringer. If folded smoothly and passed through the wringer wet, it will save more than half the work of ironing.

"Sort your clothes and fill your washing-boiler the night before, start your washing before breakfast, and proceed deliberately -- not hurriedly -- but systematically; the early finish, the beautiful result, and your own untried condition will surprise you.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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