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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Wringer Washing Machines

Remember Wringer Washing Machines?  If you do, then you are old-ha!  I remember them well! Wash day was a production on Saturdays when my Mom was home from work and had a week's worth of laundry for 5 kids and 2 adults!  My older sister usually helped with the laundry and sometimes my brother who was 3 yrs. older than myself.  Wringer washers were dangerous for children as their arm could get drawn right into the rollers.  We knew kids who had skin scars from that happening so it was frightening to me.  But I did like the sound of the rythmn as the agitator went back and forth.
   Water had to be heated on the stove and dumped into tub and rinse tub until they were full.  The clothes were washed  then fed through the rollers where they dropped into the rinse water.  Then put back through the rollers to get as much moisture out as was possible.

Pretty much like in this photo on the left.  Then the wet clothing was taken outside to hang on the clothesline to dry.  This was not fun in the winter when they would freeze on the line.  Mama would bring them in stiff as a board and lay them around to thaw before ironing.  The smell of clothes from the line was heavenly, but the process was quite hellish!
  I often wonder what young people today would do if they had to use those old wringer washers! 
  We had no refrigerator, only an "ice box" with a tube going down the back from the ice box into a pan to catch the water that melted.  If this was not dumped at intervals, you could end up with water all over the floor.  It kept things cool but of course never frozen.  My Mom used to make Jello only in the winter when she could place the bowl outside in a snow bank to set up!  We would put a sign in the window when we needed ice and the ice man would bring in a chunk by the pound for whatever the sign indicated.  He would bring the block of ice in on his shoulder that was protected by a leather mat, holding the block with huge tongs.  He would place it in our box and it would last for a few days.  So we never had fresh milk unless we bought it and drank it that day.           Consequently, we drank Pet Milk in the can mixed with water.  I hated the taste and would only drink it if it had cocoa in it!  Yes, those were the good old days!  I had friends who had electric refrigerators but we did not have one until I was in my teens.
  But you know, I would not trade any of my experiences growing up regardless of some of the hardships.  It made me appreciate everything I have. 

                                       ♥KERRIE♥
 My Heart to Yours...

3 comments:

Lynn said...

Kerrie, I started out my married life 46 years ago with having a wringer washing machine. I loved hearing the agitator motor run too! I really didn't mind how long it took to do laundry back then..and to hang everything out on the clothesline was totally awesome! Like you mention, the fresh smell on the clothes was wonderful! Oh how well I remember those stiff as a board clothes! (chuckle) I still like hanging my sheets and towels out on nice days.
I am so glad for the automatic washer and dryers that we have nowadays sooo much better, and a whole bunch faster!! Gives me more time to do other housekeeping things while they are running..

I recall my parents renting an apartment that was right next to an ice block factory and they also had an ice box that used the block of ice to keep it cold inside, and drinking pet milk with added water too.. I agree... Yuck!! The hot cocoa wasn't quite as bad tasting I remember! I also remember drinking powdered milk in my early teen years, which wasn't a favorite of mine either.. Then came the time when my parents bought milk on a farm, and I remember shaking the quart of milk before drinking some because of the cream on top... I still shake my milk containers from the grocery store today.. Old habit of mine, I guess!

I'm like you, I wouldn't trade my growing up experiences either.. It really does make one appreciate what they have nowadays!

Thank you for writing this very interesting post today! It definately took me down memory lane!

Have a wonderful day!

Blessings,
~Lynn

Lynn said...

Kerrie, I started out my married life 46 years ago with having a wringer washing machine. I loved hearing the agitator motor run too! I really didn't mind how long it took to do laundry back then..and to hang everything out on the clothesline was totally awesome! Like you mention, the fresh smell on the clothes was wonderful! Oh how well I remember those stiff as a board clothes! (chuckle) I still like hanging my sheets and towels out on nice days.
I am so glad for the automatic washer and dryers that we have nowadays sooo much better, and a whole bunch faster!! Gives me more time to do other housekeeping things while they are running..

I recall my parents renting an apartment that was right next to an ice block factory and they also had an ice box that used the block of ice to keep it cold inside, and drinking pet milk with added water too.. I agree... Yuck!! The hot cocoa wasn't quite as bad tasting I remember! I also remember drinking powdered milk in my early teen years, which wasn't a favorite of mine either.. Then came the time when my parents bought milk on a farm, and I remember shaking the quart of milk before drinking some because of the cream on top... I still shake my milk containers from the grocery store today.. Old habit of mine, I guess!

I'm like you, I wouldn't trade my growing up experiences either.. It really does make one appreciate what they have nowadays!

Thank you for writing this very interesting post today! It definately took me down memory lane!

Have a wonderful day!

Blessings,
~Lynn

Ginny Hartzler said...

Yes, we had the old wringer washer, in fact I posted one a few months ago on my blog. And it was DANGEROUS, we could get our arms rolled in! So they never made me help! Kids today don't know how good they have it! Isn't that just such a cliche, I sound like one of those old people who tell the young whippersnappers to shape up. But it's true!