Doing Laundry by Hand

I've been doing laundry by hand for some years now, it's hard work but I find it meditative and oddly empowering. I do have an electric washer and dryer, mainly because I take in laundry as barter and trade, but I do use them for ours in the winter or if I'm ill.

I used to have my grandmother's wringer, I so loved that thing. It attached to a wash tub and swiveled between. She took it back tho.

What I have, and have used for years, is 4 tubs, two for wash and two for rinse. One is on a stand and has a drain, I use that one for the first rinse because I change that one more often than the others. I drain into a bucket to use elsewhere. I set them up just off my front porch but also near the clotheslines. I make my own laundry powder as well.

I set up the two wash tubs with soapy water and add the laundry to the first to soak. How long it soaks depends on how dirty the stuff is or what kind of stuff. Anything soaked is easier to clean. The second two tubs get clear water and vinegar. After they soak I squeeze them out a bit and add them to the second tub. Then I add the next load to the soaking tub. The second tub is the actual wash and that's where i scrub and agitate (by hand), squeeze and add to the first rinse. Agitate and inspect for cleanliness then squeeze and add to the last rinse. They set in the last rinse to soak again then I agitate them a bit, squeeze and hang to dry.

They dry a lot quicker with the wringer but even jeans will dry eventually when hung dripping wet.

There's something special about sleeping on sheets that you washed by hand and hung to dry. Over the years I have learned to do a great deal because I had to but I also became enriched by each little thing.

Next laundry day I'll try and remember to take pictures.