WARSHING CLOTHES RECIPE

[Jo McDonald]

 
Never thought of a "washer" in this light before..what a blessing!

"Warshing Clothes Recipe" -- imagine having a recipe for this ! ! !

Years ago an Alabama grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:

this is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook -

with 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.

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Paste this over your washer and dryer Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks. First thing each morning you should run and hug your washer and dryer, also your toilet---those two-holers used to get mighty cold!

For you non-southerners - wrench means, rinse


To take you to a reality time.....This is how my Mother washed and how I did too when Fred and I were first married.
As my Mama said in the 70's..."they can have the "good old days" give me what I have now".
Bless her heart, we did not have very much, back in the "good old days".  But my family had lots of love and laughter.

[twirldoggy]

One vivid memory from childhood in the 1950's:   My grandmother, Lucinda and I would go to the Burdette Laundry in Sedan.  It was located near the school.  It had many wringer washers and tubs.  Once the laundry was washed, it was wringed out and put into a rince tub.  The white laundry went to tubs of water with bluing added.  After the rince it went through the wringer again and was taken home to hang on the clothes line and dry.   It was an alll day activity.