Monday 20 February 2012

Old Fashioned Laundry

Felt the urge for one of my 'living history re-enactments' today. Decided to boil wash my dish cloths and tea towels the old fashioned way, instead of in the washing machine. (Although, technically, it only goes up to 95 degrees.)



First I got myself a bucketful of rain water (which has been collecting in my tin bath outside) and put it on my cooker to heat up. This took a looooooooooongggg time! Eventually I realised it would be quicker with a cover, so I used the lid of the bread bin.








I used my late mother-in-law's oven glove to lift the lid to add grated soap (Fairy household bar soap).











After boiling for a while I used a pair of wooden tongs to get the tea towel out - just like I remember my Mum and Nan using.










Squeezing out the excess water.












Rinsing the soap out in a sinkful of cool water. I like the reflection from the window in this picture.











Look at the condensation on the window! The kitchen was full of the distinctive smell of a boil wash, bringing back memories of being off primary school, unwell, watching Mum use the twin tub to wash and hearing Jimmy Young on the radio - "What's the recipe today, Jim?"







After wringing out the water (by hand, since these were small things) I hung them on the line - using wooden dolly pegs of course!

Do you like my 1940s wrapover apron?






Thoroughly enjoyed myself today - but I wouldn't want to do that all the time!
















4 comments:

  1. Hooray! I like to boil mine the old-fashioned too; tea-towels, dishcloths, flannels and - above all - DIRTY HANKIES!!!

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  2. I LOVE your apron! Looks just like mine. Except mine has a hole in the pocket! Sweet post!

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  3. Hi Beautifully Veiled! Good to 'meet' you here. My wrapover apron is my favourite. The other day my 18 year old daughter and her friends decided to bake a birthday cake. It was so quaint to see them all in such lovely, old-fashioned aprons. (And one of mine has a hole in the pocket too....)

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