ukeunuch (imported) wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:15 am My Nan had a dolly tub and wash house, in the coutry when I was young she used to make me turn the mangle and use the dolly.

Which reminds me:

Years ago before centrifugal force was invented people used a mangle or wringer to par-dry clothes before hanging them on the line.

The mangle had two rubber coated rollers forced tightly together by adjustable springs and was hand operated. Working the clothes between the rollers got out most of the water.

This was the machine that gave rise to the immortal lines:

There was a young man from Cosham

Who took out his bollocks to wash ‘em.

His wife said “Dear Jack, if you don’t put ‘em back

I’ll mangle the buggers and squash ‘em.”

Ouch!

Somehow wringer washers are cool and I have used them before. They're pretty much as effective as modern washers being even more thorough. HOWEVER you cannot just drop the clothes in and leave them or forget what you're doing. You need a timer.

Kortpeel (imported) wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2009 10:52 pm Clothes Dryers? How disgustingly decadent and how ungreen!

Only yesterday morning at 7am I was hanging out clothes on the washline in a temperature of 32F (0C) and my fingers were so numb I kept dropping the clothes pegs. I simply put the items on the line as they came out of the basket. The hell with being shy about panties under the circumstances.

At 10am the clothes were bone dry and I took them in. Apart from some minor discomfort, probably good for the soul, it didn't cost one cent.

Who needs a clothes dryer, gas or electric?

In the winter when its 25 below and the snow is wiping all around you with 3 feet of the stuff on the ground,

I do but that's just me.

River