I was driving around the other day and saw this old wringer washer sitting in front of an antique store in a near by town. Of course I didn't have my camera with me. So yesterday, I went looking for it again and found it. The antique shop was closed, but the washer sits outside-so I took some pictures of it.
I remember when my parents had one like this when I was a child. You had to put the clothes in it with the soap and plug it in so it would agitate. When they got done you had to put the clothes through the wringer. My Mom always made sure I was away from the machine when she ran the clothes through the wringer so I wouldn't get my arm stuck in it. Then Mom would hang them out to dry.
The pictures of the clothes hanging outside, I took at Amanda Graber's house a while back. I got these pictures the time I went to see her and she wasn't home.
29 comments:
I have read in some Amish and Mennonite novels that they used wringer washers and when I saw this, I had to get pictures of it.
Marilyn
Thanks for the post, I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the wringer washer. :)
Glad you liked them Chasity. It brings back memories for me.
Marilyn
My mom had one too, I remember her making me keep away from the wringer too. Hers was on the front porch. There were 8 of us, you can imagine the wash load. She also took in laundry, did it, for other people. Then she ironed them all, it was all cotton, starched and took them $1.00 for a huge wicker basket load.
I grew up with a wringer washer and we lived in the city. After the wash you drained the tub and filled it with cold water and then put it through the wringer. That's why washing took all day. My grandmother used a wooden tub that had a manual gadget that went back and forth like you were sawing wood and that took forever. Pat from California
Thank you Annie and Pat for stopping and commenting. I remember it took most of the day doing laundry. At the time there just my two brothers, my parents and me. My Mom was glad when they came out with automatic washers. I remember my grandmother use to use a scrub board and do her laudry in the bath tub.
Marilyn
How interesting Marilyn. I do not have any experience with wringer washers.Have a great day.
Hello Vickie, Glad you never had a wringer washer. Hope you have a great day, too.
Marilyn
Love seeing wash hanging on a line.
Glad you like them ga447. I have some more that I will put up another time. If I see hanging clothes, I always take the picture.
Marilyn
I just got back from taking some more pictures. I got some pictures of some Mennonite farms in the snow. Also, got some pictures of Susan's school in the snow. While driving by a grocery I saw a horse and buggy, so I pulled in. The people were getting and I asked them if I could take pictures of their horse and buggy. They said yes-so I have the pictures. Trying to get more things for future posts.
Marilyn
Oh my, I loved my wringer washer. Hung out clothes all year long, freezing or not.
Was not happy when I got the new fangled washer and dryer. But I got used to it.
I still hang out my clothes but not in freezing weather. If the weather is in the hi 40's, will hang out.
I do enjoy your blog.
jodie
Thank you for coming, Jodie. Glad you liked your wringer washer and got use to the new one. So happy that there are people that hang their clothes out. I wish I could hang mine out but we are not allowed as I live in apartment building. Glad you enjoy the blog.
Marilyn
i remember those washers. i remember the bottle of bluing that was used too!
Hi jaz,
I forgot about the bottle of bluing. Now that your mention it, I remember it, too. Thanks for coming by and commenting.
Marilyn
The Amish in my area are very strict and cannot use electricity, but they use wringer washers like the one you have pictures of, and use gas engines (or some kind of engine) to power it. Maybe Jean can explain what the difference is between using electricity and some other kind of engine. I'm not familiar with Mennonites, but Jean will probably know the answer anyways .
Doreen
Hello Doreen,
I have written the question down to ask to Jean. I heard that they use generators, too, but I am not sure. I am sure Jean will say something about this.
Marilyn
Happy New Year Marilyn. I used a wringer washer until 1986. It took all day for me to get laundry done for our family. My father suggested we buy an automatic washer. We did, a Maytag washer I am still using to this day. Never had any repairs but I know they don't build things to last like that now. I still enjoy hanging out clothes in warm weather too. I am so enjoying your website and keeping up with Jean and Martha too.
Happy New Year to you, too, dynnamae, I was going to a post on how our new washers where I live, which are Maytag, are run by a credit card, but when I saw this wringer washer, I thought it was better. I appreciate that you are enjoying this web, Jean and Martha, too.
Marilyn
I do remember how wringer washer and put rubber diapers through that wringer diapers and explodes and I ruined a couple of shirts
Did you ever get anything caught in a wringer?or ruined a couple of shirts?
an article of the wash may
wrap several times around a roller before it is noticed; unwinding such a
piece is often difficult, sometimes impossible without removing a roller.
my grandma had one of those and I used to help her do the laundry alot. I wouldn't mind having one today instead of the "modern" ones. Those old wringers got the clothes cleaner.
Hello Anonymous,
I don't remember diapers in there, but again if there were diapers in there-they were mine. I am the youngest in the family. LOL I do remember things getting damaged in there and you never came out with all the socks you put in.
Marilyn
Hi dayna64,
I agree, they did get the clothes cleaned. Wish the new ones did.
Marilyn
Thank you, Jean, for the recipe; Martha for the info on the wedding. Blessings always to Kevin+Bridget on the new chapter of their life together. What a wonderful surprise you gave them in a newly renovated apartment to begin their married life! Nice pictures of the new school, too, Marilyn. Great to know of your love and respect for your friends. Good reminder for all of us.
Blessings, Carol
Thank you, Carol, for your messages. I will see that everyone gets their message and I thank you very much for mine. Glad you like everything. It makes me happy to make others happy.
Blessings to you and yours,
Marilyn
I do remember those old ringer washing machines! My mother had one when I was a child! I used to help her ringing out the clothes and......I did get my arm stuck in it.....never forgot that either! There was a machanism on the side of it that opened the top of the wringer part if there was too much bulk, thankfully this mechanism worked and I got my arm out of there, no injuries! I do remember the look on my mother's face though, it gave her a fright, needles to say I didn't get that close to the wringer again!!!!!
do they all have gas powered engines, or were/are some electric?
Hi Plaingirl,
I just found your questions. The one in the picture is electric powered. The Amish either change theirs to gas powered or have a generator to run them.
Marilyn
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