How to Use a Wringer Washer

In my last article, I showed you where you could find a wringer washer. Now I will show you how to use it after you get it. First, you will need an extra tub for the rinse water. This is how I remember.

Put the washer where you want to use it, out in the garage, on the deck/patio. Fill the wash tub with water, cold or hot, you choice. Put the detergent in. Then the clothes. If you are using a wringer washer, it is best to have more than one load to do, starting with the whites, light colored and dark colored done last. Depending on which type, gas or electric, make sure you hands are dry before plugging it in to run. Then turn on the agitator for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then as this is going, you should fill the rinse water tub with plain clear water. After about 10-15 minutes, turn off the agitator .

Then one by one, grab a piece of clothing and very carefully get it started through the rollers to guide it through straight and into the rinse tub of water. Wait till you have several pieces of clothing in the tub, then run them through the rollers again and into a basket to hang dry when you are finished washing. Do this with each load you need to do. In addition, when you do the second roller run-through you can just grab the clothing and toss it in a basket if not right there at the washer.

You may find it goes quicker this way, and you will be saving on water and detergent. As more and people are looking for way to get by simpler, this is one way. Most wringer washers have a drain hose, to drain the water out. When the tub is emptied out, just wipe it out for the next time. Then put it wherever you want to store it when not in use. The rollers really don't need cleaned, just wiped off. But if there is a problem, the rollers need greased and oiled on the ends where they are connected to, check them every couple months and keep them well greased.

It wasn't to long ago, our Grandmother's did the laundry this way every week. I remember my Mom doing it this way when I was little. We had ours set up in the bathroom, where the water could drain into the shower stall after the laundry was done.

You can always go back even further, before Grandma's time to the old hand washing with the wash-board and 2 tubs of water.