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EX TENSION BULLETIN .l4.} APRIL, 1~.}~ EFFICIENT LAUNDRY METHODS • • • EFFICIENT LAUNDRY METHODS · By Esther Pond Extension Econom~st in Home Management State College ·of Washington The ambition of every woman who does the family washing is to produce clean, white clothes without becoming tired. The satisfaction of having clean clothes without fatigue, is the result of management. If a homemaker will study herself, her methods and her equipment and undertake to achieve efficiency, she will find that the whole laundry process can be interesting and scien tific. The woman who finishes the task fatigued and who, for a medium-sized family, has spent more than three hours at it, is not taking advantage of .the things which are hers for the plan ning. Planning for the Wash Day Each woman must decide which day of the week is best for her wash day. For some, Tuesday seems better than Monday for it gives an opportunity on the day before to get ready some of the things which clutter up the wash day. For others, there may be a better day of the week, which fits in with other things to be done. The important thing· is to keep the same day of each week for wash day, unless something else of more importance necessitates a change in days. Other household tasks must be planned around the washing, too. Bed linens should be changed on cleaning day or the day before wash day rather than on the day. itself. The idea of putting the bed linen back on the beds after washing may appeal to many but it is not efficient. Just to think of making up beds for . the family after having put out the wash is fatiguing enough! The breakfast dishes should be "cleaned-up" before starting the laundry. Wash-day meals should be of the oven variety rather than warmed up. After exerting energy, nour~shing and appetizing foods are needed to refresh one. Oven foods can be prepared in advance and require little watching while the washing is being done. 2 Small children often present problems on wash day. One can not work efficiently with them underfoot or demanding attention. If the weather is bad, so that they cannot play outdoors; a play pen or a place in an adjoining room with something to keep them busy for several hours is satisfactory. Often they like to watch mother, or she wishes to keep an eye on them. A foldjng gate at the door is a handy thing to keep the children from being: tempted into the wash room. To Avoid Fatigue Fatigue from laundry work often comes from other things than the actual washing: (1) Clothing, inclpding undergarments, should fit comfortably with no tendency for anything · to annoy. Shoulder strar>s can be kept from slipping by putting them through a safety-pin whicn is pinned to the s.houlder seam of the dress. A waterproof apron will make it possible for one to wear a clean, attractive dress, and there by better .enjoy working. Shoes, too, should be comfortable and need to be prote'cted with rubbers if there is water on the floor. (2) Food gives the body energy. A good breakfast and a mid morning lunch of milk, fruit, or a sandwich will help keep fatigue from developing when heavy work is being done. (3) Poor posture caused from stooping to a tub, a clothes ·basket or an ironing board which is too low results in many a back ache. Take steps first to stop all stooping. (4) The lightness, or rather the darkness, of a room may be the reason for fatigue. If plenty of daylight cannot be provided on all working surfaces, the artificial light must be arranged to prevent shadows. Where electricity is available, a 100-watt bulb, covered with a diffused light globe should be on the ceiling in the center of the room. · (5) Lifting heavy tubs and buckets of water is unnecessary and fatiguing. A rubber hose should be used to convey all water from faucet or pump to tubs and to empty the tubs. (6) Extra steps while washing will be saved if the equipment is grouped together. (7) Noise from anything such as a squeaky machine, annoyance from hair hanging in eyes; iri fact, all of the things which cause 3 fatigue should· be carefully corrected. Time and te'mper will be saved if something is done about such things before the washing is started. The Laundry Room The ideal laundry room is on the ground floor, adjoining the kitchen. Such a room saves many steps to the outdoor clothes lines and' to the kitchen. With linoleum on the floor. and curtains ., --- - -~~ - . ~-- ... -. .::-:__ 2 - ·\.. .'-' :':q I_];:-~ ..:: --=-~Jl~ ~uc ~ I . ~I 'r-- tl. ll~"~-~ -;._~-:Jr-~- ·1&.'-,. j_r- ~='"" ~~ :n I \ ;~ Aiu£T:. ~ \___) I ~ \ i i ~~ ... /~·:J (CIIIIf. r~ ~: § -. , I ~ '\ w ~A"UJI :r T~LB£ I -=C:ctu..i .' \ ..~N" : .. _±_ , . '% --.....- ; 0.; . - at the windows, it can be made a more comfortable and attractive work shop and often serves as a place to do many of the things which need to be done on a farm. In such a room, the men can wash, the separating can be done, the separator and milk utensils can be washed and drained, vegetables can be cleaned for canning, everyday coats and boots can be stored and play equipment, wash ing equipment and soaps can be kept. In addition to the actual washing, drying, and ironing, the laundry room provides facilities for sorting and sprinkling the clothes. The plan for the laundry room shown above may be adapted to a laundry on first floor or to a laundry in the kitchen or base ment. In each case, any equipment which is not needed may be 4 omitted without interfering with the general plan. If the laundry is in the basement, better light will fall on the tubs if they are placed at right angles to the windows, rather than directly under them. The washing machine and clothes basket should be placed on the side nearest the indoor clothes line. T .- ~ Sr.cTION • s- ··c-a · a.;-:c ......:...~ l 11 . :-··., LLT The More Efficient Laundry Every efficient laundry should have. this equipment. ( 1) A power washing machine with a spinner or a wnnger which is adjustable to four positions. (2) Laundry tubs. Stationary, if possible, otherwise tubs on legs with casters. Tubs with rounded bottoms are easiest to clean. (3) Machine and tubs raised to proper height to save stooping. ( 4) A platform on casters for the tub for soaking and for the clothes basket, to provide correct working height and to make them .~, movable. (5) A platform on wheels for moving the clothes basket under the outdoor clothes line at the proper. height to prevent stooping. (6) A laundry basket lined with oil cloth. (7) A sorting table for sorting clothes, stacking in piles and for sprinkling clothes after they are dry. (8) Hose used for filling Oil Cloth Lining for Clothes machine and tubs. Basket. (9) Hose used' for draining tubs -and machine. (10) Indoor-clothes lines. ( 11) Good light for the room. (12) A clothes-pin bag to slide on the line. (13) A clothes sprinkler. (14) A stain removal kit. Steps in Washing As in all tasks, there are three distinct steps in the process of washing. These steps need to be observed if good management results: 1. Get Ready· A. Collect clothes B~ Sort clothes C. Remove stains b. Put first load of clothes to soak E. Prepare wash water in machine 1. Use hose to fill tubs 2. Remove rust from water if necessary 3. Soften water if necessary 4. Use right temperature water-140° to 150• 5. Have sufficient suds-about three inches for each load 6 II. Do it A. Remove first load from soak water and put 1n machine B. Put second load to soak C. Clean clothes lines D. Prepare rinse waters E. Remove first load from machine to first rinse. F. Remove second load from soak water and put in machine G. Put third load to soak H. Rinse first load at least twice I. Hang on line J. Remove second load from machine to rinse K. Proceed in same manner as with first load, adding the next load to the machine as soon as each is removed. III. Clean Up A. Drain and wash out machine and tubs. B. Clean up equipment and put it away. C. Clean floor, if necessary. The following is a more complete discussion of the procedure for some of these steps : I. Collect clothes from clothes chute, hamper, or laundry bags. II. Sort clothes according to the amount of dirtiness, generally in the following order. (It is easier to wash many slightly soiled clothes than a few dirty ones.) a. Table linens e. Undergarments b. Bed linen f . Light colored clothes c. Dish towels g. Dark colored clothes d. Bath towels and. white h. Dust cloths, mop,s, etc. shirts In small families some of these items which are the same color a~d have the same amount of soil, ·may be put into a load to gether, while in large families some items such as sheets need to be divided into several loads. A load is t'he amount the machine will carry according to its capacity. Some machines can handle the weight of six sheets, while others should have only the weight of three sheets. 7 I - IlL Put first load of clothes to soak in slightly .warm, sudsy, soft water.