Thread Number: 18045
Oh My Dears!
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Post# 293948   8/1/2008 at 05:32 (5,718 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture



Post# 293955 , Reply# 1   8/1/2008 at 06:50 (5,718 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

NEAT!

Did anyne else notice the little light-bulbs(lamps) in rubber sockets behind the machines?

I wonder what this "pilot-light" is supposed to indicate. "ON"?


Post# 293957 , Reply# 2   8/1/2008 at 07:19 (5,718 days old) by mielabor ()        

When I was a child I went with my mother to the laundromat and on the Bendix machines they had there was a red lamp that indicated the moment for adding liquid bleach which had to be done manually. I have done that many times while my mother was away for shopping.

Post# 293960 , Reply# 3   8/1/2008 at 07:43 (5,718 days old) by mihi ()        
how cool !!!

What a neat photo. Looks like New York or something. Great machines too.

Post# 293969 , Reply# 4   8/1/2008 at 08:00 (5,718 days old) by mielabor ()        
Found it!

I just searched the internet and guess what? I found a picture of the very laundromat that I went to as a child and also the date is right: 1966. Unfortunately only part of the laundromat is shown, but it's the important part with the row of washing machines. You can see the cans on each machine, one for soap (Persil, high sudsing: I've seen machines overflowing with foam many times), one for liquid chlorine bleach.

Post# 293995 , Reply# 5   8/1/2008 at 10:59 (5,718 days old) by autowasherfreak ()        
Pice

Nice picture. I remember going to the laundromat with my mom, and they would put soup or vegetable cans out to use as measuring cups. This was in the early 70's.

Post# 293997 , Reply# 6   8/1/2008 at 11:19 (5,718 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)        
Coin Clean

laundromat's profile picture
The FRIGIDAIRE equipped laundry I went to used the deep Action Agitator caps as ash trays!

Post# 293998 , Reply# 7   8/1/2008 at 11:20 (5,718 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)        
How Cool

unimatic1140's profile picture
This picture must be stored in our Archives!!!

Post# 293999 , Reply# 8   8/1/2008 at 11:25 (5,718 days old) by unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)        
This is very interesting.

unimatic1140's profile picture
I also have to wonder if there were any dryers in that 'mat, or you had to bring your wet clothes home and hang it up?

Also notice no coin boxes, these are standard Bendix washers. I suppose the attendent would start the machine for the customer. Notice also they gave away free "soap".

Good catch on the little bulb in the rubber socket Toggles, I would bet these are "in operation" lights. I would love to know what all of those signs say.



Post# 294000 , Reply# 9   8/1/2008 at 11:29 (5,718 days old) by mielabor ()        
Not as good, but still...

I also found a picture of the first laundromat we went to. It's on the left. They had American style toploaders there. Very unusual in the Netherlands. Unfortunately no machine can be seen in this picture. The year: 1967. Probably the toploaders were already gone by then as there is a display behind the window "...SSI" (Zanussi?).

Post# 294001 , Reply# 10   8/1/2008 at 11:32 (5,718 days old) by mielabor ()        
Detail...

I now know the brand of the toploaders: Maytag! It's the first time that I found this out. Sorry for spoiling this thread, but I got a bit excited.

Post# 294007 , Reply# 11   8/1/2008 at 12:06 (5,718 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

Doesn't that woman's head near the store-front obscure a sign that may say "FREE DRYING" ?

Why would this be NEW YORK?


Post# 294008 , Reply# 12   8/1/2008 at 12:08 (5,718 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

Or FREE DRYERS?


Is that woman on our right taking shapsots of the couple near the door?


Post# 294009 , Reply# 13   8/1/2008 at 12:15 (5,718 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

The first poster nearest us with the (port-hole) states:

"Recommended weights for best washing results"


Post# 294019 , Reply# 14   8/1/2008 at 13:51 (5,718 days old) by rayjay (Carteret, New Jersey)        

This laundromat was just like one of the laundromats in my area growing up. The small Bendix machines were $.20cents.

The next machine size was a Philco Bendix and they wre $.25cents. The large Bendix was .30cents. This was in 1961. I remember my Dad and I took the laundry there and did 10 loads. I put in too much Fab detergent, and when the machine went into the first spin, the suds shot up like a geiser from all 10 machines. What a mess.

BTW: THe dryers were .10 for 10 min.

How times have changed. lol


Post# 294023 , Reply# 15   8/1/2008 at 14:23 (5,718 days old) by autowasherfreak ()        

What is the machine (top loader) the lady with the black top is using?

Post# 294024 , Reply# 16   8/1/2008 at 14:33 (5,718 days old) by 70series ( Connecticut.)        

In Queens New York, my grandmother on my father's side used to go to a laundromat that had mostly Zanussis. It also had washers like the one in the forefront of the photo, where the the woman wearing glasses is washing clothes. What kind of washer is that, and is it fully automatic?

Thank you and have a good one,
James


Post# 294025 , Reply# 17   8/1/2008 at 14:36 (5,718 days old) by rayjay (Carteret, New Jersey)        
What is the machine (top loader) the lady with the black top

The machine the lady with the black top is using is not a washing machine. It is a spinner. If a machine failed in the laundromat, you would either use it to spin out the excess water. Or...in those days, these front loaders did not spin very well, so for .10cents you could spin out the excess water from your loads, thus less time in the dryer.

Post# 294029 , Reply# 18   8/1/2008 at 14:45 (5,718 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
The Lady Wearing A Black Lace Blouse

launderess's profile picture
Wearing glasses is using an extractor, which where very common in laundromats and indeed commercial laundries as well.

Because early washing machines of all types (aside from perhaps Frigidaires) had such low final spin speeds, laundry would emerge quite wet. Heavy and sturdy items like towels, jeans, some linens,blankets, and such would be taken from the washing machine and put into the extractor to spin out more water, thus less time would be required for drying either in a tumble dryer or on the lines. Bock is a common name today for commercial extractors.

While also common for home use in the UK and Europe, extractors weren't really a huge sell for home use in the United States.

As for commercial use, even today some laundries still send heavy items from washing machines through an extractor because their washing machines have low final spin speeds. Or, they are still using old machines that are mainly "washers" and laundry is moved to "extractors" to be spun. If one looks at commercial laundry catalogs you'll see machines that wash and spin still described as "washers & extractors".

Due to liability issues extractors are mostly gone from laundromats. Last time one saw one was a laundromat in Brooklyn near Fort Greene.

L.


Post# 294030 , Reply# 19   8/1/2008 at 14:48 (5,718 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Free Dryers

launderess's profile picture
There is a small sign in the window indicating the laundromat has "free dryers". Most likely like today's mats the dryers are grouped together elsewhere in the store, probably in the back.

Wonder how this business made any money, giving away detergent and free dryers. *LOL*


Have to give the owner credit for keeping such a spic and span business. Look how all the surfaces, including the washing machines gleam.

L.


Post# 294035 , Reply# 20   8/1/2008 at 15:12 (5,718 days old) by toggleswitch2 ()        

~There is a small sign in the window indicating the laundromat has "free dryers".


There were probably two schools of thought in the early days of dryers


Justification NOT to: (My great-aunt and great uncle):
Those dryer are ovens and BAKE the clothes to death, ruining them.

Justification for: (My grandmnother and grandfather):
Damp clothes [i.e. line-dried] bring illness and pneumonia. You'll get sick and DIE if you don't use a dryer. Line dried clothes are "not clean". Those NYC alleyways are full of dust and dirt from boilers, barbeques cars, etc.

It's all about one's persepctive. N'est ce pas?


Post# 294038 , Reply# 21   8/1/2008 at 15:28 (5,718 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
Well early tumble dryers were hot enough to be ovens in most cases. Better to deal with all that poorly extracted heavy cotton, which made up a bulk of laundry in those days. Remember the comic strip "Peanuts" where Lucy uses a long stick to fetch her brother's favourite blanket from the dryer? She chucks the thing to him and it is so hot the wee lad jumps into the air! *LOL*

Actually tumble drying with heat is more sanitary than say letting heavy wet laundry line dry indoors, or out doors on a less than bright sunny day. While sunshine with it's ultra violet light does disenfect to an extent, it is not the same has high heat drying.



Post# 294039 , Reply# 22   8/1/2008 at 15:38 (5,718 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        
Cool Bendix Launderette

gansky1's profile picture
Since we're pirating pictures, these are some I pulled off the web a long time ago.

This is a little later Bendix machine than the first one.


Post# 294040 , Reply# 23   8/1/2008 at 15:38 (5,718 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
More Bendix

Post# 294042 , Reply# 24   8/1/2008 at 15:39 (5,718 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
When smoking was allowed in laundries.

Post# 294043 , Reply# 25   8/1/2008 at 15:39 (5,718 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
Titled Community Laundry

Post# 294044 , Reply# 26   8/1/2008 at 15:40 (5,718 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture


Post# 294046 , Reply# 27   8/1/2008 at 15:42 (5,718 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
Testing

Just look at all that "stooping and bending" to use a front loader!


Post# 294047 , Reply# 28   8/1/2008 at 15:42 (5,718 days old) by frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)        

frigilux's profile picture
Great photos! Laundromats would be fun if they weren't open to the public, LOL!

Laundro Update: The local laundromat, which had two rows of circa '85 Speed Queen TLer's as their centerpiece, has chucked all the TLer's in favor of SQ FLer's. Noticed it today as I drove by. There isn't a TL'er in the place, anymore!


Post# 294048 , Reply# 29   8/1/2008 at 15:42 (5,718 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
Factory Coolness

Post# 294049 , Reply# 30   8/1/2008 at 15:44 (5,718 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
I Love It!

launderess's profile picture
"Do Not Use Tide, FAB...or other high sudsing detergents", on the wall sign. Bet many laundromats today would appreciate such a sign to post on their walls.



Post# 294051 , Reply# 31   8/1/2008 at 15:45 (5,718 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
This is the Philco and Bendix dealer's display at a trade show in Kansas City circa 1949

Post# 294053 , Reply# 32   8/1/2008 at 15:50 (5,718 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Modern Living Through Electricity

launderess's profile picture
*LOL*

Post# 294061 , Reply# 33   8/1/2008 at 16:14 (5,718 days old) by westie2 ()        
Free Dryers

One or two laundries where I grew up had steam dryers they pipe the steam from the boilers dirctly to the dryers. They collected the distilled water from them and gave it to the customers that wanted it for their steam irons. I think back then if you washed (either wringer or automatic) there you got free drying but if you brought in the clothes qas 5 or 10 cents a load. Both places had the big BOCK extractors but a laundry employee always operated them.
The one laundry that had both wringer washers and automatics May tag wringers old square tubs and Norge automatics. The wringer washers had live steam piped to them. You could do a good boil wash with them. They also used live steam to cook starch. They would mix the powdered starch in a wooden bucket with the cold water and hang it on a hook with a pipe and turn the steam on to cook it.


Post# 294062 , Reply# 34   8/1/2008 at 16:17 (5,718 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

swestoyz's profile picture
Greg - LOVE the photos, especially the factory one. I think the room full of women testing the Westy, Whirlpool, Bendix, Easy, and Hoover are actually in the R&R Building in Newton. Think that picture was featured in Maytag News sometime.

Ben


Post# 294067 , Reply# 35   8/1/2008 at 17:08 (5,718 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)        
Magnifying, I can read in the window:

mickeyd's profile picture
30 Bendix Washers

30 Minute Service

and free something else but the dark haired woman is blocking what may say Free Drying. You can see a "D" and a "Y" Maybe the jacked up spinner is free.

The first sign says: Recommended Weights for Best Washing Results, and then list of poundage but I can't get it ---Anybody else see it ???


Post# 294069 , Reply# 36   8/1/2008 at 17:16 (5,718 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)        
Why one is in AWE of the OMAHAIAN

mickeyd's profile picture
Not one but two people have posted about a vintage Easy Spin in Western NY, and now Greg had show us the machine in its true splendor. Just look at the three chrome rings. Dazzling and Dizzying......

speaking of which, Is it true that Our Beloved Jon Jet-cone is in bed with the vapors following a spell of orgiastic ecstasy after seeing 30 Bendii? The buzz is raving here ;'DDDDDD

Talk about vintage photos! Does it get any better than this?


Post# 294075 , Reply# 37   8/1/2008 at 17:38 (5,718 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        
Top Loaders

launderess's profile picture
Are going the way of extractors in laundromats.

Ever increasing costs for water and restrictions thereof for commercial laundries, and other matters are causing many laundromats to dump top loaders in favour of front loading washing machines. You still find many top loaders in laundries located in apartment building laundries.


Post# 294138 , Reply# 38   8/2/2008 at 00:16 (5,718 days old) by whirlcool (Just North Of Houston, Texas)        

And just look at the Launderess' in their white dresses! At first I thought they were nurses, but they weren't wearing a hat! It also looks kind of like a waitresses outfit too.

I loke the poster which indicated the water level half way up the door!



Post# 294140 , Reply# 39   8/2/2008 at 00:28 (5,718 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
Recently nabbed the same sort of uniform from fleaBay.

IIRC it says "Standard Laundry" on the inside label. Place was located on Wasbash Avenue in Chicago.

Simple little thing really, much better than wearing one's own things when handling other persons soiled linen.

L.


Post# 294147 , Reply# 40   8/2/2008 at 02:08 (5,717 days old) by tuthill ()        

I want a Bendix

Post# 294155 , Reply# 41   8/2/2008 at 05:34 (5,717 days old) by hilovane (Columbus OH)        

These pix are really something! The apartment complex my family lived in when I was a little kid (until 1960, when we moved into a house) had a communal laundry room (where our bikes, trikes, Radio Flyer wagons, and pedal cars had to be stored, as well)that had those old Bendix washing machines. There were Bendix dryers, too; they looked likje the '53 Duomatics, with a coin box on the side. And, yes, no laundry room of the day would be complete without that Bock extractor. It was an event for me when on my way home from Kindergarten one day, I saw a new Philco-Bendix washer being prepped for installation. I ran home like a bat outta hell, chenged from my "school clothes," and into my "play clothes" (remeber THOSE?) so I could run back, and watch the installation continue.

In tghat one picture, that wringer washer almost looks like a toy!
The first laundromat I ever saw with TL'ers, featured Speed Queen's.



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