Equipping the Labor-Saving Laundry 1932

Actually have that same article bookmarked somewhere on computer, just didn't think anyone else would find it interesting.

It's clear from tone of article and others like it from 1920's through 1940's target audience was middle class housewives.

The servant problem that began late 1800's and marched through early part of 1900's kept going. As such time when even a middle class housewife could afford (and find) servants of all sorts easily was ending.

Laundry was first thing any household with spare bit of cash either hired someone else to do (laundresses) or sent out (laundry services or laundresses who worked outside of people's homes).

Good laundry services, those that did excellent job of cleaning things without damage and returning all pieces were expensive.

By early part of last century more and more areas were wired for electricity coupled with invention and expansion of all sorts of mod cons that ran on electric power. For laundry day this meant what once was an orgy back breaking labor that lasted three or four days could be done in one or maybe two.

In many parts of USA there was a heated three way battle between laundry services, laundresses and manufactures of domestic laundry appliances.

You saw this largely in the South where African American women for a host of reasons were restricted to certain domestic service to earn a living. One of those areas was taking in washing or going to people's homes and doing same.

Makers of laundry appliances countered that their products allowed wash to be done in home cheaper and with better results than using laundresses. Also Madam knew where her was going and done by whom.

Laundry services claimed their machines could do a better job than anything domestic and Madame wouldn't be saddled with wash day. They also claimed their workers where highly trained in best ways of handling all sorts of textiles. Madam's laundry was returned clean, fresh, sanitary and not reeking of cooking odors.

Laundresses appealed to fact both of above were taking bread out of their mouths. They countered theirs was a private service more able to provide unique and special attention.

Where laundry services and even laundresses (those who worked outside of home) began to lose ground was promotion of sanitation, germ theory and overall health of family.

Middle class and above housewives were seen not only as bastions of their family's morality, but protector of all she considered near and dear; to wit their health.

Makers of laundry appliances countered that sending laundry out meant Madame's wash was mixed with that of God knows who other classes of persons. In an era before antibiotics where simple infections could (and did) carry people off there was a mania for controlling or wiping out germs, especially on laundry.

Promoting laundry being done in home meant either Madame herself could see to it job was done properly, or at least directly supervise.

Run up and entry of USA into WWII put a spanner into works. Production of laundry appliances all but ceased in aid of war effort and huge numbers of women from all classes entered workforce. Once again sending laundry out became a new normal, but it didn't last...

Post WWII saw push of women back into domestic sphere including doing laundry, where they've been ever since. Yes, from 1950's onward there was had have been tons of new laundry appliances, all promising to make that dreaded chore a breeze, but someone sill has to do the thing.


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Post# 1174482 3/12/2023 at 09:17 (419 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)
Checkrate/Likes 3 House Beautiful, January 1932 Enjoy!

Post# 1174500 , Reply# 1 3/12/2023 at 11:17 (418 days old) by luxflairguy (Wilmington NC)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Awessome! Thanks Louis!

Post# 1174541 , Reply# 2 3/12/2023 at 19:12 (418 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes *Neat find.* Actually have that same article bookmarked somewhere on computer, just didn't think anyone else would find it interesting. It's clear from tone of article and others like it from 1920's through 1940's target audience was middle class housewives. The servant problem that began late 1800's and marched through early part of 1900's kept going. As such time when even a middle class housewife could afford (and find) servants of all sorts easily was ending. Laundry was first thing any household with spare bit of cash either hired someone else to do (laundresses) or sent out (laundry services or laundresses who worked outside of people's homes). Good laundry services, those that did excellent job of cleaning things without damage and returning all pieces were expensive. By early part of last century more and more areas were wired for electricity coupled with invention and expansion of all sorts of mod cons that ran on electric power. For laundry day this meant what once was an orgy back breaking labor that lasted three or four days could be done in one or maybe two. In many parts of USA there was a heated three way battle between laundry services, laundresses and manufactures of domestic laundry appliances. You saw this largely in the South where African American women for a host of reasons were restricted to certain domestic service to earn a living. One of those areas was taking in washing or going to people's homes and doing same. Makers of laundry appliances countered that their products allowed wash to be done in home cheaper and with better results than using laundresses. Also Madam knew where her was going and done by whom. Laundry services claimed their machines could do a better job than anything domestic and Madame wouldn't be saddled with wash day. They also claimed their workers where highly trained in best ways of handling all sorts of textiles. Madam's laundry was returned clean, fresh, sanitary and not reeking of cooking odors. Laundresses appealed to fact both of above were taking bread out of their mouths. They countered theirs was a private service more able to provide unique and special attention. Where laundry services and even laundresses (those who worked outside of home) began to lose ground was promotion of sanitation, germ theory and overall health of family. Middle class and above housewives were seen not only as bastions of their family's morality, but protector of all she considered near and dear; to wit their health. Makers of laundry appliances countered that sending laundry out meant Madame's wash was mixed with that of God knows who other classes of persons. In an era before antibiotics where simple infections could (and did) carry people off there was a mania for controlling or wiping out germs, especially on laundry. Promoting laundry being done in home meant either Madame herself could see to it job was done properly, or at least directly supervise. Run up and entry of USA into WWII put a spanner into works. Production of laundry appliances all but ceased in aid of war effort and huge numbers of women from all classes entered workforce. Once again sending laundry out became a new normal, but it didn't last... Post WWII saw push of women back into domestic sphere including doing laundry, where they've been ever since. Yes, from 1950's onward there was had have been tons of new laundry appliances, all promising to make that dreaded chore a breeze, but someone sill has to do the thing.

Post# 1174542 , Reply# 3 3/12/2023 at 19:15 (418 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes 1 Christine Fredrick, a home efficiency expert teamed up with Thor to write a little book about home laundry using machines. Again tone is clear; thing was aimed at middle class housewives in tones they understood. This included rather sexist (but acceptable at time) views that Madame should show said book to her husband in aid of getting His Nibbs to pay for all that equipment. archive.org/details/youyourlaund...

Post# 1174544 , Reply# 4 3/12/2023 at 19:27 (418 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes Across the pond same message was going out to middle class post war British housewives. Note as in USA it often was some sort of utility board (usually electric but also gas) that supplied some or all funding for these informative publications or videos. www.huntleyarchives.com/p... Reasoning of course is clear; wiring areas for electric or gas is one thing; but demand must exist. What better way of creating same than getting people to fit out their homes with all sorts of mod cons that ran on electric or gas.

Post# 1174546 , Reply# 5 3/12/2023 at 19:32 (418 days old) by supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Checkrate/Likes 1 A twelve-pound iron sounds like just what I need to tone up my lower back.

Post# 1174550 , Reply# 6 3/12/2023 at 19:36 (418 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes 1 "A twelve-pound iron sounds like just what I need to tone up my lower back." Oh I shouldn't love. Have got one and am here to tell you after about ten minutes am ready to pack it in. That being said there is still a feeling in certain quarters that heavier irons are better. It's one reason many slag off modern domestic irons in favor of commercial/industrial versions.

Post# 1174551 , Reply# 7 3/12/2023 at 19:43 (418 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes What was cutting edge in 1930's was often seen as antediluvian by 1950's. Irons with thermostats replaced those that didn't have. Automatic washing machines replaces semi-automatic for most part though some still clung to wringer or twin tub washers for various reasons. Flatwork presses and ironers weren't huge sellers many would have people believe. They became less so by 1950's onward as tumble dryers entered more homes. Often only way a dealer could move ironers or presses is by bundling them with a sale of automatic washing machine and perhaps dryer. Only thing many homes had by 1950's or so onward that required routine ironing was men's shirts, most just sent those out.

Post# 1174662 , Reply# 8 3/13/2023 at 21:34 (417 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)
Checkrate/Likes I knew someone who was staying in a rooming house that had a top loading refrigerator in the common space.

Post# 1175207 , Reply# 10 3/19/2023 at 17:42 (411 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Everything Old Is New Again...* Many years ago now came upon directions online for making a "big board" to fit over ironing board. Worked well enough but since have switched over to suspending the thing on a pair of sawhorses. Stroke Saver Iron? Had one nabbed NIB off fleaPay. Darn thing died on me rather quickly so in end it was rubbished. Mat for standing while ironing? Check! Actually it's the mat used in kitchen for when standing at sink for long periods (such as doing washing up), but easily moved when needed for ironing. Rotary ironers and presses were often a hard sell to housewives back in day. Many felt they could do things faster with just a larger ironing board. This and or effort it took to learn how to do anything else besides flatwork versus results wasn't worth bothering. Can do shirts on my Ironrite, but they must be simple design. If one learns how to iron shirts way many laundries or dry cleaners do; while flat, it is easy to bang out a lot in short period of time. Doing so the other way by moving shirt around ironing board (left front, each side of back, right front...) takes longer. Other problem domestic ironers and presses is they rarely are wide enough to do large flatwork (sheets, tablecloths, etc...) without creasing. Due to heavy pressure of these devices those ironed in creases over time will wear fabric if in same area again and again. Sooner or later things will usually rip or tear along those repeated crease lines. Doing bedmaking other day tugged on a Frette fitted sheet that long had been ironed on any of my various ironers. Darn thing tore right up the center fold line which had been ironed in for years. Finally yes, plastic or any other sort of spray bottle is vastly superior way of dampening fabrics than sprinkling water. Latter method often creates spots that won't vanish with ironing.

Post# 1175225 , Reply# 13 3/19/2023 at 19:44 (411 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)
Checkrate/Likes Whirlpool spread a lot of Wash 'n Wear fertilizer. I don't recall their ever saying that the cycle was not needed if clothing was finished in a dryer. I regularly washed my permanent press clothing in a Frigidaire washer that spun them, right out of a warm wash at 1140 rpm and I dried them in a high heat Filtrator; just did not over dry them and removed them before the dryer shut off. Until we got a dryer, no matter how much the Wash and Wear cycle was used, shirts were ironed. Sure, maybe they were not the wrinkled mess of 100% cotton shirts, but they still required some ironing.

Post# 1175228 , Reply# 14 3/19/2023 at 19:53 (411 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes When it comes to "wash and wear" textiles amount of ironing needed largely IMHO depends upon fiber content. Things made from wholly man made fibers (nylon, polyester, etc...) will have different properties than say cotton/poly blends. From there things will vary by ratio of cotton to polyester or whatever man made fiber. Much bed linen used by hospitality and healthcare today are cotton/poly blends. They still are sent through ironers after washing, but need less than say pure cotton.

Post# 1175236 , Reply# 16 3/19/2023 at 22:29 (411 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)
Checkrate/Likes After high speed extraction, sheets and pillow slips are sent through the industrial ironer in many commercial laundries to dry them since tumble drying could cause bunching, tangling and balling up and an ironer will dry them flat in one pass, depending on the heat supplied, the percentage of water left after the extraction and the speed of the ironer. Several advantages of mixing polyester with cotton is to strengthen the cotton, reduce absorbancy and make the fabric last longer as well as to reduce the amount of ironing needed to produce a finished looking product at the end of the laundering process. In the early days of wash 'n wear garments, many needed a light going over with an iron to give them a crisp finish, especially if not finished in a dryer. As wash 'n wear advanced and clothes dryers became more available, the performance improved and the need for ironing was almost eliminated, but the appearance of these garments was not improved by a cool down after a warm or hot wash when finished in a clothes dryer.

Post# 1175193 , Reply# 9 3/19/2023 at 15:39 (411 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Better Homes and Gardens September 1950*

Post# 1175209 , Reply# 11 3/19/2023 at 17:48 (411 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes *Another thing* Post WWII many housewives really didn't want an ironer or press despite all the heavy marketing. What people wanted was an automatic washing machine and perhaps dryer. Appliance dealers thus often bundled sale of ironer or press with washer/dryer so it was difficult to get one or two without taking all three. Arrival and spread of domestic tumble dryers began killing off what demand there was for ironers or presses. Piled on was arrival of "Wash and Wear" fabrics that eliminated ironing for most part. What routine ironing there was in many households was often men's dress shirts he wore to work. Those could (and often were) sent out to a laundry.

Post# 1175216 , Reply# 12 3/19/2023 at 18:35 (411 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)
Checkrate/Likes *Better Homes and Gardens September 1962*

Post# 1175235 , Reply# 15 3/19/2023 at 22:19 (411 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Better Homes and Gardens April, 1970*

Post# 1175239 , Reply# 17 3/19/2023 at 22:42 (411 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes "Several advantages of mixing polyester with cotton is to strengthen the cotton, reduce absorbancy and make the fabric last longer " Which is why you've seen cotton/polyester bath/hand towels and wash cloths for some time now. Hospitality and healthcare especially like this blend for many reasons. OTOH high end bath linen still is what it always has been; pure cotton or linen.

Post# 1175240 , Reply# 18 3/19/2023 at 22:43 (411 days old) by volvoman (West Windsor, NJ)
Checkrate/Likes *Re: Better Homes and Gardens April, 1970* I'd love to know what kind of machines are in that BH&G article....

Post# 1175241 , Reply# 19 3/19/2023 at 23:00 (411 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Better Homes and Gardens November 1971*

Post# 1175250 , Reply# 20 3/19/2023 at 23:29 (411 days old) by DADoES (TX,�U.S. of A.)
Checkrate/Likes 1 � Reply #12, 1962 = Maytag. Reply #15, 1970 = Whirlpool (toploader pair) and GE (undercounter frontloader combo). Reply #19, 1971 = Kenmore.

Post# 1175251 , Reply# 21 3/19/2023 at 23:45 (411 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Better Homes and Gardens May, 1957*

Post# 1175265 , Reply# 22 3/20/2023 at 00:12 (411 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There�s a Lady on Stage)
Checkrate/Likes "After high speed extraction, sheets and pillow slips are sent through the industrial ironer " Things vary by laundry. Some places still send flatwork through dryers first before ironing for several reasons. One is that the dryer acts as a "shaker" of a sort; breaking about a pressed laundry cake (from batch tunnel washers), or mass of laundry from washer/extractor. Extraction even "high speed" from industrial or commercial washers isn't always comprable to a sperate extractor or even many domestic washing machines. Thus a quick trip through dryer will bring down residual moisture to levels ironers can cope with easily. This is important because as you say things only have the one pass before they are folded and packaged. With tunnel continuous batch washers rapidly taking over medium to large and in some cases even small laundries above seems to be common. Even this laundry which still uses a more labor intensive system of separate washer/extractor, dryer then ironer sends flatwork through dryer before ironing.

Post# 1175325 , Reply# 23 3/20/2023 at 16:17 (410 days old) by Ultramatic (New York City)
Checkrate/Likes *Attention please!* I have decided to close this thread and continue it as recurring one. The title will change from "Equipping the Labor-Saving Laundry 1932" to "The Vintage Laundry Room". The original thread will be referred to as Part 00. Thank you. The Vintage Laundry Room: Part One www.automaticwasher.org/c...