If you have any tips or trick on doing laundry with a washboard, feel free to leave them down below! Links to related videos and the Columbus Washboard Company are in the description. Thanks for watching!
Guildbrook Farm - Off Grid Living Fellsnaptha old school soap I use all time I soak clothes with stains and never had problem getting stains out of clothes except , iodine , I am nurse and iodine didn’t come out after a 12 hour shift . Also not giving advice any ways but felsnaptha always helped when I would get poison ivy , sumac oak etc . Just wash affected area with it I did twice daily and helped clear up again not giving medical advice one should discuss with. Their medical provider . Thank you I enjoy your videos and glad to see your channel refer people if questions ( referring to your canning videos )
I remember my grandmother using the same methods that you use here in this video. I remember her asking her one time when she rinced her clothes why she did not ring the blue jeans and shirts out, her simple answer was this. Hang Em Up dripping wet on the clothesline and you'll have less chance of wrinkles.
Hello, a tablespoon of white vinegar in the final rinse water will get rid of soap residue and soften the clothes...the smell will disappear in the drying process.
I wanted to share an idea for anyone who is exhausted by washing and drying standard Western/American bath towels. When I was overseas in the military I saw the women using long 3 ft by one foot strips of cotton. I found out that these are their towels. Tenugui towels can be used for bath towels, hand towels, bathroom towels, head wraps, neck wraps, wrapping things etc. They're easy to wash, they dry within 5 to 10 minutes on a hot day. Takes about 30-40 minutes on a cold day. You can stack up a dozen and a half of these towels and they still will be thinner than two standard Western towels. I was hesitant at first but now I wouldn't ever go back to standard towels. I hand wash these in the sink. On a simple drying rack I could put 15 of them. I would suggest people look up Tenugui's. By the way you can make your own. Go to your local fabric store. Buy 100% cotton and create any size you would like. I like a 12-in by 36 inch cotton strip that's been hemmed that mirrors the size of the standard Tenugui. Just thought I'd share this.
Oh wow, the other day I asked myself if something like this wouldn't be better since my towels tend to smell a bit funky when they need longer try dry. So here was my answer, thank you!
My grandmother refused to use a washer machine to do her laundry my grandpa and my uncle built her a washing station outside with a built in washboard and double sinks to do the laundry in.... I always loved helping her
In my country people still wash their clothes by hand. For me it is kind of weid because in my country there are stations made of concrete called pilas. Also, pilas are used for washing your kitchen utilizes, and other things. I find I better than washing in those buckets, but interesting to see how other cultures wash by hand their clothes.
I'm slowly incorporating manual labor back into my life in an effort to stay in shape. I feel we have become too dependent on technology now and we don't move our bodies as much as we should. This is such an easy way to exercise your arms and core
I’m watching this because the governor of our state issued a stay-at-home order and we don’t have laundry facilities in our apartment. The laundromat down the road is going to be closed and it’s not like I can go to my parents’ house to do laundry. I really appreciate your easy to follow instructions and tips. ❤️
Richard Chappell @ Richard Chappell, agreed since saw them featured on a extreme minimalist’s YT channel. For us, it’s too compact for daily or weekly cleaning but you’re right in that it’s great for travel. Take care. Be safe.
I currently don't have a washer and dryer but my apartment does have a clothes line behind it 😊 if I want to go to the laundromat it's a 30 minute drive and very expensive. I'm a single mom of two. I really appreciate this video!
My grandmother used her tubs and wash board weekly when she "only had a few things to wash". She was to thrifty to turn on the washing maschine. She lived through the depression, passed away in 1976 at age 87. She always put her tubs on wooden stools and used a hand-crank wringer to squeeze the water out. Usually the wringer was grandchild powered.
Keep in mind you don't have to be off grid or going through a disaster to do this! This is also a great way to cut cost & save money as well!!!!! I've been watching lot's of video's like these & alot of other very helpful video's for different ways to save money & food storage & thing's like that because I have a very low income myself & a 9 year old daughter & I want her to grow up knowing how to survive & live any and every way possible!!!!!!!!!! this is also great for anyone who isn't low income or on a budget because you never what life is gonna throw at you, you can be rich today & poor tomorrow! always be prepared!!!!!!!!! I'm so glad I found this video!😉
Fold towels, sheets, blankets into thirds around your pole, put a stick in the opposite Center and twist. A whole lot easier on the hands and gets all the water out. Twist it left , and then right to make sure you’ve got it all.
I have some tips: 1. Get a professional grade mop bucket with wringer. I perched the wringer on the side of my laundry tub by my washer and dryer. You can soak stuff in the bucket. 2. Use a nail brush to scrub the clothes on the wash board. Great for stains.
A few months ago I bought myself a washboad, a hand crank wringer and a big tub. I'm loving this because I don't think my clothes have ever been so clean. I worked at a paper mill for 26 years and I would sometimes have to wash my clothes twice ir three times to get all the grome out but this hand washing with a washboard gets the job done in one wash. My grandma use to let her sheets and nlanket soak over night then rinse in the morning. Naphtha soap kicks stains to the curb!
Being older, I developed "washing-woman's thumbs" after handwashing my clothes for a summer. Now I've found the best way is to not wring at all, and then hang to drip dry. By not wringing at all, the fast dripping that comes off the clothes creates a sort-of siphon effect. After an hour or two, I squeeze the lowest hanging points of whatever it is (shirt, pants, towel, etc) and get the rest of the "standing water" out. In the summer, sun is all that's needed. In the cooler weather I hang the drip-dried clothes by my heat source. They're usually dry within a day or so. Faster if you're daring enough to hang things *over* your heat source (don't do unless you're sitting right there and wide awake).
i was ten when i started to wash cloths by hand...and every item washed had to be perfect...or else. My mother started when she was 5...so it is a blessing having a washer machine. and i did not have a washboard...to make my job easier... at 14 i was running the house by myself...learned the hard way but I learned well.
Have done some,hand washing myself. I didn't have a wash board so I used a old CD rack for scrubbing. Soap, plunge, scrub,then repeat till clean. I prefer my washer too. Rough on the hands. Washed in the creek once when the well went down it was in the middle of winter. Quickest I had done laundry. Thank God the dryer worked. I built up the muscles too. Hope y'all get situated soon.
You are unbelievable lady! You are the only person on earth who would pick the most mundane thing (that probably 99.99% of the population would not even care about) and research it to death so you have every detail, then bring out a washboard. Guess what - your two classes short of a masters was not in vain. You are a great teacher. Glad to see you could get a partnership deal.
You put up this fine vid years ago, but here's my 2cents worth. 'Dirty' whites versus 'clean' whites - they both need washing. However, 'clean' whites don't get very dirty before being washed. Things like undergarments are 'clean' whites. They are washed before 'dirty' whites, such as kitchen linens and bath towels. You do both loads using the same hot washing up water. Which is kept warm by fitting a lid onto the wash basin during the soak. While washing the clean whites, one soaks the filthy stuff like handkerchiefs. Also and this is Big! You need to have a Drying Cabinet. It looks like a utility cabinet except for the poles which fit into grooves that are at the top of the cabinet. The heat source is kept in the bottom of the cabinet and can be various things. For example a footed, cast iron Dutch oven filled with embers or coals and covered with its lid. Surprisingly, drying cabinets took the same 45 minutes that modern dryers take. You know how it is, either it'll rain, sleet or snow when it's time for you to do the washing. Agree with commenter about getting up off the ground. I suppose it just filmed better where you were. The organization of the laundry room is important. A table for the baskets. A stool between table and wash basins for staging what goes in next. A rinse basin next to the wash basin. Then the drying cabinet. With a table nearby for the basket to sit on while you are either hanging wash to dry, or taking laundry down when it is finished drying. An ironing board with a table for the basket. So, from standing in the doorway. There is an ironing table to the right. Then an ironing board. Then in the right hand far corner is a sorting table big enough for two baskets. To the left of the sorting table is a staging stool. In the far left corner of the room is the wash basin. Left of the wash basin is a double sink basin & water source spigot. (Usually a window that looks out to where the children are playing is over this double sink.) Between the wash basin and the double sink is the ringer. The right side of the double sink is just left of the ringer. That is the rinse basin. The left side of the double sink is where presoaks are done when needed. A slant board seems to connect the double sink to the drying cabinet. The drying cabinet is in the corner of the room immediately left of the doorway. One more thing. A Skyline clothesline, with a table for the basket, for those days when the weather cooperates. Back in my day, there was such a strong sense of what was the 'done thing'. No woman would dare to set up the laundry room any other way. Lest it should bring a blush to the cheek. When washing machines came along, it was easy to substitute the wash basin for the machine as all laundry rooms were set up similarly. Hope you're doing well. Oh look, I found a British film from the 1940s training women on How to do a 'proper job of it.' ua-cam.com/video/EZYva3khdME/v-deo.html
Very helpful if you live in an apartment with coin operated washing machines, can't get enough Quarters from the banks because of the corona virus. Thank goodness I held on to my grandma washboard. Thank you for the video.
I'm tired of paying $2 per wash and dry, also not many working machines and too many people using them. I'm going back to the old school method and save money in the process.
I was raised with a rubboard and I know that scrubbing clothes the way you were doing on the small items can rub the skin off of your fingers in no time at all. You need to keep a lot of cloth between your hand and the rubboard, like washing 2-4 socks at once, not just one. I hope this helps you and others. Like you were doing it you can end up with bloody hands in a short period of time. Your water that you dump out could be used on gardens and flower beds. The soap helps to sterilize the soil which helps you to have healthier plants. You can also use it to give your animals a bath in, or you can boil it for 5 min. and use it for your own bath water. If you have a shortage of water you have to use your imagination. My mom use to give a lot of the dirty wash water to the pigs and they loved it. Might help the butchered meat to be dewormed before the butchering.
Knew you were well taught when i saw bare feet and using a post to wring out bigger items! I learned to hand wash laundry with my grandma and great aunt (im 48 now). We always used 3 pans of water...1 to wash, 1 to pre- rinse, and 1 for final rinse. Instead of using our hands to pre-rinse and rinse, we used our feet to agitate them. Really bad stains were "knuckle scrubbed" then wash board scrubbed. Our whites we used ammonia in the water and my great aunt said her mom used a cup of fermented urine to get things ultra white. We used homemade lye soap, but later, grandma kept naptha soap around since she didnt make the lye soap anymore. Getting clean handwashed laundry is an art that is always valuable to know and having a washboard is priceless.
We used washboards in the 70s. I remember our first washing machine. It was a two drum upright system you stayed with and use tongs to rinse. I remember the first proper washing machine in our street. We would all go over and marvel at it. In fact, whenever someone had a new fridge or cooker people would come and have a look. We were simpler people back then. And I think happier in our ignorance.
I think as a species/society/whatever we never change in our level of ignorance We just become ignorant to different things while "discovering" new things.
I’ve never seen laundry washed from the side and single handed. My mum and both grandmas used washboards but stood over them, either in a bucket or sink and scrubbed up and down with both hands, faster. I use them for a quick bit of hand washing and have a collection of around 50 boards, love them!
It's humbling to know that our ancestors relied on this for many years - several generations. The detail to washing is something I've never before seen.
wanted to mention that out clothes in general are not made the same or as endurable of threads as when they used these things, so gals, don't scrub tshirts etc. watch what its doing as soaking in water and rinced, may be all you need if the clothes aren't filthy.
I hear people complain about having to do laundry (putting it in the machine, tossing in detergent, and pressing some buttons), but if we had to go back and do this manual laundry method as a standard I’m sure nobody would ever complain again.
Man....I miss this washboads... I grew up in Mexico and over there the majority of people have a "Lavadero" in the back yard. It is used to wash clothes, rags, mop, or anything else you can think of. Is a permanent concrete sink that has a washboard surface on the side. I miss that a lot. One day I will install one in my back yard 😊
Nice video. The only thing I think I would so differently, is get all that stuff up waist-high, on a table of some kind. My back and joints were hurting just watching you all hunched down like that.
Didn't realize this until I read another comment. I Didn't know it back then...but I used to own a house with a utility sink that had a built in washboard.
Check out Mexican Laundry Sinks. They are usually made of granite or stone although there may be plastic ones now. One side is washboard and the other half is sink. They are installed at hip height and you use both hands, arms, and upper body to scrub the clothes. Very practical and ergonomic, no twisting or side scrubbing. I love my laundry sinks.
My mother always had a washboard. She had the glass one. She always used it when she had a really tough stain that the washer couldn't get out. If it is really dirty or a thick item such as a blanket if works best to get behind the washboard so you can really push down as you scrub.
A lifetime ago, I played in the only bluegrass band in Central America. The washboard was one of our instruments. Still the case in certain types of music in Louisiana.
I lived in Tongduchon South Korea when I was a kid 1978-80 (12 miles from the DMZ). I used to help my mother do laundry this way. My mother is from South Korea & grew up in the country. We used an outhouse & had no running water. We had a hand pump spring well in the center of our little hooch (housing village). First thing is first, you need to use those long yellow dish washing gloves (dollar store cheapie) to save your skin from getting ripped up & raw if you're doing a lot of laundry. Secondly, use a large rubber bucket instead of those metal ones. They don't rust & you can find them cheap at any Asian market. Lastly, you need to squat & straddle that washing board & use BOTH HANDS. Line drying in the sun helps bleach out stains, eliminates bacteria & makes whites brilliant. My Grandmother used to boil her whites first. In Korea, they used to go down to a running river & beat the laundry against flat rocks with a large hardwood paddle called a bali bangchi. It was also used to spank naughty kids.
My mother has a wash board for washing certain items. She always put the wash board directly infront of her against her body using her body to keep the washboard in place and leaving both her hands free to scrub. She pulled the items straight up onto the board scrubbing up and down and rinsing the item on the down side. You might find it more comfortable and efficient to do it that way.
Get a raised platform to put your buckets on to save your back. You will have better cleaning if you get behind your washboard and use both hands to wash things like towels and jeans. When I was young with kids in diapers I did all our laundry on my washboard. At first, I didn’t have a clothesline so everything but diapers was draped over shrubs chair backs and any place else I could find to let them dry. Diapers got placed on sticks, with the bark removed, and stuck up in tree branches. The water I used was out of the water faucet. I didn’t have the option for hot water unless I set a bucket out all day in summer to heat the water or put water over a fire to heat it. I rarely bothered with hot or warm water and my clothes came out clean. Oh, if you need to bleach something like diapers leave them out in the sun for a day and let the sun bleach them white again.
A hand crank mangle ( or wringer ) which clamps to the side of the tub make it much easier to get the water out of larger items such as bath towels and jeans. A bench which holds the tubs a bout waist high and under a tap near a gray water drain has its advantages. These are still available commercially, but can be good DIY projects.
WOW - THIS VIDEO TOOK ME BACK TO THE SOUTH - AS A CHILD - IT WAS A LUXURY TO HAVE A WASHING MACHINE - THE OLD ONE WITH THE RINGER ON THE TOP - (A DRYER WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION) - WE'D HANG ALL ON THE CLOTHESLINE... - THE SMELL OF YOUR CLOTHES - AFTER TAKING THEM DOWN AFTER THEY'VE DRIED - NOTHING LIKE IT... - THANK YOU FOR POSTING/SHARING - GREAT VIDEO
We used washboards when I was growing up. We lived in a remote area, partially off grid. We had to draw water from the well to do laundry. I remember my aunt’s knuckles bleeding from the scrubbing. It was hard work, but good memories. I miss those simple days. We did have stands for the wash tubs, to keep from having to get down on the ground, or you could set the tubs on the edge of the porch and stand on the ground, if your porch is about the right height for it, I remember doing that as well.
I purchased my washing board from Lehman's a few years ago. I chose glass and the largest size. Great item to have. I was a college student and could not afford the laundry cost and I found myself doing laundry by hand, more often than not. So, the first purchase I made was a board for lean times and/or when I could not get to the laundry.
We’ve used a washboard several times and I agree with you. They are a pain but they’ve been functioning for washing clothes for a jillion years give or take. A number 2 or 3 washtub added to the mix helps. Of the 3 boards, I much prefer the larger board. But I’m a big guy and it’s better for my big hands. Thanks for the lesson! I haven’t used them for several years but they do the trick! Great video about a mundane topic that we all need to know! Blessings!
I grew up using a washboard in the bathtub with Tide. It is great to have if you have kids and no money cause kids get really dirty, but as an adult my clothes don't require such harsh treatment. Great video.
When I was a kid, and a girl scout, we learned in a first aid class, that you can lather up Fels Naptha soap and spread it on a poison ivy rash, and let it dry there. It helps immensely with healing and stops most of the itching. I've had other bug bites that I used it for and it also helped. Wear a glove!
Rhonda Calderone awesome ... thank you for the advise ! ... I just suffered my first exposure to poison ivy while camping 2 weeks ago .... now I know why it is such a nasty plant !
Lemon oil helps with stains. Same with peroxide for lady monthly stains. Take a 5 gallon bucket with a drill put a bunch of holes in the bottom. Stack a bucket under that bucket and one on top. You can sit on it, stand on it push it, to wring out the clothes if you don’t have a large mop bucket. Add a little vinegar to the water. Cuts the soap and softens the clothes. My aunt would have us kids help with stain the night before soak and then pre soap or oil and scrub before the big washes. My uncles farm had electric but no laundry. Every Friday night and Saturday morning we were doing laundry. Jeans were washed every 2 weeks. My aunt had a huge caldron she would do huge batches of whites... and a big wooden plunger. I was shocked at how she could keep whites so white, without Clorox. I believe she used lye. It was the running joke never give my mother the whites to do. And I’m not kidding. My mother ruined whites so much at 9, I took over our own laundry at home. Nothing like clean line dried clothes! If you tend to your laundry and care for your well made clothes they can last a long long time. Ha! I still have dungarees from high school!
I bought one to wash my filthy work shirts & trousers. Washing machine was getting dirty & greasy inside, and ruining the good clothes. The washboard works a treat. Doesn't take long at all to wash a few items, & the wife is happy the washing machine stays pristine now :)
If you're a perfectionist like me, I would recommend looking up videos from Mexico or other countries in South America. They have ancient washing techniques, traditionally done with rocks. These techniques can help reduce tiredness or pain after several minutes of hand washing.
2 years ago I went to Mexico on vacation and I bought 2 boards... But I lived in Mexico for 5 years and over there washing by hand is very common... The way I did it was put the tub your washing in on a bench or 2 chairs facing each other and scrub from behind. Also I would cut a piece of the Zote so its easier to hold. Lastly hang color clothes inside out always, the sun will eat up the colors off your clothes.. Whites and lighter colors are fine because the the sun will make the brighter specially whites...
just made an emergency kit..."Just in Case". I found a wash board at the good will and realized I didnt know how to use it. Big shout out to this lady.... very helpful video
Years ago I had an electric wringer washer. I loved it! I did the laundry in the basement and the whole house smelled so good. I started out with whites and then colors, towels, sheets, darks, jeans, and then rugs. I used the same water and just added to it. I'm sure I changed water sometimes if it got too dirty. Laundry was so quick, of course it was electric. No hand scrubbing. I sure wish I had that again. I went back to work and decided I didn't have the time for it, but thinking back, it really took a lot less time because you just kept washing until it was done. I could kick myself for ever getting rid of it. Another great video.
You need a washing stand to save your back, my mom used to put chairs together to bring them tubs up higher, yea we used that style of washing for years when I was a kid. And I am 70 now
I just bought a wash board!! Oh my gosh! THANK YOU FOR TELLING US WHERE TO FIND AMERICAN MADE!! I have been waiting and looking and was disappointed every time I searched... then you all came along!! Thanks again. I bought one just now thanks to you!
Nice looking 1/4 biscuit pooch in the tub. I helped my Mom wash a few times. She would do the big heavies first and the smaller light things last. She said " it made the job easier because you were not out of steam at the end " Thank you for all the videos you post.
"Building muscles"... Love it! I get asked all the time why I "work so hard", by people who pay pay for a gym membership, to "work out", but complain about having to work hard at work, where they get paid to. Split some wood, sweep your floor and beat your rugs. You'll save enough on utility bills to pay for the gym membership you won't need anymore. Love your channel, Keep it up!
Thank you for that tutorial! My neighbor loaned me her broken Lehmans and we were able to get it fixed and I’ve been using it but realized I do need a wash board for the more soiled clothes. I also love having a wringer which I bought online. Love your hair btw! 🤘🏼 Edit: I started doing laundry by hand instead of laundry mat because I realized our clothes were not getting clean. I love how clean they get and fresh they smell doing them by hand. It’s hard work but I actually kinda like it. We are off grid.
Also make brushs as well you can use on clothes an use a stain remover as well using the laundry stain remover brush. Just to let anyone know they do most definitely make brushes for clothes to help with stain remover soap as well. Just a little FYI.
Thank you so much for this. When I was younger my grandfather found a washboard for me in an antique store. I hadn't been able to find one anywhere and I was doing washing by hand. However, no one showed me how to use it and this was pre-internet and youtube. My washer breaks at least once a year and this is great to know for those times. I still have that washboard!
Thought on towels…..I switched from full sized bath towels to hand towels. They are sufficient for drying off after a shower, they air dry faster and are far easier to clean and dry on laundry day.
I concur. Did this a decade ago and have never regretted it. (Maybe keep a full-sized on hand in case have really Plus-sized visitor spending the night. 😏)
It's a great idea I've done the same for everything but drying my Husky/malamute mix, kinda need an extreme fluffy towel to get the most moisture out of his royal fuzziness 😆
@@vixwolf2037 LOL! Totally get the need for the furry baby. I helped groom boyfriend’s chows with guidance from my friend who is a professional groomer…..took hours to bathe and dry. A micro fiber towel comes in handy for first pass but ultimately the fluffy towel is necessary and a powerful hair dryer if available. We would go to a local pet store with a bathing area you could rent. Was easier on my back, saved my house drain, and more comfy for the dogs.
The tub should be at hip/waist height on a table, etc. Then you put the washboard into the tub in front of you so you're standing behind the washboard with it sloping away from you. Use both hands to work the clothes over the ridges. Kneeling like that will really kill your knees and back. Go easy on the soap as it has to be rinsed out - properly! That's at least two rinses (hauling water!). After a few washes with some soap residue left in the clothing each time, the clothes become a bit sticky and have a very powerful smell of soap. Use the roughness of the board to get the dirt out - go easy on the soap!
I think I took it for granted that I had learned this at a young age. To those who have never washed their laundry by hand, it is not hard, just time consuming.
I don't live off grid, having a washboard on or off grid is amazing; I keep one in my laundry room, there are some clothes I don't want to put through a washing machine. We live in such a automated world and that's great but there are some tools even though they are old school come in vary handy sometimes! Great video!
As far as I know, you only need to use the washboard for spots that are visibly dirty. Agitating in soapy water is enough for most laundry. I've been hand-washing in my bathtub without a washboard for a few months now, and my clothes feel clean and smell fine.
Hi - I loved the chickens visiting. I use 3 tubs… also a presoak for the visibly dirty. That makes Two rinse tubs or the clothes still have soap The second rinse is very warm to help release the small amounts of soap Also, I use a little borax and washing soda in the pre-soak … then all the dirt is loose before I contaminate the wash water
I have an aluminum washboard with wavy spirals on one side and flat on the other. I use the flat side for really heavy stains where I lay the fabric flat on the board, soap it and scrub it with a scrub brush. I was wearing the skin off my hands rubbing my husband's dirty pants and socks on the wavy sides. I found using the scrub brush and flat side works much better and I can get clothes cleaner than any washing machine! Been using washboards for over 65 years now, so I would say I am experienced.
Zote smells like Ivory soap and does not dissolve nearly as well as Fels-Naptha. I LOVE the smell of the Fels-Naptha. I keep a bar in front of my kitchen sink window. When the breeze comes in the scent fills the kitchen.
Used to go to the laundry mat to do clothes but since our vehicle has been broken down found a washboard at our local food bank 🏦 volunteer at...Ive been using it for 3 monthes now. We live in a 26ft toy hauler and so it's been nice. Do laundry in mybathroom tub. Use a plastic bucket to wash in then rinse with the faucet in the tub.
A well-cared-for washboard can last a very long time. My grandmother used one to wash clothes in the bathtub 70 years ago. I still have that faded but usable Busy Bee No. 16 washboard with the galvanized surface with texture on one side. It currently hangs in the laundry room as decoration, but I have a laundry sink, 5 gallon buckets, a # 2 washtub and bathtubs that could be used if needed. I may have grown up in the city, but my grandparents kept chickens, as did several other neighbors, and they canned produce from the farmers' market. Their "pantry" was some shelving in the small space under the stairs to the upper floor. Had the lot been bigger, I'm certain they would have had a garden.
Great video, I think for preppers and for those who are nomadic, this is the best way. My machine had broken down and is not worth repairing (too many issues) so I was looking for alternatives. Many thanks. I got the basics, a bucket, pegs, powder and access to hot water so I can get started while I wait for my washboard. I have decided to save up cash instead of going for credit. Once I have my £700 made in Uk machine 10kg capacity then I will be back using that. I may use the board and bucket for lightly soiled small items instead.
Thank you for posting this! There is such limited low quality information out there on ACTUALLY using these things. I live in a small studio in Boston and used to just accumulate all my laundry for the month and haul it to my parents' houses 2 hours away when I visited to save money, but with the pandemic, that's no longer an option. We do have laundry in the apartment building across the street, but I was always so disappointed at how dirty the clothes came out of the wash (Seriously! They can't even handle simple dirt that was removable in about 2 seconds of rubbing with your finger! What's the point!?) and how the dryers would frequently burn and melt my clothes at the price tag of $6.50 a load, so this was already on the radar for me. Thanks to your advice, I now own a gorgeous family size glass Columbus Crystal Cascade board and I couldn't be happier with it!
I did laundry for a family of 5 when off grid in the tub with a plunger for two years. When our cisterns were empty then we had to haul it to the creek and use the rocks. I'm very happy to have a washer and dryer now.
@Tastee Cakes My husband and i do our washing in our tub. Rather than bending over and scrubbing and hurting backs and knees we play music and dance on them! Then we hang dry outside on the line or inside on a drying rack if it's raining 🖒🥂😚
There a huge Amish community here in Ohio and I’m sure they use washboards. This company isn’t going anywhere. I would love for us to get back to traditional values! Not only does this teach survival but it will keep us fit. I love this and I’m definitely buying one
Great demo of the different types of washboards. I've had it on my list of things to get for helping get stains out of clothes for some time now but haven't taken the time to actually do it. Thanks for the reminder! I've seen them at Lehman's but didn't know about the Columbus Washboard Company. Have you considered getting one of the plastic/rubber (the metal one rusts) plunger style washers (add a broom handle to save your back) to do the heavy duty agitating and then use the wash boards to deal with items that might be heavily stained that need a bit more abrasive washing? I have used the plunger style with a bucket while camping (translated - dirty clothes) and it does a great job of blasting the dirt out of the clothes. They always come out really clean. It would be a lot easier on your hands. The washboards will certainly do the job for you but over time your hands are going to be a mess.This is the one I have - www.lehmans.com/product/breathing-hand-washer/ (I have no affiliation with the store or the product. Just passing on the link) Another thing to think about that you could use for rinsing and wringing the clothes is one of those industrial mop wringing buckets. Rinse in the bucket and use the mop wringer to squeeze out the excess. A large salad spinner would allow you to spin the excess water off of lighter items (jeans etc. would be too heavy). I see these all the time at local thrift stores selling for next to nothing. You might find it to be a worthwhile item to have or simplifying your laundry system a little bit. Just some suggestions for you to consider. Thanks for another great videl! - All the best. ~ Theresa
OKAY SO MANY COMMENTS COME TO MIND. FOR INSTANCE- work and strength and power. You do what you want to do to make it happen. So friggin impressed. Muscles but time is also a thought. So Impressed
A natural way to get hot water is filling a black bucket with water and leaving it in the sun, for 2 hours and there you go
4 роки тому+3
Very informative and helpful! I'm on Amazon ordering our emergency laundry system (wash board, bar soap and a stiff brush) now. Thanks very much for this tutorial!
I remember during family road trips we did handwashing in sinks. Allowed for minimal clothes packing and avoiding grungy laundromats. Washed every night before bed so nothing got terribly dirty in the first place. Also own a clothes line. Love watching the sheets waft in a breeze. Very relaxing. Definitely want those artisan-style hardwood clothing pins. Nice and hefty. Crappy Chinese dinky things are a waste for anything but crafts. I own a washing machine, but its now old and making odd noises. Suspect brand new ones are made of junk components so am seriously considering using a washboard for everything not large bedding or heavy coats. That will save on wear and tear on the machine. Thank you for this video. Was very informative. I do wonder though.. If the glass if for high-humidity then what is the point since the wood would also get affected by same? Unless you have something more waterproof of a frame like teak?
If your washing machine quits, you can bring a spray bottle and paper towels/ rag to the laundromat and disinfect the machine you use, saves on buying new appliances, just easier....
I do my laundry by hand and i have learned that i can get a lot more done than i ever thought. I live in an upstairs apartment and i have mobility issuesso even though handwashing is very physical itis more upper body andeasier than hauling my laundry across tothe laundry room. I use liquid castile soap such as dr bronners and just swish it. I also usethe tiniest bit of liquid softener in the rinse. I dont need much agitation but i do sometimes soak things. I just swish them clean. I have a customer service job working from home so my clothing isnt heavy soil. I use my kitchen sink. One basin for washing and one for rinsing. I change the water pretty often. You can use a salad spinner for smaller items one at a time! Get a cranking one not a push button one, and largest you can find. Mine was $15. I also often have to blot them on a clean towel. Then i ran some clothesline and put a fan in a very unique closet in my bedroom it is wall to wall two doors and passes through. The haning rod isback to front in the middle with hanging cutouts on the end which is how i strung the line. Then i put a floor fan angled up to blow on the clothes. Ps love the hair and ps2 howdoyou wring out a dog?
Thanks for this video! I used my new washboard for the first time yesterday to deal with gardening stains and it worked like a charm with a regular bar of Ivory soap in less time and with less water than my washing machine.
In Canada, I use Sunlight laundry bar soap. I used to work in a kitchen and found that doing the laundry by hand with the bar soap was the fastest, easiest way to get blood and tomato based stains out of the kitchen whites without having to pre-soak.
We used to have the smaller washboard with the glass backing. The glass was very thick and sturdy. We sold it at a flea market, though. Now, with the way things are going I'm getting manual backups to our electrical methods of doing things as best I can. I'd put buckets on the back deck to catch rain water to wash clothes in. I never use hot water to wash clothes. I'm from the generation that each day of the week was assigned a task. Monday was laundry day and we had an electrically run, free-standing washing machine with a ringer on the top. It was located in the basement and it would wobble across the dirt floor as it washed. Pretty comical really! These days we have all the modern conveniences but I prepare for the grid down scenario. Currently, I hang coats or sweaters (heavier items) that are not dirty but could use an 'airing' outside in the cold air to freshen those up. I put several times-worn jeans in a plastic bag and place them in the freezer. If they are not stained but need a fresh smell, freezing them kills any bacteria and you have clean jeans in a day or two. Without electricity, I'd do that with the jeans, too. As far as washing whites and colored clothing separately, I don't. Colors are fast these days and they do not run. Of course, if I have a special white garment that I want to stay white without using bleach, I do those in a smaller wash. Trying to save water in my situation, I'd do the whites first and not change out that water but put the dark clothes in the already used wash water and then freshen up the rinse water if I needed to. I do not have a well and for a long term situation, rain water would be my go to. We live by a lake which is our town's water source but don't believe we'd be allowed to walk there and take water out of it. Looking into water backup right now. I appreciate your videos. They are soooo helpful. I loved the manually run grain mill video. Got that locked down because of your video. I had looked everywhere online for help with that and yours was the only one that explained everything clearly and was extremely helpful.
Great video. Just a suggestion, if you work from the top of the wash board you can lean on the board with your abdomen which secures it snug against the tub and will free up both hands to scrub your clothes on the board.
For starters I really liked this video, you explained well and didn't dumb it down. Our washing machine just broke (hopefully repairable, its not that old) and ofc it was when I had a lot if washing to do. Well have been searching for tips and tricks for handwashing and then this video popped up. Seeing it made me remember that I've seen an old washboard in one of the sheds, it was in a surprisingly good condition and just needed some dust and grime washed off, galvanized board so not even rusty (except the nails but they were still strong). Soaking some clothes right now and will try the board out later. Update. It was only a loose hose in the washing machine 🙂 so it works again. The washingboard worked fine, helped me have clean underwear and training clothes when the machine was broken. Can definitely see myself using it again for things that should be handwashed, it was much better than trying to get things clean just by hand.
My dad has told me stories of his mother washing clothes with a washboard when he was a child. That Must have been a tough women. I think People in general were a lot stronger back then. Mentally and physically.
I have two scrub boards that were my husband's grandma's. One is glass and the other is galvanized. It looks like you could use two other things she had. One was a double wash tub on a stand that was adjustable to either seated or standing hight. The other was a hand crank wringer that clamped onto the frame between the tubs, and would swing so that it was able to be placed over either one, or even over the ground.
Very useful video! I'm so glad some of the old ways that were better ways to clean,are coming back to us. Washing machines just doesn't clean stuff good,like socks,tablecloth. When I was a kid I had a washing machine that was only spinning clothes. You needed to load the hot water and soap by yourself and load whites first,then gradually to darker ones and change the water when it was too dirty. It didn't have a draining hole so my mom or I would have to empty it with a pail or a bucket. But the clothes were so clean! Something that I don't see with my modern washing machine. I wash my kitchen rags on my kitchen sink because it has this washing board and it comes out very clean and I intended to buy a washing board for a while now but I didn't know there were videos,yours just popped out in my suggested videos. I'm so glad I found it! Very useful! Thank you,have a nice day!
This helped me a lot! I didn't get a washboard but I am writing fanfic set in the 18th century, and I'm writing a scene where one character washes clothes. I wanted to describe it realistically, so I did some research and saw that people washed with a washing basin and washing board (I didn't know what they were called), and that's when I wanted to try and look up how to wash in a washing basin with a washing board, after some digging I found this! So thank you for helping me describe it in a semi-accurate fashion!
I’m a college student who doesn’t have laundry in my apartment. I was planning on using my buildings services or a laundromat but in this pandemic that doesn’t feel safe. I just ordered a washboard and will be washing in my tub and hanging on my makeshift line on my balcony. I ended up on this video looking to get some tips. It was very helpful! Thank you :)
I'm in a similar situation. My apartment only has coin operated washers and dryers, but there's currently a national coin shortage. Now it's time to learn a new skill.
If you have any tips or trick on doing laundry with a washboard, feel free to leave them down below! Links to related videos and the Columbus Washboard Company are in the description. Thanks for watching!
I would use Clorox 2 for my colors, Clorox for my whites not enough to eat the clothes just to help.
Guildbrook Farm - Off Grid Living
Fellsnaptha old school soap I use all time I soak clothes with stains and never had problem getting stains out of clothes except , iodine , I am nurse and iodine didn’t come out after a 12 hour shift . Also not giving advice any ways but felsnaptha always helped when I would get poison ivy , sumac oak etc . Just wash affected area with it I did twice daily and helped clear up again not giving medical advice one should discuss with. Their medical provider .
Thank you I enjoy your videos and glad to see your channel refer people if questions ( referring to your canning videos )
A couple of tree stumps levels and some lumber boards not plywood or OSB gets you off Your knees and out of the mud
I remember my grandmother using the same methods that you use here in this video. I remember her asking her one time when she rinced her clothes why she did not ring the blue jeans and shirts out, her simple answer was this. Hang Em Up dripping wet on the clothesline and you'll have less chance of wrinkles.
Vingar in the rinse helps soften, esp the towels that can be cardboard stiff line drying.
Hello, a tablespoon of white vinegar in the final rinse water will get rid of soap residue and soften the clothes...the smell will disappear in the drying process.
This really helps
Ouuuu didn’t know this, im gonna try :0
We use 30% acidity vinegar for rinsing and general cleaning around the house. It’s great for killing weeds also.
Could food grade citric acid work instead? I use it as a ph control for dying and am looking for other ways to use it.
@@craftedcompulsion7749 I use it like vinegar…laundry and cleaning
I wanted to share an idea for anyone who is exhausted by washing and drying standard Western/American bath towels. When I was overseas in the military I saw the women using long 3 ft by one foot strips of cotton. I found out that these are their towels. Tenugui towels can be used for bath towels, hand towels, bathroom towels, head wraps, neck wraps, wrapping things etc. They're easy to wash, they dry within 5 to 10 minutes on a hot day. Takes about 30-40 minutes on a cold day. You can stack up a dozen and a half of these towels and they still will be thinner than two standard Western towels. I was hesitant at first but now I wouldn't ever go back to standard towels. I hand wash these in the sink. On a simple drying rack I could put 15 of them. I would suggest people look up Tenugui's. By the way you can make your own. Go to your local fabric store. Buy 100% cotton and create any size you would like. I like a 12-in by 36 inch cotton strip that's been hemmed that mirrors the size of the standard Tenugui. Just thought I'd share this.
I love this information! Thank you for sharing😊
Get truly organic cotton then. 'Regular' cotton is rife with pesticides.
@@cids1599 thank you ! I’m ordering one tonight.
Oh wow, the other day I asked myself if something like this wouldn't be better since my towels tend to smell a bit funky when they need longer try dry. So here was my answer, thank you!
Add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse water, it will help cut the soap and act as a softener
Does it make your clothes smell like vinegar?
@@DR-xc6um Not really, just smells clean
Refresh the color and its perfekt to kill mushrooms and bakteria
Facts.
@@brieftaube2023 "kill mushrooms" I think you mean fungus, lol
I used wash boards for years. I was a single mom and couldn't afford a washing machine. They work great!!!
I wish I could get one. I'm using a dollar store plunger instead.
Yes been doing laundry by hand for 20 years 3 kids latter still like it better then the machine
Terena Rosa....check Lehman's or Vermont Country Store.
@@terenarosa4790 lmao! ME TOO! 😆
My grandmother refused to use a washer machine to do her laundry my grandpa and my uncle built her a washing station outside with a built in washboard and double sinks to do the laundry in.... I always loved helping her
Great memory. Thanks for sharing 💗
Nice 😃
In my country people still wash their clothes by hand. For me it is kind of weid because in my country there are stations made of concrete called pilas. Also, pilas are used for washing your kitchen utilizes, and other things. I find I better than washing in those buckets, but interesting to see how other cultures wash by hand their clothes.
I'm slowly incorporating manual labor back into my life in an effort to stay in shape. I feel we have become too dependent on technology now and we don't move our bodies as much as we should. This is such an easy way to exercise your arms and core
What are other examples of manual labour you do?
@@crazycatlady312
Great idea !
I need all the exercise I can get and also it’s rewarding. And we were meant to keep ourselves active.
I’m watching this because the governor of our state issued a stay-at-home order and we don’t have laundry facilities in our apartment. The laundromat down the road is going to be closed and it’s not like I can go to my parents’ house to do laundry. I really appreciate your easy to follow instructions and tips. ❤️
For a single person in a temporary situation, you may want to check out Scrubba wash bags on Amazon. I use them when traveling all the time.
Richard Chappell @ Richard Chappell, agreed since saw them featured on a extreme minimalist’s YT channel. For us, it’s too compact for daily or weekly cleaning but you’re right in that it’s great for travel. Take care. Be safe.
I did not know about that part of the lockdown. I'm so sorry you had to go through that additional hard part of it all.
I currently don't have a washer and dryer but my apartment does have a clothes line behind it 😊 if I want to go to the laundromat it's a 30 minute drive and very expensive. I'm a single mom of two. I really appreciate this video!
Live in a small apartment and have a 1.6cu ft dryer venting to window that opens with cardboard insert and use washboard.
My grandmother used her tubs and wash board weekly when she "only had a few things to wash". She was to thrifty to turn on the washing maschine. She lived through the depression, passed away in 1976 at age 87. She always put her tubs on wooden stools and used a hand-crank wringer to squeeze the water out. Usually the wringer was grandchild powered.
@J Niles: Why not use a drill?
@Jack Snow hand drill.
Keep in mind you don't have to be off grid or going through a disaster to do this! This is also a great way to cut cost & save money as well!!!!! I've been watching lot's of video's like these & alot of other very helpful video's for different ways to save money & food storage & thing's like that because I have a very low income myself & a 9 year old daughter & I want her to grow up knowing how to survive & live any and every way possible!!!!!!!!!! this is also great for anyone who isn't low income or on a budget because you never what life is gonna throw at you, you can be rich today & poor tomorrow! always be prepared!!!!!!!!! I'm so glad I found this video!😉
Fold towels, sheets, blankets into thirds around your pole, put a stick in the opposite Center and twist. A whole lot easier on the hands and gets all the water out. Twist it left , and then right to make sure you’ve got it all.
Thanks for this tip because im currently awaiting carpal tunnel surgery and ringing is a ....great idea!!!🙂✌
I have some tips:
1. Get a professional grade mop bucket with wringer. I perched the wringer on the side of my laundry tub by my washer and dryer. You can soak stuff in the bucket.
2. Use a nail brush to scrub the clothes on the wash board. Great for stains.
Your name says it all! This was so helpful! I’m eternally grateful for this comment! Thank you!
Seeing ZOTE being used outside of México makes me feel so proud. Hello from Mexico!
I suggest adding some white vinegar to rinse water, helps get rid of soap residue and softens clothes.
Casi Doherty yes it does. & Heidi of Rain Country has great vids on making your own vinegars.
A few months ago I bought myself a washboad, a hand crank wringer and a big tub.
I'm loving this because I don't think my clothes have ever been so clean.
I worked at a paper mill for 26 years and I would sometimes have to wash my clothes twice ir three times to get all the grome out but this hand washing with a washboard gets the job done in one wash.
My grandma use to let her sheets and nlanket soak over night then rinse in the morning.
Naphtha soap kicks stains to the curb!
Being older, I developed "washing-woman's thumbs" after handwashing my clothes for a summer. Now I've found the best way is to not wring at all, and then hang to drip dry. By not wringing at all, the fast dripping that comes off the clothes creates a sort-of siphon effect. After an hour or two, I squeeze the lowest hanging points of whatever it is (shirt, pants, towel, etc) and get the rest of the "standing water" out. In the summer, sun is all that's needed. In the cooler weather I hang the drip-dried clothes by my heat source. They're usually dry within a day or so. Faster if you're daring enough to hang things *over* your heat source (don't do unless you're sitting right there and wide awake).
Using a fan will quicken it better than heat. Both would be better, but a fan can dry out alot just over night.
i was ten when i started to wash cloths by hand...and every item washed had to be perfect...or else. My mother started when she was 5...so it is a blessing having a washer machine. and i did not have a washboard...to make my job easier...
at 14 i was running the house by myself...learned the hard way but I learned well.
Have done some,hand washing myself. I didn't have a wash board so I used a old CD rack for scrubbing. Soap, plunge, scrub,then repeat till clean. I prefer my washer too. Rough on the hands. Washed in the creek once when the well went down it was in the middle of winter. Quickest I had done laundry. Thank God the dryer worked. I built up the muscles too. Hope y'all get situated soon.
You are unbelievable lady! You are the only person on earth who would pick the most mundane thing (that probably 99.99% of the population would not even care about) and research it to death so you have every detail, then bring out a washboard.
Guess what - your two classes short of a masters was not in vain. You are a great teacher. Glad to see you could get a partnership deal.
❤️
Yep!
You have a natural gift for explaining things. I see it over and over in your videos. You also do your research. Thank you.
You put up this fine vid years ago, but here's my 2cents worth. 'Dirty' whites versus 'clean' whites - they both need washing. However, 'clean' whites don't get very dirty before being washed. Things like undergarments are 'clean' whites. They are washed before 'dirty' whites, such as kitchen linens and bath towels. You do both loads using the same hot washing up water. Which is kept warm by fitting a lid onto the wash basin during the soak. While washing the clean whites, one soaks the filthy stuff like handkerchiefs. Also and this is Big! You need to have a Drying Cabinet. It looks like a utility cabinet except for the poles which fit into grooves that are at the top of the cabinet. The heat source is kept in the bottom of the cabinet and can be various things. For example a footed, cast iron Dutch oven filled with embers or coals and covered with its lid. Surprisingly, drying cabinets took the same 45 minutes that modern dryers take.
You know how it is, either it'll rain, sleet or snow when it's time for you to do the washing.
Agree with commenter about getting up off the ground. I suppose it just filmed better where you were. The organization of the laundry room is important. A table for the baskets. A stool between table and wash basins for staging what goes in next. A rinse basin next to the wash basin. Then the drying cabinet. With a table nearby for the basket to sit on while you are either hanging wash to dry, or taking laundry down when it is finished drying. An ironing board with a table for the basket.
So, from standing in the doorway. There is an ironing table to the right. Then an ironing board. Then in the right hand far corner is a sorting table big enough for two baskets. To the left of the sorting table is a staging stool. In the far left corner of the room is the wash basin. Left of the wash basin is a double sink basin & water source spigot. (Usually a window that looks out to where the children are playing is over this double sink.) Between the wash basin and the double sink is the ringer. The right side of the double sink is just left of the ringer. That is the rinse basin. The left side of the double sink is where presoaks are done when needed. A slant board seems to connect the double sink to the drying cabinet. The drying cabinet is in the corner of the room immediately left of the doorway.
One more thing. A Skyline clothesline, with a table for the basket, for those days when the weather cooperates.
Back in my day, there was such a strong sense of what was the 'done thing'. No woman would dare to set up the laundry room any other way. Lest it should bring a blush to the cheek. When washing machines came along, it was easy to substitute the wash basin for the machine as all laundry rooms were set up similarly. Hope you're doing well. Oh look, I found a British film from the 1940s training women on How to do a 'proper job of it.' ua-cam.com/video/EZYva3khdME/v-deo.html
Very helpful if you live in an apartment with coin operated washing machines, can't get enough Quarters from the banks because of the corona virus. Thank goodness I held on to my grandma washboard. Thank you for the video.
I'm tired of paying $2 per wash and dry, also not many working machines and too many people using them. I'm going back to the old school method and save money in the process.
I was raised with a rubboard and I know that scrubbing clothes the way you were doing on the small items can rub the skin off of your fingers in no time at all. You need to keep a lot of cloth between your hand and the rubboard, like washing 2-4 socks at once, not just one. I hope this helps you and others. Like you were doing it you can end up with bloody hands in a short period of time. Your water that you dump out could be used on gardens and flower beds. The soap helps to sterilize the soil which helps you to have healthier plants. You can also use it to give your animals a bath in, or you can boil it for 5 min. and use it for your own bath water. If you have a shortage of water you have to use your imagination. My mom use to give a lot of the dirty wash water to the pigs and they loved it. Might help the butchered meat to be dewormed before the butchering.
Knew you were well taught when i saw bare feet and using a post to wring out bigger items!
I learned to hand wash laundry with my grandma and great aunt (im 48 now).
We always used 3 pans of water...1 to wash, 1 to pre- rinse, and 1 for final rinse. Instead of using our hands to pre-rinse and rinse, we used our feet to agitate them. Really bad stains were "knuckle scrubbed" then wash board scrubbed. Our whites we used ammonia in the water and my great aunt said her mom used a cup of fermented urine to get things ultra white. We used homemade lye soap, but later, grandma kept naptha soap around since she didnt make the lye soap anymore.
Getting clean handwashed laundry is an art that is always valuable to know and having a washboard is priceless.
We used washboards in the 70s. I remember our first washing machine. It was a two drum upright system you stayed with and use tongs to rinse. I remember the first proper washing machine in our street. We would all go over and marvel at it. In fact, whenever someone had a new fridge or cooker people would come and have a look. We were simpler people back then. And I think happier in our ignorance.
I think as a species/society/whatever we never change in our level of ignorance
We just become ignorant to different things while "discovering" new things.
I’ve never seen laundry washed from the side and single handed. My mum and both grandmas used washboards but stood over them, either in a bucket or sink and scrubbed up and down with both hands, faster. I use them for a quick bit of hand washing and have a collection of around 50 boards, love them!
It's humbling to know that our ancestors relied on this for many years - several generations. The detail to washing is something I've never before seen.
wanted to mention that out clothes in general are not made the same or as endurable of threads as when they used these things, so gals, don't scrub tshirts etc. watch what its doing as soaking in water and rinced, may be all you need if the clothes aren't filthy.
Makes me have so much respect for my hard working grandmother who had 7 children and used a washboard. So much work, she was built strong.
I hear people complain about having to do laundry (putting it in the machine, tossing in detergent, and pressing some buttons), but if we had to go back and do this manual laundry method as a standard I’m sure nobody would ever complain again.
Man....I miss this washboads... I grew up in Mexico and over there the majority of people have a "Lavadero" in the back yard. It is used to wash clothes, rags, mop, or anything else you can think of. Is a permanent concrete sink that has a washboard surface on the side. I miss that a lot. One day I will install one in my back yard 😊
My aunt had a lavadora in Colombia as well. Loved this method anytime I would go to visit!
Welp, I can see why people were a lot thinner 100 years ago.
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Yes, no need for a gymn membership
I've got to say this is the first time I've ever watched someone do laundry on UA-cam
Nice video. The only thing I think I would so differently, is get all that stuff up waist-high, on a table of some kind. My back and joints were hurting just watching you all hunched down like that.
Didn't realize this until I read another comment. I Didn't know it back then...but I used to own a house with a utility sink that had a built in washboard.
Check out Mexican Laundry Sinks. They are usually made of granite or stone although there may be plastic ones now.
One side is washboard and the other half is sink. They are installed at hip height and you use both hands, arms, and upper body to scrub the clothes. Very practical and ergonomic, no twisting or side scrubbing.
I love my laundry sinks.
Even just elevating the washtubs up off floor and standing behind would be a power increase -and ergonomic for body-saving!
Didn't know it until reading these comments. But I used to own a house with a dual laundry sink.
My mother always had a washboard. She had the glass one. She always used it when she had a really tough stain that the washer couldn't get out. If it is really dirty or a thick item such as a blanket if works best to get behind the washboard so you can really push down as you scrub.
A lifetime ago, I played in the only bluegrass band in Central America. The washboard was one of our instruments. Still the case in certain types of music in Louisiana.
I watched this video 2 years ago. Went out, bought a washboard, and hadn't looked back. Today, I just want to say thank you for this video.
I lived in Tongduchon South Korea when I was a kid 1978-80 (12 miles from the DMZ). I used to help my mother do laundry this way. My mother is from South Korea & grew up in the country. We used an outhouse & had no running water. We had a hand pump spring well in the center of our little hooch (housing village). First thing is first, you need to use those long yellow dish washing gloves (dollar store cheapie) to save your skin from getting ripped up & raw if you're doing a lot of laundry. Secondly, use a large rubber bucket instead of those metal ones. They don't rust & you can find them cheap at any Asian market. Lastly, you need to squat & straddle that washing board & use BOTH HANDS. Line drying in the sun helps bleach out stains, eliminates bacteria & makes whites brilliant. My Grandmother used to boil her whites first. In Korea, they used to go down to a running river & beat the laundry against flat rocks with a large hardwood paddle called a bali bangchi. It was also used to spank naughty kids.
Look
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My mother has a wash board for washing certain items. She always put the wash board directly infront of her against her body using her body to keep the washboard in place and leaving both her hands free to scrub. She pulled the items straight up onto the board scrubbing up and down and rinsing the item on the down side. You might find it more comfortable and efficient to do it that way.
Ryan Johnston this is exactly the technique that comes to my mind when washing on a washboard. It’s certainly how I would do it.
Get a raised platform to put your buckets on to save your back. You will have better cleaning if you get behind your washboard and use both hands to wash things like towels and jeans. When I was young with kids in diapers I did all our laundry on my washboard. At first, I didn’t have a clothesline so everything but diapers was draped over shrubs chair backs and any place else I could find to let them dry. Diapers got placed on sticks, with the bark removed, and stuck up in tree branches. The water I used was out of the water faucet. I didn’t have the option for hot water unless I set a bucket out all day in summer to heat the water or put water over a fire to heat it. I rarely bothered with hot or warm water and my clothes came out clean. Oh, if you need to bleach something like diapers leave them out in the sun for a day and let the sun bleach them white again.
A hand crank mangle ( or wringer ) which clamps to the side of the tub make it much easier to get the water out of larger items such as bath towels and jeans. A bench which holds the tubs a bout waist high and under a tap near a gray water drain has its advantages. These are still available commercially, but can be good DIY projects.
WOW - THIS VIDEO TOOK ME BACK TO THE SOUTH - AS A CHILD - IT WAS A LUXURY TO HAVE A WASHING MACHINE - THE OLD ONE WITH THE RINGER ON THE TOP - (A DRYER WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION) - WE'D HANG ALL ON THE CLOTHESLINE... - THE SMELL OF YOUR CLOTHES - AFTER TAKING THEM DOWN AFTER THEY'VE DRIED - NOTHING LIKE IT... - THANK YOU FOR POSTING/SHARING - GREAT VIDEO
We used washboards when I was growing up. We lived in a remote area, partially off grid. We had to draw water from the well to do laundry. I remember my aunt’s knuckles bleeding from the scrubbing. It was hard work, but good memories. I miss those simple days. We did have stands for the wash tubs, to keep from having to get down on the ground, or you could set the tubs on the edge of the porch and stand on the ground, if your porch is about the right height for it, I remember doing that as well.
I purchased my washing board from Lehman's a few years ago. I chose glass and the largest size. Great item to have. I was a college student and could not afford the laundry cost and I found myself doing laundry by hand, more often than not. So, the first purchase I made was a board for lean times and/or when I could not get to the laundry.
We’ve used a washboard several times and I agree with you. They are a pain but they’ve been functioning for washing clothes for a jillion years give or take. A number 2 or 3 washtub added to the mix helps. Of the 3 boards, I much prefer the larger board. But I’m a big guy and it’s better for my big hands. Thanks for the lesson! I haven’t used them for several years but they do the trick! Great video about a mundane topic that we all need to know! Blessings!
I grew up using a washboard in the bathtub with Tide. It is great to have if you have kids and no money cause kids get really dirty, but as an adult my clothes don't require such harsh treatment. Great video.
We had a sink in the laundry room with a washboard side.
When I was a kid, and a girl scout, we learned in a first aid class, that you can lather up Fels Naptha soap and spread it on a poison ivy rash, and let it dry there. It helps immensely with healing and stops most of the itching. I've had other bug bites that I used it for and it also helped. Wear a glove!
Rhonda Calderone awesome ... thank you for the advise ! ... I just suffered my first exposure to poison ivy while camping 2 weeks ago .... now I know why it is such a nasty plant !
Lemon oil helps with stains. Same with peroxide for lady monthly stains.
Take a 5 gallon bucket with a drill put a bunch of holes in the bottom. Stack a bucket under that bucket and one on top. You can sit on it, stand on it push it, to wring out the clothes if you don’t have a large mop bucket.
Add a little vinegar to the water. Cuts the soap and softens the clothes.
My aunt would have us kids help with stain the night before soak and then pre soap or oil and scrub before the big washes. My uncles farm had electric but no laundry. Every Friday night and Saturday morning we were doing laundry. Jeans were washed every 2 weeks. My aunt had a huge caldron she would do huge batches of whites... and a big wooden plunger. I was shocked at how she could keep whites so white, without Clorox. I believe she used lye. It was the running joke never give my mother the whites to do. And I’m not kidding. My mother ruined whites so much at 9, I took over our own laundry at home. Nothing like clean line dried clothes!
If you tend to your laundry and care for your well made clothes they can last a long long time. Ha! I still have dungarees from high school!
I bought one to wash my filthy work shirts & trousers. Washing machine was getting dirty & greasy inside, and ruining the good clothes. The washboard works a treat. Doesn't take long at all to wash a few items, & the wife is happy the washing machine stays pristine now :)
If you're a perfectionist like me, I would recommend looking up videos from Mexico or other countries in South America. They have ancient washing techniques, traditionally done with rocks. These techniques can help reduce tiredness or pain after several minutes of hand washing.
2 years ago I went to Mexico on vacation and I bought 2 boards... But I lived in Mexico for 5 years and over there washing by hand is very common... The way I did it was put the tub your washing in on a bench or 2 chairs facing each other and scrub from behind. Also I would cut a piece of the Zote so its easier to hold. Lastly hang color clothes inside out always, the sun will eat up the colors off your clothes.. Whites and lighter colors are fine because the the sun will make the brighter specially whites...
just made an emergency kit..."Just in Case". I found a wash board at the good will and realized I didnt know how to use it. Big shout out to this lady.... very helpful video
Years ago I had an electric wringer washer. I loved it! I did the laundry in the basement and the whole house smelled so good. I started out with whites and then colors, towels, sheets, darks, jeans, and then rugs. I used the same water and just added to it. I'm sure I changed water sometimes if it got too dirty. Laundry was so quick, of course it was electric. No hand scrubbing. I sure wish I had that again. I went back to work and decided I didn't have the time for it, but thinking back, it really took a lot less time because you just kept washing until it was done. I could kick myself for ever getting rid of it. Another great video.
I live in New York and I want one , o don't care, I'm all about saving the coins!! I like this so much
You need a washing stand to save your back, my mom used to put chairs together to bring them tubs up higher, yea we used that style of washing for years when I was a kid. And I am 70 now
I just bought a wash board!! Oh my gosh! THANK YOU FOR TELLING US WHERE TO FIND AMERICAN MADE!! I have been waiting and looking and was disappointed every time I searched... then you all came along!! Thanks again. I bought one just now thanks to you!
Nice looking 1/4 biscuit pooch in the tub. I helped my Mom wash a few times. She would do the big heavies first and the smaller light things last. She said " it made the job easier because you were not out of steam at the end " Thank you for all the videos you post.
"Building muscles"... Love it! I get asked all the time why I "work so hard", by people who pay pay for a gym membership, to "work out", but complain about having to work hard at work, where they get paid to. Split some wood, sweep your floor and beat your rugs. You'll save enough on utility bills to pay for the gym membership you won't need anymore. Love your channel, Keep it up!
Thank you for that tutorial! My neighbor loaned me her broken Lehmans and we were able to get it fixed and I’ve been using it but realized I do need a wash board for the more soiled clothes. I also love having a wringer which I bought online.
Love your hair btw! 🤘🏼
Edit: I started doing laundry by hand instead of laundry mat because I realized our clothes were not getting clean. I love how clean they get and fresh they smell doing them by hand. It’s hard work but I actually kinda like it.
We are off grid.
Also make brushs as well you can use on clothes an use a stain remover as well using the laundry stain remover brush. Just to let anyone know they do most definitely make brushes for clothes to help with stain remover soap as well. Just a little FYI.
Thank you so much for this. When I was younger my grandfather found a washboard for me in an antique store. I hadn't been able to find one anywhere and I was doing washing by hand. However, no one showed me how to use it and this was pre-internet and youtube. My washer breaks at least once a year and this is great to know for those times. I still have that washboard!
Thought on towels…..I switched from full sized bath towels to hand towels. They are sufficient for drying off after a shower, they air dry faster and are far easier to clean and dry on laundry day.
I concur. Did this a decade ago and have never regretted it. (Maybe keep a full-sized on hand in case have really Plus-sized visitor spending the night. 😏)
It's a great idea I've done the same for everything but drying my Husky/malamute mix, kinda need an extreme fluffy towel to get the most moisture out of his royal fuzziness 😆
Interesting 😊 never thought of that would be so much easier
@@vixwolf2037 LOL! Totally get the need for the furry baby. I helped groom boyfriend’s chows with guidance from my friend who is a professional groomer…..took hours to bathe and dry. A micro fiber towel comes in handy for first pass but ultimately the fluffy towel is necessary and a powerful hair dryer if available. We would go to a local pet store with a bathing area you could rent. Was easier on my back, saved my house drain, and more comfy for the dogs.
The tub should be at hip/waist height on a table, etc. Then you put the washboard into the tub in front of you so you're standing behind the washboard with it sloping away from you. Use both hands to work the clothes over the ridges. Kneeling like that will really kill your knees and back. Go easy on the soap as it has to be rinsed out - properly! That's at least two rinses (hauling water!). After a few washes with some soap residue left in the clothing each time, the clothes become a bit sticky and have a very powerful smell of soap. Use the roughness of the board to get the dirt out - go easy on the soap!
Yes! S Martin, that is how is watched my grandmother use a washboard.
I think I took it for granted that I had learned this at a young age. To those who have never washed their laundry by hand, it is not hard, just time consuming.
I don't live off grid, having a washboard on or off grid is amazing; I keep one in my laundry room, there are some clothes I don't want to put through a washing machine. We live in such a automated world and that's great but there are some tools even though they are old school come in vary handy sometimes! Great video!
As far as I know, you only need to use the washboard for spots that are visibly dirty. Agitating in soapy water is enough for most laundry. I've been hand-washing in my bathtub without a washboard for a few months now, and my clothes feel clean and smell fine.
Hi - I loved the chickens visiting.
I use 3 tubs… also a presoak for the visibly dirty.
That makes Two rinse tubs or the clothes still have soap
The second rinse is very warm to help release the small amounts of soap
Also, I use a little borax and washing soda in the pre-soak … then all the dirt is loose before I contaminate the wash water
I have an aluminum washboard with wavy spirals on one side and flat on the other. I use the flat side for really heavy stains where I lay the fabric flat on the board, soap it and scrub it with a scrub brush. I was wearing the skin off my hands rubbing my husband's dirty pants and socks on the wavy sides. I found using the scrub brush and flat side works much better and I can get clothes cleaner than any washing machine! Been using washboards for over 65 years now, so I would say I am experienced.
Zote smells like Ivory soap and does not dissolve nearly as well as Fels-Naptha. I LOVE the smell of the Fels-Naptha. I keep a bar in front of my kitchen sink window. When the breeze comes in the scent fills the kitchen.
🐻❄️🍭🐻❄️🍭🐻❄️🍭
Used to go to the laundry mat to do clothes but since our vehicle has been broken down found a washboard at our local food bank 🏦 volunteer at...Ive been using it for 3 monthes now. We live in a 26ft toy hauler and so it's been nice. Do laundry in mybathroom tub. Use a plastic bucket to wash in then rinse with the faucet in the tub.
In South Asia, we dash the soaped clothes on granite slabs, ad many times as required, & thereafter rinse them.
A well-cared-for washboard can last a very long time.
My grandmother used one to wash clothes in the bathtub 70 years ago. I still have that faded but usable Busy Bee No. 16 washboard with the galvanized surface with texture on one side. It currently hangs in the laundry room as decoration, but I have a laundry sink, 5 gallon buckets, a # 2 washtub and bathtubs that could be used if needed.
I may have grown up in the city, but my grandparents kept chickens, as did several other neighbors, and they canned produce from the farmers' market. Their "pantry" was some shelving in the small space under the stairs to the upper floor. Had the lot been bigger, I'm certain they would have had a garden.
Great video, I think for preppers and for those who are nomadic, this is the best way. My machine had broken down and is not worth repairing (too many issues) so I was looking for alternatives. Many thanks. I got the basics, a bucket, pegs, powder and access to hot water so I can get started while I wait for my washboard. I have decided to save up cash instead of going for credit. Once I have my £700 made in Uk machine 10kg capacity then I will be back using that. I may use the board and bucket for lightly soiled small items instead.
Thank you for posting this! There is such limited low quality information out there on ACTUALLY using these things. I live in a small studio in Boston and used to just accumulate all my laundry for the month and haul it to my parents' houses 2 hours away when I visited to save money, but with the pandemic, that's no longer an option. We do have laundry in the apartment building across the street, but I was always so disappointed at how dirty the clothes came out of the wash (Seriously! They can't even handle simple dirt that was removable in about 2 seconds of rubbing with your finger! What's the point!?) and how the dryers would frequently burn and melt my clothes at the price tag of $6.50 a load, so this was already on the radar for me. Thanks to your advice, I now own a gorgeous family size glass Columbus Crystal Cascade board and I couldn't be happier with it!
I did laundry for a family of 5 when off grid in the tub with a plunger for two years. When our cisterns were empty then we had to haul it to the creek and use the rocks.
I'm very happy to have a washer and dryer now.
Thanks for sharing. The wringer from the mop bucket works good to squeeze out water from clothes.
@Tastee Cakesglad to be of help. You're welcome.
@Tastee Cakes My husband and i do our washing in our tub. Rather than bending over and scrubbing and hurting backs and knees we play music and dance on them! Then we hang dry outside on the line or inside on a drying rack if it's raining 🖒🥂😚
There a huge Amish community here in Ohio and I’m sure they use washboards. This company isn’t going anywhere. I would love for us to get back to traditional values! Not only does this teach survival but it will keep us fit. I love this and I’m definitely buying one
New to off grid. I was unaware there were different washboards. Your info is appreciated.
Great demo of the different types of washboards. I've had it on my list of things to get for helping get stains out of clothes for some time now but haven't taken the time to actually do it. Thanks for the reminder! I've seen them at Lehman's but didn't know about the Columbus Washboard Company. Have you considered getting one of the plastic/rubber (the metal one rusts) plunger style washers (add a broom handle to save your back) to do the heavy duty agitating and then use the wash boards to deal with items that might be heavily stained that need a bit more abrasive washing? I have used the plunger style with a bucket while camping (translated - dirty clothes) and it does a great job of blasting the dirt out of the clothes. They always come out really clean. It would be a lot easier on your hands. The washboards will certainly do the job for you but over time your hands are going to be a mess.This is the one I have - www.lehmans.com/product/breathing-hand-washer/ (I have no affiliation with the store or the product. Just passing on the link) Another thing to think about that you could use for rinsing and wringing the clothes is one of those industrial mop wringing buckets. Rinse in the bucket and use the mop wringer to squeeze out the excess. A large salad spinner would allow you to spin the excess water off of lighter items (jeans etc. would be too heavy). I see these all the time at local thrift stores selling for next to nothing. You might find it to be a worthwhile item to have or simplifying your laundry system a little bit. Just some suggestions for you to consider. Thanks for another great videl! - All the best. ~ Theresa
OKAY SO MANY COMMENTS COME TO MIND. FOR INSTANCE- work and strength and power. You do what you want to do to make it happen. So friggin impressed. Muscles but time is also a thought. So Impressed
A natural way to get hot water is filling a black bucket with water and leaving it in the sun, for 2 hours and there you go
Very informative and helpful! I'm on Amazon ordering our emergency laundry system (wash board, bar soap and a stiff brush) now. Thanks very much for this tutorial!
I remember during family road trips we did handwashing in sinks. Allowed for minimal clothes packing and avoiding grungy laundromats. Washed every night before bed so nothing got terribly dirty in the first place.
Also own a clothes line. Love watching the sheets waft in a breeze. Very relaxing. Definitely want those artisan-style hardwood clothing pins. Nice and hefty. Crappy Chinese dinky things are a waste for anything but crafts.
I own a washing machine, but its now old and making odd noises. Suspect brand new ones are made of junk components so am seriously considering using a washboard for everything not large bedding or heavy coats. That will save on wear and tear on the machine.
Thank you for this video. Was very informative.
I do wonder though.. If the glass if for high-humidity then what is the point since the wood would also get affected by same? Unless you have something more waterproof of a frame like teak?
If your washing machine quits, you can bring a spray bottle and paper towels/ rag to the laundromat and disinfect the machine you use, saves on buying new appliances, just easier....
I do my laundry by hand and i have learned that i can get a lot more done than i ever thought. I live in an upstairs apartment and i have mobility issuesso even though handwashing is very physical itis more upper body andeasier than hauling my laundry across tothe laundry room.
I use liquid castile soap such as dr bronners and just swish it. I also usethe tiniest bit of liquid softener in the rinse. I dont need much agitation but i do sometimes soak things. I just swish them clean. I have a customer service job working from home so my clothing isnt heavy soil.
I use my kitchen sink. One basin for washing and one for rinsing. I change the water pretty often. You can use a salad spinner for smaller items one at a time! Get a cranking one not a push button one, and largest you can find. Mine was $15. I also often have to blot them on a clean towel.
Then i ran some clothesline and put a fan in a very unique closet in my bedroom it is wall to wall two doors and passes through. The haning rod isback to front in the middle with hanging cutouts on the end which is how i strung the line. Then i put a floor fan angled up to blow on the clothes.
Ps love the hair and ps2 howdoyou wring out a dog?
Great, fantastic idea for using a salad spinner for light items.
For big items you can save labour by just hanging them to drip for about 15 minutes before wringing just the bottom ends.
Thanks for this video! I used my new washboard for the first time yesterday to deal with gardening stains and it worked like a charm with a regular bar of Ivory soap in less time and with less water than my washing machine.
I've gotten excellent results washing and rinsing very large comforters, quilts, blankets in the bathtub using my bare feet
what’s your technique
Let's here it!
In Canada, I use Sunlight laundry bar soap. I used to work in a kitchen and found that doing the laundry by hand with the bar soap was the fastest, easiest way to get blood and tomato based stains out of the kitchen whites without having to pre-soak.
We used to have the smaller washboard with the glass backing. The glass was very thick and sturdy. We sold it at a flea market, though. Now, with the way things are going I'm getting manual backups to our electrical methods of doing things as best I can. I'd put buckets on the back deck to catch rain water to wash clothes in. I never use hot water to wash clothes. I'm from the generation that each day of the week was assigned a task. Monday was laundry day and we had an electrically run, free-standing washing machine with a ringer on the top. It was located in the basement and it would wobble across the dirt floor as it washed. Pretty comical really! These days we have all the modern conveniences but I prepare for the grid down scenario. Currently, I hang coats or sweaters (heavier items) that are not dirty but could use an 'airing' outside in the cold air to freshen those up. I put several times-worn jeans in a plastic bag and place them in the freezer. If they are not stained but need a fresh smell, freezing them kills any bacteria and you have clean jeans in a day or two. Without electricity, I'd do that with the jeans, too. As far as washing whites and colored clothing separately, I don't. Colors are fast these days and they do not run. Of course, if I have a special white garment that I want to stay white without using bleach, I do those in a smaller wash. Trying to save water in my situation, I'd do the whites first and not change out that water but put the dark clothes in the already used wash water and then freshen up the rinse water if I needed to. I do not have a well and for a long term situation, rain water would be my go to. We live by a lake which is our town's water source but don't believe we'd be allowed to walk there and take water out of it. Looking into water backup right now. I appreciate your videos. They are soooo helpful. I loved the manually run grain mill video. Got that locked down because of your video. I had looked everywhere online for help with that and yours was the only one that explained everything clearly and was extremely helpful.
Great video. Just a suggestion, if you work from the top of the wash board you can lean on the board with your abdomen which secures it snug against the tub and will free up both hands to scrub your clothes on the board.
For starters I really liked this video, you explained well and didn't dumb it down.
Our washing machine just broke (hopefully repairable, its not that old) and ofc it was when I had a lot if washing to do. Well have been searching for tips and tricks for handwashing and then this video popped up. Seeing it made me remember that I've seen an old washboard in one of the sheds, it was in a surprisingly good condition and just needed some dust and grime washed off, galvanized board so not even rusty (except the nails but they were still strong). Soaking some clothes right now and will try the board out later.
Update. It was only a loose hose in the washing machine 🙂 so it works again. The washingboard worked fine, helped me have clean underwear and training clothes when the machine was broken. Can definitely see myself using it again for things that should be handwashed, it was much better than trying to get things clean just by hand.
My dad has told me stories of his mother washing clothes with a washboard when he was a child. That Must have been a tough women. I think People in general were a lot stronger back then. Mentally and physically.
Nice. Very educational. Does make me appreciate a washer/dryer machine and what my granny did for her family. Thanks
I have two scrub boards that were my husband's grandma's. One is glass and the other is galvanized. It looks like you could use two other things she had. One was a double wash tub on a stand that was adjustable to either seated or standing hight. The other was a hand crank wringer that clamped onto the frame between the tubs, and would swing so that it was able to be placed over either one, or even over the ground.
Super helpful if you have to shelter in place in an apartment. Thank you!
Very useful video! I'm so glad some of the old ways that were better ways to clean,are coming back to us. Washing machines just doesn't clean stuff good,like socks,tablecloth. When I was a kid I had a washing machine that was only spinning clothes. You needed to load the hot water and soap by yourself and load whites first,then gradually to darker ones and change the water when it was too dirty. It didn't have a draining hole so my mom or I would have to empty it with a pail or a bucket. But the clothes were so clean! Something that I don't see with my modern washing machine. I wash my kitchen rags on my kitchen sink because it has this washing board and it comes out very clean and I intended to buy a washing board for a while now but I didn't know there were videos,yours just popped out in my suggested videos. I'm so glad I found it! Very useful! Thank you,have a nice day!
This helped me a lot! I didn't get a washboard but I am writing fanfic set in the 18th century, and I'm writing a scene where one character washes clothes. I wanted to describe it realistically, so I did some research and saw that people washed with a washing basin and washing board (I didn't know what they were called), and that's when I wanted to try and look up how to wash in a washing basin with a washing board, after some digging I found this! So thank you for helping me describe it in a semi-accurate fashion!
I’m a college student who doesn’t have laundry in my apartment. I was planning on using my buildings services or a laundromat but in this pandemic that doesn’t feel safe. I just ordered a washboard and will be washing in my tub and hanging on my makeshift line on my balcony. I ended up on this video looking to get some tips. It was very helpful! Thank you :)
I'm in a similar situation. My apartment only has coin operated washers and dryers, but there's currently a national coin shortage. Now it's time to learn a new skill.
You should consider 100$ twin tub washing machines
@@ikb8373 )
You might enjoy the WonderWash and Nina Spin Dryer. Great combo and work better than the twin tub washer. Also take less space.
@@x417u5 get a small portable washer