When we first got married I had a wringer washer almost like this one. At the time I thought it was such a chore. But now I wish so much that I had one. I even mentioned to my husband that I would like to build a small wash shed close to my clothes line and buy one of these and use it during the summer. It does take a little more time to use it, but I would really like to have one. If you do it in stages there is such a water savings. Not to mention if it was situated close to my clothes line I wouldn't have to carry the clothes up the stairs and out the back door to my line. Of course it would only be good for summer, but that's fine with me.
http://countrylife.lehmans.com/2009/05/14/wringer-washer/
This is a link to explain a little about how laundry was done with these washers.
I remember growing up on wash day. My mom would roll the wringer washer to the back door and fill it with water with 5 gallon buckets. Then the galvanised tub was filled to rinse with. I never gave a second thought to how other people washed their clothes. I just thought this was normal. Little did I know that I would have one when I got married. My mom actually found a used one and bought it for me. Memories are so wonderful as you get older. I even remember my grandmother doing her laundry. She rolled hers to the back door and filled with water. The hot water came from her wood cook stove. Yes I said wood cook stove. She cooked everything on that stove winter and summer. There was a reservoir that held water. She dipped it out for the white clothes. Then she threw in a bar of lye soap that she also made homemade, to clean the weeks clothes. Times were hard for them, but actually very simple. If only we could realize that in this day and age.
