In the past, hand laundry was a laborious task involving soaking, beating, scrubbing, and rinsing soiled fabrics. Water, essential for washing and rinsing, had to be fetched from a pump or well before indoor plumbing. Clothes were washed in warm, soapy water, limited by the amount that could be carried by hand. The process involved soaking the least dirty clothes first and progressing to dirtier ones.
“Carrying water by hand, heating it over a fire to wash, and then pouring it into a tub would be the laundry process,” explains the historical perspective. After washing, the challenge continued with rinsing. “Clear water was used to rinse the soap, and drenched clothes were manually twisted to remove water.” The ordeal extended to drying and ironing, consuming an entire workday. Hand laundry, now a relic of the past, highlights the arduous efforts required in a bygone era.
