In the era before indoor plumbing, hand laundering demanded a labor-intensive process. Fetching water from a pump, well, or spring, individuals engaged in soaking, beating, scrubbing, and rinsing to cleanse textiles. The limited supply of warm, soapy water necessitated a sequential wash, starting with the least soiled items. “Before plumbing, it was necessary to carry all the water used for washing,” emphasizes the challenge.

Soap and water removal constituted a distinct phase. Rinsing involved a clear water wash, succeeded by the laborious task of hand-twisting wet garments to expel water. This meticulous procedure, which consumed an entire day, included drying and ironing. The relentless cycle of heating water, washing, and reusing it for progressively dirtier laundry highlighted the exhaustive nature of manual laundering in a bygone era.