Laundry~Washday
For me, Monday equals Washday! I like having a routine, but of course I am flexible if something else has to be done. I'm not going to say I absolutely love it, but I try to get it done and try to enjoy doing it even when things deter, or distract me.
Most of us do have to do our own laundry, and some even more often than just on Mondays. If you are inundated with piles of laundry---or you happen to be the kind of person that dislikes doing laundry, and you need a little inspiration. . . use what bits and pieces of this info you might like to make it a pleasant day, a pleasant chore, and remember the most imporatant aspect, is we're supposed to be lovingly doing this for our family! We tend to think sweet sentimental thoughts about laundry when it comes to doing it for our babies, and little toddlers. But as they get older we tend to dislike doing laundry for them. When my teenagers wanted to start doing their own laundry, it was sort of bittersweet, as well as a relief at the time. But I would do their laundry for them even now as grown adults if needed, and do at times. I just want to take a burden off of them when they
Days of the Week-ChoresMonday: Wash Day
Tuesday: Ironing Day Wednesday: Sewing Day Thursday: Market Day Friday: Cleaning Day Saturday: Baking Day Sunday: Day of Rest Washday Red Beans & RicePUT THIS ON TO SIMMER WHILE YOU DO YOUR LAUNDRY. WHEN THE LAUNDRY IS DONE YOUR MEAL WILL BE READY. And if you prefer using canned beans, I will try to find an old recipe for that. And if you don't like beans, just put something in the crockpot or simmer a pot of soup on the back burner to have ready when the washing or other Monday chores are finished. And of course, this can be done any day of the week, this is just an old-time traditional meal to simmer while doing the traditional Monday laundry. It works for me!
1 16 oz. pkg. dry red beans 1 onion, diced, cut in quarters or left whole (take off skin and trim ends) 2 cloves garlic 2 t. seasoning salt, or salt and pepper to taste... 1 or 2 bay leaves 1 whole cayenne pepper, to taste (opt) 1 15 oz. can whole or diced tomatoes*read info on issues below 1 6 oz. can tomato sauce*read info on issues below 1 bell pepper, seeded, cored, and cut in quarters smoked ham, diced 1 lb. smoked link sausage*more directions below cooked rice* Serve over rice, along with cornbread, and sweet tea; and you have a truly "southern style" meal. Generously Serves 6. *SOME LIKE TO ADD COOKED RICE TO THEIR BEANS AFTER THE BEANS ARE COOKED, MIXING IT ALL TOGETHER. . .WE LIKE TO SERVE THE BEANS OVER RICE. IT'S GOOD BOTH WAYS! Wash beans, soak overnight, drain and rinse. Cover beans and all ingredients with cold water. On medium heat, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until done. Taste test to make sure beans are tender through to the middle. May take 3 or more hours, according to the climate AND ALTITUDE. *I cut the sausage in about 1/2 inch slices (on the diagonal) Fry in a skillet until browned on both sides, and add to beans. *A few times I've had problems getting the beans tender after cooking for 4-5 hours. I read somewhere that adding tomatoes can cause the beans to take longer to get done. I also thought that the beans might have been older and really too dried out. Just a heads up! You might want to cook the beans then add the tomatoes about 15 minutes before serving. I also make this using dried Pink Beans and dried Anasazi beans. Although there are several varieties, pink beans are fairly new to me and what I've seen in my area. Here's one variety: Camellia Beans Anasazi beans are quite new to us too. . . Read more here, as to their origin and other interesting facts. FYI: You can plant almost any dried beans, in your garden! Just plant a few and experiment with them first, to be sure they germinate. Other recipes you might like: Big White Lima Beans Washday Cobbler
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Homemade Detergent
This recipe makes a powdered laundry detergent. I honestly haven't had any good results making the liquid version. It always seperates and I have to stir or shake it to mix it back together and that's just too aggravating for me to deal with.
Even though I like making my own homemade detergent, I'm a sucker for Tyler Candle Company's "Glamorous Wash" Fine Laundry Detergent. . .It smells heavenly, and the scent lasts and lasts. It only takes a small amount added to linens to make them smell delicious, in fact I only use a tiny capful along with regular detergent just to add that rich layer of fragrance.
My favorites:
Diva - A combination of fruits and rich florals with rich aromatic chocolate and amber. High Maintenance - A combination of floral, woody blend combined with patchouli and vanilla with a heavy musk undertone. Kathina - Sensual lily of the valley intertwined with citrus and rose. French Market - Fresh floral with notes of gardenia and tuberose. Ironing ClothesI love to iron clothes, as well as small pieces of linen, such as cotton tea towels and tablecloths. I guess it's just the sentimental feeling I get remembering my mother, grandmother and aunts doing this when I was a child. I even helped them, and ironed my own clothes, as well, later. And I love the crisp feel of the fabric after it's starched and ironed. I have, in the past, thrown things in the dryer for a few minutes to release the wrinkles, then I hung them on the outdoor clothesline to dry . . .continued below
Line Drying
I love, love these cotton sheets and pillowcases! A bargain and a real blessing, as mine was very worn and had started tearing. □
Another thing I'm very fond of, is drying clothes outside on a clothesline, and while I realize this isn't possible for some, it is a very simple way to have fresh smelling, crisp linens, and clothes. And you get a little exercise, as a bonus.
There's nothing nicer in my opinion than having fresh cotton bed sheets that have been line-dried. Especially in the summertime, when it's so sweltering hot. they feel so cool and comfortable against the skin. If you can't line-dry your clothes or linens outside in the yard, but would like the added freshness perhaps you could dry them inside on a folding laundry drying rack. While they are drying, spritz with linen spray to give them a fresh outdoor scent. It's simple to make, using distilled water, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Shake well. Lemon, orange, rose, or maybe even pine might mimic the smells they would absorb outdoors on a clothesline. And of course laundry sprays are available online, if you prefer to buy it. Now, I say all of this about cotton, because I prefer cotton to other types of fabric, such as polyester. But I'm not saying use only cotton, you use, buy whatever you prefer. I use cotton and am more familiar with it, so these are my ideas I like to share for others that like it also.. And, I know some people just don't like hanging out the laundry, or care for crisp clothing, or linens. In that case, just disregard this information. But I will add, that using a little vinegar in the washer softens and cleans fabric, and may help with fading. I've also read that salt added to the wash water softens and cleans fabric, but salt can cause rust when it comes in contact with metal. So zippers, buttons and other metal adornments can rust and get on the fabric. Removing rust from any surface is almost impossible, read more HERE. And, while I love old vintage appliances, they are made from metal, as well, (internal and external) and that can be a problem with adding salt. Some community, town, as well as city water can at times have high salt content, making appliances rust out, having to replace them (dishwashers, washers, water heaters) more often. Washing-Day Image by HomeMaker from Pixabay
WASHING-DAY ---(HISTORICALLY)
Why Monday should be fixed upon as washing-day, is often questioned; but, like many other apparently arbitrary arrangements, its foundation is in common-sense. Tuesday has its advantages also, soon to be mentioned; but to any later period than Tuesday there are serious objections. All clothing is naturally changed on Sunday; and, if washed before dirt has had time to harden in the fiber of the cloth, the operation is much easier. The custom, happily passing away, of washing only annually or semi-annually, is both disgusting, and destructive to health and clothes; the air of whatever room such accumulations are stored in being poisoned, while the clothes themselves are rubbed to pieces in the endeavor to get out the long-seated dirt. A weekly wash being the necessity if perfect cleanliness exists, the simplest and best method of thoroughly accomplishing it comes up for question. While few women are obliged to use their own hands in such directions, plenty of needy and unskilled workwomen who can earn a living in no other way being ready to relieve us, it is yet quite as necessary to know every detail, in order that the best work may be required, and that where there is ignorance of methods in such work they may be taught. The advantages of washing on Tuesday are, that it allows Monday for setting in order after the necessary rest of Sunday, gives opportunity to collect and put in soak all the soiled clothing, and so does away with the objection felt by many good people to performing this operation Sunday night. To avoid such sin, bed-clothing is often changed on Saturday; but it seems only part of the freshness and sweetness which ought always to make Sunday the white-day of the week, that such change should be made on that morning, while the few minutes required for sorting the clothes, and putting them in water, are quite as legitimate as any needed operation. If Monday be the day, then, Saturday night may be chosen for filling the tubs, supposing the kitchen to be unfurnished with stationary tubs. Sunday night enough hot water can be added to make the whole just warm,--not hot. Now put in one tub all fine things,--collars and cuffs, shirts and fine underwear. Bed-linen may be added, or soaked in a separate tub; but table-linen must of course be kept apart. Last, let the coarsest and most soiled articles have another. Do not add soap, as if there is any stain it is likely to set it. If the water is hard, a little borax may be added. And see that the clothes are pressed down, and well covered with water. Monday morning, and the earlier the better (the morning sun drying and sweetening clothes better than the later), have the boiler full of clean warm suds. Soft soap may be used, or a bar of hard dissolved in hot water, and used like soft soap. All the water in which the clothes have soaked should be drained off, and the hot suds poured on. Begin with the cleanest articles, which when washed carefully are wrung out, and put in a tub of warm water. Rinse out from this; rub soap on all the parts which are most soiled, these parts being bands and sleeves, and put them in the boiler with cold water enough to cover them. To boil up once will be sufficient for fine clothes. Then take them out into a tub of clean cold water; rinse them in this, and then in a tub of water made very slightly blue with the indigo-bag or liquid indigo. From this water they must be wrung out very dry, and hung out, always out of doors if possible. A wringer is much better than wringing by hand, as the latter is more unequal, and also often twists off buttons. The lines must be perfectly clean. A galvanized-iron wire is best of all; as it never rusts, and needs only to be wiped off each week. If rope is used, never leave it exposed to weather, but bring it in after each washing. A dirty, weather-stained line will often ruin a nice garment. Leave clothes on the line till perfectly dry. If any fruit-stains are on napkins or table-cloths, lay the stained part over a bowl, and pour on boiling water till they disappear. Ink can be taken out if the spot is washed while fresh, in cold water, or milk and water; and a little salt will help in taking out wine-stains. Machine-oil must have a little lard or butter rubbed on the spot, which is then to be washed in warm suds. Never rub soap directly on any stain, as it sets it. For iron-rust, spread the garment in the sun, and cover the spot with salt; then squeeze on lemon-juice enough to wet it. This is much safer and quite as sure as the acids sold for this purpose. In bright sunshine the spot will disappear in a few hours. Remember that long boiling does not improve clothes. If washed clean, simply scalding is all that is required. If delicate curtains, either lace or muslin, are to be washed, allow a tablespoonful of powdered borax to two gallons of warm water, and soap enough to make a strong suds. Soak the curtains in this all night. In the morning add more warm water, and press every part between the hands, without rubbing. Put them in fresh suds, and, if the water still looks dark after another washing, take still another. Boil and rinse as in directions given for other clothes. Starch with very thick hot starch, and dry, not by hanging out, and then ironing, but by putting a light common mattress in the sun, and pinning the curtain upon it, stretching carefully as you pin. One mattress holds two, which will dry in an hour or two. If there is no sun, lay a sheet on the floor of an unused room, and pin the curtains down upon it. In washing flannels, remember that it must be done in a sunny day, that they may dry as rapidly as possible. Put them into hot suds. Do not rub them on a washing-board, as this is one means of fulling and ruining them. Press and rub them in the hands, changing them soon to fresh hot suds. Rinse in a pail of clear hot water; wring very dry; shake, and hang at once in the sun. Flannels thus treated, no matter how delicate, retain their softness and smoothness, and do not shrink. Starch is the next consideration, and is made in two ways,--either raw or boiled. Boiled starch is made by adding cold water to raw starch in the proportion of one cup of water to three-quarters of a cup of starch, and then pouring on boiling water till it has thickened to a smooth mass, constantly stirring as you pour. A bit of butter is added by many excellent laundresses, the bit not to be larger than a filbert. Any thing starched with boiled starch must be dried and sprinkled before ironing, while with raw starch this is not necessary. To make raw starch, allow four even tablespoonfuls to a half-pint of cold water. Dip collars, cuffs, and shirt-bosoms, or any thing which must be very stiff, into this starch, being careful to have them dry. When wet, clap them well between the hands, as this distributes the starch evenly among the fibers of the cloth. The same rule must be followed in using boiled starch. Roll the articles in a damp cloth, as this makes them iron more smoothly; and in an hour they will be ready for the iron. In using boiled starch, after the articles have been dried, and then dampened by sprinkling water lightly upon them, either by the hand, or by shaking over them a small whisk-broom which is dipped as needed in water, it is better to let them lie ten or twelve hours. All clothes require this folding and dampening. Sheets and table-cloths should be held by two persons, shaken and "snapped," and then folded carefully, stretching the edges if necessary. Colored clothing must be rinsed before starching, and the starch should be thin and cool. Washing-Day, by Helen Campbell (1903) Aren't we happy to have automatic washers and dryers?? |
