Domestic Washing.
The great cost of having household and personal linen washed at a laundry drives many housewives to have their washing done at home. The methods of cleansing clothes &c., have been already described in another chapter; it remains to say a few words about the apparatus.
135. Washing Copper.
Certainly the most common form of washing apparatus is the familiar “copper,” a large metallic pot set in brickwork, as shown in Fig. 135. The point to be aimed at in setting this pot is that the flame shall pass as nearly as possible all round it. Care must be taken to cut off all communication with the fire except at the outlet shown, and to erect a brick-on-edge stop a. The flues b should be not less than 3 in. wide, and 3 courses deep; c is the fire-place, d the ashpit, and e the chimney.
The boiling, scrubbing, and emptying incidental to this plan of washing should be sufficient to condemn it everywhere; it entails much labour, is wasteful of fuel and water, and most destructive to the articles, which are only partially washed after all.
136. 137. Greenall’s Steam Washing Apparatus.
A most useful improvement on this crude system is the little steam washer introduced by J. Greenall, 120 Portland Street, Manchester, of which two forms are shown in Figs. 136 and 137, heated respectively by gas and stove. It entirely abolishes all rubbing and brushing of the clothes, thus saving a great amount of work and wear and tear. The set copper or boiler is dispensed with, and not half the usual quantity of soap is required. It will wash a fortnight’s washing for a family of 8 persons in 2 hours, and can be easily worked by a child. It improves the colour of the linen, keeps it as white as snow, and does not injure, or wear in the least, the most delicate fabric. The cost of gas used is very trifling, being only ½d. per hour (16 cub. ft.). Being made of copper throughout (with the inside parts coated with block tin) it cannot rust and ironmould the linen; is very strong and durable, cannot get out of order, and there is no offensive smell from the gas. It may also be heated by coal or charcoal stove, oil lamp, or in the case of specially large machines, by steam pipe from boiler if desired. The clothes only need steeping in water for a few hours, or overnight; then wring them out, soap well, put them in the cylinder, and when the water in the machine boils, turn slowly for 10 minutes, then turn them out and rinse thoroughly, blue, and wring out, and they are ready for drying,—without any rubbing, brushing, peggying, or boiling in the ordinary boiler. The water (3 in. deep in machine and 1 in. in cylinder) is made to boil, and is kept boiling by gas-burner or coal-stove on which the machine rests; thus steam is continually rising and passing through the articles which have been placed in the cylinder; the dirt is carried off by the expansion of the cold water with which they were saturated, and, as the cylinder revolves, the clothes are always changing position, and the dirt is washed out and got rid off. The clothes are washed in steam, and will be found cleaner, whiter, and purer than when washed by any other process. It is made in various sizes and at corresponding prices.
138. Hand Laundry.
139. “Vowel A 1.”
Bradford’s Domestic Laundry Fittings.—When for economy and convenience it is desirable to do “washing” at home, the first consideration is a suitable copper for providing hot water for washing, and for boiling the clothes in after they are washed. A copper boiler seated in brickwork is generally adopted, but where there is no room for seating such a copper, a galvanised iron or copper pan, self contained in an iron frame and fitted with furnace, is recommended. This can be easily connected by means of an iron flue-pipe to an existing flue. After having provided for hot water, the most important appliance in the laundry is the washing machine, of which several kinds have been made, but the most popular and the one that has stood the longest test is Bradford’s “Vowel” machine, of which, we are told, the sale is increasing every year. It is made in sizes to suit the various requirements of households. It may be desirable that we should here state the principle of this machine. It is an octagonal box, with internal fixed ribs and a midfeather collecting and delivery board. The machine is turned slowly, so that the clothes turn from the different ribs and angles, rubbing one article against the other, and at each revolution collecting them by the fixed midfeather boards and raising them to a point, when they slip from the board on to the first rib, where the rubbing is again taken up. There being no movable internal machinery, it is obvious there can be no injury to the finest articles washed; in fact, lace articles, muslin curtains, and delicate fabrics are washed in this machine without any injury whatever. For a small household of, say, six or eight persons, and where space is somewhat limited, the “Vowel A 1” combined washing, wringing, and mangling machine (Fig. 139) is recommended, and for a larger household of, say, 12 to 16 persons, a “Vowel E” combined washing, wringing, and mangling machine (Fig. 140). Where, however, in addition to the wash-house there is a convenient room that may be used for the laundry, separate machines will be found most desirable, as follows: for the small household, Bradford’s “Vowel Y” combined washer and wringer (Fig. 141), the washing compartment of which is equal to that of the “Vowel A 1,” and will wash at one time a quantity of clothes equivalent to about 8 shirts, 3 or 4 large sheets, or a large double blanket or counterpane—and a rinsing and blueing trough, fitted with “Acorn C” or “CC” rubber wringer. The best blue is Keen’s Oxford blue, which is used in many of the largest laundries, and always gives satisfaction. The blueing trough is furnished with two compartments, one for first rinse or “sudding” water, and a second for blueing, a movable board being provided, which can be placed on either side to catch the things as they fall from the wringing rollers. This trough and wringer can be subsequently used for wringing starched goods. In addition to the above a mangle will be needed, and the “Reciprocal” is the most popular (Fig. 142). The No. 79 with 21″ rollers, or No. 80 with 24″ rollers, is a very suitable size for working in conjunction with the washer and wringer before named.
140. “Vowel E.” 141. “Vowel Y” Combined.
142. Reciprocal Mangle, With Patent Spring and Bar.
143. “Vowel A.” 144. Rinsing and Blueing Trough.
145. Lever and Weight Mangle.
For a large family requiring separate machines, the “Vowel A,” with “Acorn” rubber wringer, is advised (Fig. 143). The washing compartment of this machine is equal to that of the “Vowel E” combined machine, the capacity of which is 12 to 15 shirts, 3 pairs of sheets, 2 large counterpanes or double blankets, or other articles in proportion. The rinsing and blueing trough (Fig. 144) is also required, together with a larger sized mangle—No. 81 “Reciprocal,” or No. 1 or No. 2 lever and weight machine (Fig. 145). In the larger sizes of these two-roller mangles the lever and weight machine is preferable—the advantage is that the pressure is self-regulating.
146. Pagoda Stove.
Amongst other articles for the laundry is the ironing stove, and Messrs. Bradford and Co. have recently introduced a novelty in this respect, viz. the “Pagoda.” This stove is made in many sizes, but the No. 12 is large enough for family purposes (Fig. 146). It requires very little fuel, but every part of it is heated, and in addition to heating about 12 flat-irons it throws off a regular heat in the laundry for drying or airing. It is well known that for the maintenance of good colour in the linen it is always desirable as far as possible to dry out of doors, but in this uncertain climate of ours fine weather is not to be depended upon, and for convenience in drying in wet weather a frame or rack fitted with rails is provided. This rack is raised to the ceiling or lowered for filling, by means of lines and pulleys. It should not be fixed immediately over the stove, but sufficiently aside that, when lowered, articles hung on the rails will not touch the stove.
This racking is also useful for airing linen after it is mangled or ironed.
For all other laundry sundries, such as flat-irons and stands, goffering tongs, clothes baskets, &c., &c., we recommend our readers to do as we have done, viz. pay a visit to Messrs. Bradford’s Show-rooms, 140 to 143, High Holborn, where they will find everything, from a hot-water boiler to a linen press.
147. Premier Box Mangle. (The most perfect Box Mangle ever made.)
148. Bradford’s Patent “Radial” Drying Closet.
Having described the appliances adapted for small and medium sized families, we now come to larger establishments, such as mansions, schools, hotels, &c. For such establishments similar machines will be required, but of larger sizes, and instead of the two-roller mangle a “Premier” box mangle (Fig. 147) is recommended; and for drying, a “Radial” or “Draw-out” drying closet (Figs. 148, 149). The “reversible” stove in these closets is so constructed that it serves for heating flat-irons as well as for drying or airing the clothes. Messrs. Bradford have also recently introduced a new ironing machine (“The Little Marvel”), the price of which is 10l. 10s. (Fig. 150). This machine consists of a concave heated plate, under which is fixed gas heating apparatus, or a furnace for fuel. The roller, obtaining the requisite pressure by means of weights fixed upon the ends of levers, works in this heated plate, and draws the articles to be ironed over its surface, producing a finish much superior to that obtainable by hand, and in considerably less time. The machine can be worked by a girl.
149. Bradford’s Improved “Draw-out” Drying Closet.
150. Bradford’s “Little Marvel” Ironing Machine.