The American Floating Ball Washing-Machine, patented by Indiana farmer Mr. Moore in 1857, employed 200 to 300 floating elm wood balls the size of Seville oranges (about 3″) to gently rub clothes ...

Think of it as a kind of chemical clothes wringer. University of Florida engineers have developed a compound that forces clothes in the washer to shed 20 percent more water during the spin cycle ...

'Whatever you do Eddie, keep your fingers away from the wringer!" As a little boy, I heard that warning often on Wednesday, which happened to be Mom's laundry day. We had an unfinished basement ...

The Historical Museum’s collection of wash-day appliances was increased recently with the donation of a “James Washer” — a hand clothes washer made in Independence, Kan. This model of washer ...

The washing machine consisted of two square boxes, which revolved on an axle. The clothes fell from side to side in hot water and soap. Shirts and fine clothes were finished by hand.

If my wife does not get home soon, I'm going to have to buy some new socks--or wash the clothes. I hate washing clothes despite the fact that modern washing machines make it a simple and fast process.

Thanks to Maytag, doing laundry is practically effortless these days compared to the washing, rinsing, wringing and line-drying of 74 years ago. Jorgensen: Getting my pigtail stuck in the washer's ...

Home Truths on BBC Radio 4: Anne Enright has a poetic way with household routine as recently aired on Home Truths on the subject of vacuuming. This week she's turned her thoughts to laundry. . .

In August 1888, Ellen Elgin, a black woman housekeeper, invented a clothes wringer which allowed clothing to be washed and dried faster by feeding clothes through two rollers to wring out the ...