Comments on: About A Washboard

By: Kim H.

Kim H. — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:42:00 +0000

You go girl!! I love a do-it-yourself-er!

Back in the days when I was super-poor, (now I’m just somewhat poor…) I decided to try making my own laundry soap in order to save money. The recipe is simple with just a few ingredients: bar laundry soap shavings, powdered borax and water. I think I averaged a cost per load of about 0.001 cent using the stuff, which worked really well. I wish I had thought of using the washboard as well…

By: Lisa S.

Lisa S. — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:29:10 +0000

Fascinating post. Self sufficiency is the common denominator if you ask me. Those of us who use the library are often interested in learning how to do things for ourselves.

Here’s a great website that deals with the other end of the equation: drying!
http://www.laundrylist.org/

By: John s.

John s. — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:16:10 +0000

What a nice story you told, J’nai! I have fond memories of watching my grandmother use a washboard to clean clothes. She worked outdoors and used a number 3 washtub. Of course, she made her own lye soap, too. But a scrub-board? Where did that come from?

By: Tamika S.

Tamika S. — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:31:15 +0000

Jnai, I think you did a great job in tying it to the library, because libraries are “really useful, traditional and inexpensive to use”. Great post!

By: Ev S

Ev S — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:32:57 +0000

I have one too, but I use it as decoration. It belonged to my husband’s great grandmother.

By: Lisa B.

Lisa B. — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:36:09 +0000

My husband and I dry a lot of our clothes on a pair of drying racks, even though we have a spiffy new dryer with steam and everything. Using the drying racks just feels better for most things – it’s free and it does less damage to the clothes (esp anything with elastic like socks and “dainties”). I don’t imagine I’ll move on to a washboard (I’m from the South and that’s all I’ve ever heard them called), but it’s a thought. It’s nice to be reminded of these low-tech and low-energy ways of doing our daily tasks.

By: Alison W.

Alison W. — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:41:44 +0000

Washboards aren’t just for laundry…they are used in cajun/zydeco music as well. DCPL has a quite a few CDs of this music style. So get some thimbles J’Nai!