Muscatine

 I found this on another site.

Never thought of a "warsher" in this light before..what a blessing!
"Warshing Clothes Recipe" -- imagine having a recipe for this ! ! !
Years ago an  Alabama  grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe: this is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook -
with spelling errors and all.
 

WARSHING CLOTHES

Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.

Sort things, make 3 piles

1 pile white,

1 pile colored,

1 pile work britches and rags.

To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.

Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.

Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch. 

Hang old rags on fence.

Spread tea towels on grass.

Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.

Turn tubs upside down.

Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs.. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.

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Paste this over your washer and dryer. Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks.. First thing each morning you should run and hug your washer and dryer.

For you non-southerners - wrench means, rinse ;

When she is talking about 'rub on board' she is referring to a washboard. It may take the dirty spots away but plays hexx on the knuckles.

You are correct to tell all to kiss and hug our washer/dryers. No wonder people died so young in those days - worked themselves into an early grave.

Wonder how the 'northerners' handled warshday in the winter?

Well, my grandmothers (one born in 1880 and one in 1865, believe it or not!), worked hard, but lived to a very old age.   However they both developed rheumatism in their arms and hands.   I'm sure they were very familiar with scrub boards!   I can still remember looking at their fingers all knarled and twisted from all the hard stuff they had to do for all those many years.  Must have been very painful, but they didn't complain much out loud.  My mother's mother especially was a wonderful angel.  My father's mother was probably in too much pain to be an angel.   But she made the best cake and cookies I've ever tasted.  I loved them both very much and think of them often.