The Retro Laundry Room Appliance That Deserves A Comeback

Throughout the years, the way we have done laundry has changed dramatically, from hand-washing to wringer machines to modern automatic washers. Wringer washing machines are among the old school laundry room items that nobody uses anymore, but the retro laundry room appliance deserves a comeback. These machines are faster, more energy efficient, and use less water compared to modern automatic machines. 

Originally invented in the mid-1800s, these appliances were commonly used to wash laundry from the early through the mid-20^th century, when automatic washing machines became the industry standard. The first machines had a hand-cranked wringer mechanism to squeeze water from clothing, which was later replaced by automatic wringers. The invention revolutionized laundry day and made washing and wringing out the wet clothes by hand a thing of the past. The first machines were available in either gas-powered or electric models, but electric wringer machines became the standard.

Wringer washing machines require a bit more work than the typical automatic washing machine. Start by filling the washer with 14 to 20 gallons of water. Add laundry detergent and start the washer. When the washing is finished, you will feed the clothing through the wringer and into a tub or bucket filled with rinse water. When the clothing has been rinsed, feed it back through the wringer to remove excess water and let it fall into a laundry basket. Wash clothes in order from white to dark to avoid dyes dirtying the water and staining lighter-colored clothing items.

There are several benefits to using a wringer washer to do your laundry. They are eco-friendly because they conserve water and electricity. Wringer machines use much less water than automatic washers. You will add up to 20 gallons of water to the machine, but this amount of water can be used to wash several loads of laundry, which saves water and money. On average, modern washing machines require around 30 gallons a load.

Many users of wringer washing machines insist their clothing comes out cleaner than in an automatic machine. You can run the agitator during the washing cycle for shorter or longer periods of time, depending on the dirtiness of the clothes. In addition, the process is faster than the length of time required to wash a load in an automatic washer.

Unfortunately, Maytag stopped making wringer washing machines in the early 1980s, and no major manufacturers are making them at this time. This has made the machines one of those old-school cleaning tools almost no one uses anymore, but there are some people still using them. While they aren't sold in appliance stores, you can find hand-operated versions from small specialty retailers, but these tend to be quite expensive, costing more than $1,200. Older models can be found used at yard sales, estate sales, and eBay.