History: Equipment for Home Laundering (1921)

The 28 Apr 1921 edition of The Matawan Journal provided advice to women on the proper placement, use and care of the latest laundry equipment. Most women were coping with poorly placed machines that required them to stoop awkwardly into the tub to reach their clothes, leading to fatigue. Wooden tubs were difficult to care for: kept dry and they would crack and fall apart; kept moist and they would become slimy and develop a disagreeable odor. Galvanized steel tubs were preferable for the modern woman.  

The story included drawings of a folding ironing board, a rack for holding an ironing board, a cold mangle, and multiple types of washing machines (rotary or cylinder type, washboard type, pressure and suction type, and dolly type).