“Warshing Clothes Recipe”

October 13, 2022

“Warshing Clothes Recipe”

“Warshing Clothes Recipe” – imagine having a recipe for this!! If you use homemade soap or detergent, you likely do have a similar recipe.
A grandmother gave the new bride the following recipe:
This is an exact copy as written and found in an old scrapbook, 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.”

… copied from Facebook

“The notes go on to say: My mother-in-law would warsh and wrench the dishes if I would dry and put them away. Wrench has always been a mispronunciation of the word rinse. People used to always reuse rinse water to water flowers or grass.

The one thing not mentioned in the original post: That bar of soap you were to shave up. That didn’t come from a store. You made that soap another day from hog fat, lye and ashes. Wasn’t pretty, nor did it smell appealing, but it sure cleaned well.

That those women were strong and resourceful cannot be denied (and many of them also died far younger than us).”

Source: deeprootsathome.com

The recipe likely comes from the late 1800’s or very early 1900’s.

Hope you have a great day!

Thanks for stopping by!!