Ironing in the good old days
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (349349)
Rockingham, Australia
December 5, 2019 5:33pm CST
The photo has nothing to do with the text other than depicting a scene from long ago.
Someone on myLot mentioned that they rarely do any ironing nowadays. Unfortunately, I can’t remember who it was. I as ironing the big table-cloths I’d used on the tables at the birthday party and it got me thinking about ironing in the ‘good old days’.
There was a lot of ironing done in those days – pillowcases, handkerchiefs, linen teatowels, table-cloths, blouses, shirts, aprons, dresses, skirts, the list goes on.
I was about ten when Mum got her first washing machine so that would have been 1956. Washing was invariably done on Monday. Anything to be ironed might be brought in slightly damp, rolled tightly and left in the laundry basket till Tuesday which was ironing day. You couldn't leave the ironing too many days after dampening or the damp clothes would start to go mouldy.
If items were too dry they were sprinkled with water. You dipped your hand in a bowl of water, shook it over the item then rolled the item up. By next day, the moisture was more evenly distributed and creases came out more easily. There were no spray irons. Two heavy ‘flat irons’ were heated on the top of the wood-stove. One was used till it lost too much heat then you swapped. The heat was tested by spitting on your finger then quickly touching the base of the iron. If it ‘spat’ or sizzled, then it was hot enough to iron. We didn’t have an ironing board – just a piece of sheeting over a folded blanket. Times have certainly changed.
16 people like this
19 responses
@rebelann (113557)
• El Paso, Texas
6 Dec 19
I remember one summer dad took us to his parents home and when we finally got there it happened to be the day grandma was washing and ironing, she had one of those wringer washers that would make clothes come out really wrinkled and she'd take whatever she had wrung and just started ironing it. I'm not sure but I think her iron was always on the pot bellied stove.
3 people like this
@shaggin (74020)
• United States
6 Dec 19
I rarely iron clothes but I doubt your referring to me. I just don't buy clothes if they need to be ironed or dry cleaned. Once in awhile I need to wear something and from sitting in my drawers it wrinkles then I have to iron it. I don't own an ironing board. My boyfriend has one in his bedroom closet. I found one of really heavy cast iron irons in my cellar. It was all rusted and I threw it out. I assume it was my grandmothers and would have been used on top of the stove which has a wood burner on the one side of it which I have never used. The oven is from the 40s or 50s.
2 people like this
@xFiacre (13364)
• Ireland
6 Dec 19
@judyev I well remember those flat irons being heated on our wood stove. Then we got posh and moved onto an iron whose lid came off so that a little charcoal bonfire could be lit inside it so keeping it hot. Sand was used to clean the ironing surfaces and special attention was given to the seams of clothing because that’s where putse fly would lay there eggs if the clothes were dried outside When those eggs hatched the grubs would burrow under the skin of the wearer and live off the wearer’s blood, and grow under the skin. Agony to remove them. A thorough ironing killed the eggs.
2 people like this
- Too much information! Suffice to say - they were very nasty. 
@JudyEv (349349)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Dec 19
We didn't have putse flys thank goodness. We must have gone from the flat irons to an electric iron I guess. I don't remember anything in between the two.
@jobelbojel (36621)
• Philippines
5 Dec 19
Nowadays, I don't do much ironing. I hang my clothes and it's ready to wear. I remember my aunt who did all the ironing for her kids school uniform.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (349349)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Dec 19
I used to iron my husband's business shirts for years and years. I don't iron much nowadays.
@crazyhorseladycx (39504)
• United States
6 Dec 19
folks don't realize jest how easy they've got these household chores these days, eh? i've a collection 'f those ol' irons, some ya e'en put a heated stone'n. heavy suckers, e'ery one, lol. yepperz, most all thingies needed ironed back'n the day, quite oft'n all day 'ffair, dependin' 'pon how many folks lived there.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39504)
• United States
7 Dec 19
@JudyEv 'twixt the housework, laundry 'n cookin' e'erythin' from scratch, they'd no time fer gettin' a 'real job'.
i still recall the stench 'f the big black kettle we'd out'n back 'f the house. where all the fat 'twas collected 'til 'twas 'nough to make soap with. haulin' wood to keep such't a near constant temp 'n stirrin' fer hours 'til such 'twas ready.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (349349)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Dec 19
@crazyhorseladycx We would render down fat for 'dripping' for cooking but we never made soap although I'm sure Mum would have known how.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118557)
• Anniston, Alabama
6 Dec 19
I have one of those irons, I use it as a door stop.
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
6 Dec 19
What a coincidence! You and Ms. Janet (Jabo) are having "throw-back" discussions hehehe!
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
6 Dec 19
In our place, charcoal was placed inside the "flat iron" to make it hot, Ms. Judy.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (349349)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Dec 19
That was another type and I think there was one that held petrol. My mother was scared of those types.
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
6 Dec 19
I have never seen one using petrol. That would be dangerous.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54400)
• United States
6 Dec 19
many years ago when I first was married, my shirt was wrinkled. I was thinking about changing it, when my wife handed me the iron and said the board is over there.
That is ironing in the modern world. Do it yourself!
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54400)
• United States
7 Dec 19
@JudyEv I wasn't offered the option not to!
1 person likes this
@kareng (71212)
• United States
12 Dec 19
Oh I remember both grandmothers ironing and our housekeeper. I hated ironing and seldom bought anything that needed ironing after I was out on my own. My husband now likes his dress pants pressed. When it came to where he had to wear them to work, I said then you can iron them. He decided they looked good enough as they were. After you sit and ride to work you have wrinkles anyway, so what is the point?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (349349)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Dec 19
That's good. I dry my clothes outside whenever I can.
