maytag wringer washer questions.....

[hippiedoll]

yogitunes...

thanks for the tip on the soft & hard roller and putting the buttons on the soft roller's side. and also for the "stick" tip, for taking clothes out of the wash water & feeding them into the wringer.

and bubblewrap, HA HA HA!!! i can only imagine what a HOOT that would be!!!

the more i read these messages, the more anxious i am getting about picking up this wringer washer!! but i texted the lady this morning and she had told me that she wasn't going to be available today (monday). so we agreed for me to pick it up tomorrow. but i told her i would text & call her to keep touches bases with each other to let her know that i am interested in the wringer washer.
and so far, i havne't heard back from her.

so, we'll see what happens.....

i'll be sure to let you guys all know what happened here!!

;o)

 

[hippiedoll]

wayupnorth.....

that is a really good idea, the self-made lint filter with a bacon-spatter screen!!! i supposed you could do the same thing with a hand-held metal screen strainer that has a handle too!!??

a very good idea there wayupnorth!!!

if i get this wringer washer, i have the perfect hand-held strainer to use as a lint filter!!!

)

 

[rpms]

I remember a lot of ladies using paint sticks to pull the clothes out of the hot water. My aunt used bbq tongs.
I was painitng an empty house two years ago and found this washstick/washfork in the rafters. It is super smooth like driftwood. Not sure if it was used in a washer or outside in a cauldron?

 

[hippiedoll]

rpms.....

that is a very cool find!!! i did see a few of them sticks/forks listed on ebay, when i did a wringer washer search on there. and alot of them had been stained by the "blueing" agent, that was used back in the day. and looking closely at the stick/fork that you found, it looks like the tines on your's might also have that "blueing" staining too!! evidence that it was used in a wringer washer, for removing the clothes from the hot water.

again what a cool find!!!

and by the way, i got a kick out of your profile picture!!
HA HA HA!!!!

those are the exact kind of images i have in my mind that intimidate me about wringer washers!!!
LOL...

;oD

 

[wayupnorth]

Christina, just make sure your strainer had a thin, flat handle that you can slip a little ways into the wringer. The chrome gooseneck on the drain hose unscrews and you can screw on a small piece off the end of an old garden hose. But remember to securely clamp it to the "lint filter" and make sure the diverter under the wringer is set so water will go back into the tub or you could have a nice mess to clean up.

 

[mr-maytag]

buttons

Hey Christina... Also - fold the buttons to the inside of the clothes so they don't catch...and make sure they're going through flat.

 

[e2l-arry]

The TOP/BLACK roller

is the soft one. I've never wrecked a button or a zipper. But I do always fold the buttons or zippers inward and make sure they're orientated to the top before putting them through the wringer. I use a big old wooden spoon to pull the clothes out of the first couple of loads. When the water it still WAY to hot to feel through it looking for wayward articles of clothing with my bare hands.

These are fun machines but without some common sense and care, the wringers ARE dangerous. Sometimes I poke my fingers right to the moving rollers but that comes with LOTS of practice. You don't actually ever have to touch the rollers though. You can hole a piece of clothing 3 inches from then end and feed it into the rollers. They're grab it and do the rest. You'll get the hang of it quickly enough.

Have fun!

 

[yogitunes]

yeah, you will learn tricks of the trade of using a wringer machine....

its especially great for soaking overnight....turning it on to agitate every now and then.....

I like to wash with half load of hottest water, double the detergent, maybe some colorsafe bleach or borax, and let it wash and soak back and forth for about an hour, this works on some of the grimiest greasy work clothes...

this will work in combination with your automatic, using the wringer as a manual "suds saver", drain you automatic wash water into the wringer, and then pump it back into the automatic for the next load....

I sometimes save all the wash water from my FLers, when the tub is full, I use that to wash the dogs blankets...you can save and reuse in so many ways...

my grandmother's wash stick resembled a very short paddle for a rowboat....but almost anything can be used to protect your hands...

 

[stan]

Well Hippiedoll

Now that we've given you all the good news about wringer washing, you might as well know some of the drawbacks LOL
After going through the wringer, the clothes will not be as dry as a spin dry, so they'll take just bit longer in the dryer (not bad) if your line drying they will have some extra wrinkles that otherwise wouldn't be there.
I line dry a lot. But I've come up with my own ways to elevate some of those problems (no, I don't use fabric softener) will tell you about all that later if you want, and if you get the machine.

The other drawback, if you want to call it that, is that you will be way more involved in the laundry process. No auto fill for wash or rinse, no auto shut off, no auto drain.
When finished with laundry, after draining, even with a pump model, its best to keep a bucket handy to gravity drain the last bit of water out of the pump, and hose, to prevent rust ect. Then remove agitator, wipe the tub and agitator shaft dry. Separate rollers, leave lid off, so it drys out good. To others this may be the fun part, who knows LOL

 

[wayupnorth]

Yes, its fun playing with a Real wringer washer instead of the Wolverine crank model I had to hide as a kid and wished I still had it instead of my Tonka trucks that I still have. I'd still would like to find one like I had, just to play with when its crappy weather but not pay what E-Bay sellers want. Mine was like $2.something brand new in the box back in 1960 something. Somehow my parents found it and it disappeared.

 

[beekeyknee]

My Grandmother always said not to put anything with shank buttons through the wringer. It will pull them off.

 

[e2l-arry]

Wolverine . . .

I had 2 of those. A crank Automatic with a clear plastic top I got for Christmas when I was 4. Then somehow I got a wringer model too. And like yours, mine MYSTERIOUSLY disappeared one day. Not so much a mystery. I always figured my dad put them in the trash one night as they were "girls" toys. Now 50 years later I play with my adult washers. Some things you never outgrow!

 

[washdaddy]

So Christina-
How did things work out for you? Of course, everyone is patiently waiting to hear how you made out.
Hopefully it worked to your favor. Let us know...a lot of us are cheering for you.

Rick

 

[hippiedoll]

hi all!!!

WOW!!!

first i have to say, "THANK YOU ALL" for all your replies to my post. i can't believe all the love & friendliness i have felt through this thread. I LOVE IT!!!

now a quick update......

i got a hold of my guy cousin & asked him if he would be willing to go with me to help me pick the wringer washer up (since sundays & mondays are his days off). and he said yes. and he actually just bought a new t.v. and wanted me to come over & check it out. and on my way out the door, i finally heard back from the seller/owner of the wringer washer. and she said she would be home.

so, i called my cousin and told him that we would be heading out to go pick up the wringer washer.

so, after i pick him up, we hit sams club, to gas up and we are heading towards the freeway, with the G.P.S. on my phone telling me how to go and i realize my phone battery is almost out of charge. and i didn't bring the d*mned car charger with me!!! no problem, pull over into an am/pm and get some munchies and a car charger that fits my phone. so, we are heading out and by the time we get going on the freeway, i asked my cousin what time it was and he said it was already after 2 p.m.!

it was too late, cuz i didn't want to go pick up the washer and bring it home and have my mom here while i'm wheeling it in (she hates me buying anything old anymore!!!). and i'm sure many of the members here know what i'm talking about when i say, i have to be "sneaky" about when i bring this wringer washer home!
LOL.....

so, i called the owner/seller and asked her if it was alright if i came to pick it up next week on monday, since my cousin's only days off are sundays & mondays.
luckily, she said that would be fine. and my cousin said he would be willing to go with me & help me load it onto the back of the truck.

so, the plan is to head out this next monday, to go pick the wringer washer up. but this time, i want to head out about 9 or 10 in the morning.

and i did ask the lady if the wringer washer had any oil leaks or any leaks from the drain hose and she said her husband said no there were no leaks.
so it seems like everything is working out.
(fingers crossed).

again, thank you all for your replies.
sorry i didn't respond sooner, i had to go to the dr.'s today and have some blood taken. so, i was fasting all morning long and when i got home, i didn't feel too good and laid down for a while.

will keep you all updated if i hear any other news!!!

thank you all again....

much love,
christina/hippiedoll ;o)

 

[stan]

Good luck Hippiedoll

Knowledge is power, and I hope we've given you enough!
Did they seller indicate why it's being sold, or offer any history?

 

[mickeyd]

 

 

Christina ~

 

Loved your saga about nailing down the purchase. Funny and ironic that the 80 year old woman does NOT use or want her wringer and stores it in the gargle, suddenly wanting it out to make room.

So now you get a TREASURE! The round tub is interesting, never had the pleasure of using one. The Gyrafoam might even be more impressive in the slightly smaller and round tub. And Dollgirl are you ever in for a treat when you a see how fast and powerful the pump is.  Great news that there are no leaky oil droppings. A very good sign.

 

It is also amusing that you have to get this past Momma. Have you ever read Turquoisedude's threads, and the shenanigans he has to go through to get "old wrecks" past his disapproving hubby?  

They're really funny, and we all conspire with him in the cloak  & dagger mischief. Such Fun. 

 

[e2l-arry]

My mom had to sneak laundry past HER mom!

To AVOID using the wringer when we visited "The farm" on summer vacation in Cobleskill N.Y. She'd wait until Grandma was busy in the garden or taking a nap. Then Mom would load up all the laundry and head into town to the Laundromat to use the quarter per load automatic Maytag washers. Then she'd try to sneak the clean laundry past Grandma when we got home. I remember her being caught a couple of times and Grandma would be mad. "We have a perfectly GOOD washer right here in the kitchen! Why would you lug all this to town and PAY to use a washing machine?" I couldn't agree more. A couple of times Grandma would get up early and start the whole was production. The Mom HAD to do our wash at home. Grandma had a Speed Queen wringer from 1948. It's still up there in the barn. It was actually my Mom's first washer and she sold it to her folks when she got her 1st automatic, a 1952 Kenmore with suds return.. You'd think for a couple of weeks a year it wouldn't bother her to use it. If nothing else, for old time's sake. But NO! She HATED all the work involved. I, on the other hand was delighted when Mom got busted and had to wash in the old Speed Queen. Thus began my life long love affair with Wringer Washing machines!

 

[hippiedoll]

mickeyd...

believe me, i've got my fingers crossed that everything is on the "up & up" with this wringer washer and that the lady is being honest about the condition of this wringer washer. but once i get there to pick it up, i can check it out in person for myself. and from what i've read on this or the other thread about the wringer washer that homesteadgal bought for herself, i've learned to check the inside, of the rear left leg, to look for any signs of oil drippings, in that area. and also all the other great information that i've learned from replies to this thread that i started!!

i will definitely have to re-read this thread (probably the night before i go to pick up the wringer washer) and probably take some notes & make a checklist in a notebook, to take with me when we go to pick up this wringer washer.

as for turquoisedude's threads about getting "old wrecks" past his disapproving hubby, yes, i think i have read a couple of them. ha ha ha....
where do you think i've gotten the idea of trying to "sneak" in the wringer washer while mom's not home??!!?? LOL......
she is going to flip when she sees it!!!

i'm thinking i'll roll it out onto the side porch and leave it there and just be sure to get to the laundry first, for the next couple of weeks. so, when she finally does beat me to doing the laundry, and she sees the wringer washer & asks me where it came from, i can say, "what that ol' thing, it's been there for awhile now?". ha ha ha ha.....
we'll see what happens???
LOL.....

 

[hippiedoll]

e2l-arry....

i totally know exactly what you are talking about, your mom sneaking laundry passed your grandma, so she wouldn't have to use the wringer washer. but kinda like on the flip side, is happening here!!!

when the weekend hits, if i am busy on the computer and moms is watching t.v., she will go into her room and start separating loads of laundry and will start washing. when she knows that i like to do the washing, to use my maytag GA208!!!

i even tell her, when she says, "i have to do the laundry and get everything ready for work this next week." i'll tell her, "just relax, it's the weekend. you know i can do the laundry during the week!" but it's like she tries to beat me to it sometimes. it's sort of like a "competition" to see who will get to the laundry first!!!
ha ha ha.......

 

[wayupnorth]

Hubby shouldnt be too upset if the price was low and it was in decent shape. Heck, what would an older lady do to hurt it. Mine is well over 50 years old and does leak a tiny bit of oil out of the wringer leg but slipping an old coffee can under it will solve any little mess on the floor. It still runs flawlessly and is so quiet. All you hear is a slight hum of the motor and the swishing in the tub.