liberatordeluxe
Well-known member
Does anybody own a vintage Hotpoint or Hoovermatic twin tub and if so what is the standard of rinsing like? Do they spin rinse or rinse in another method?
Twin Tub Rinsing
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superelectronic
Well-known member
Twin tub rinsing - in the spin can - was always considered poor-to-average by test institutes when the machines were popular. If you trawl through the archives here for vintage Which reports you'll see they weren't highly rated.
On the plus side, you can rinse as many times as you like. On the negative side, it's heavy going, requires you to redistribute the clothes in the spinner for best results and the finished laundry will look truly dreadful when it emerges from the spinner!
I've tried both Hoovermatic and Supermatic (though I don't own either). You're better off with your Bosch - it's probably more thorough! I suppose one thing to consider is the fact that the twin tub wash solution is less concentrated than in the modern front loader, so may require less rinsing out.
Twin tub veterans may be able to provide greater insight.
On the plus side, you can rinse as many times as you like. On the negative side, it's heavy going, requires you to redistribute the clothes in the spinner for best results and the finished laundry will look truly dreadful when it emerges from the spinner!
I've tried both Hoovermatic and Supermatic (though I don't own either). You're better off with your Bosch - it's probably more thorough! I suppose one thing to consider is the fact that the twin tub wash solution is less concentrated than in the modern front loader, so may require less rinsing out.
Twin tub veterans may be able to provide greater insight.
twin tub
I have a mid-70's Hoover twintub. It is hands-on for sure, and works wonderfully. Rinse with a slow speed warm faucet into the spincan, extract, repeat. Then, pull out the clothes, re-distribute them and rinse 2 more times. Always go for a water off, full speed extraction each time. It works for me everytime. Yes, lots of wrinkles but almost all come out in the dryer. And drying is maybe 15 minutes, due to the incredible extraction speeds.
Twin tubs ARE NOT AUTOMATIC. Once you get over that, yuo will see that they get you throughs tons of clothes very rapidly.
I have a mid-70's Hoover twintub. It is hands-on for sure, and works wonderfully. Rinse with a slow speed warm faucet into the spincan, extract, repeat. Then, pull out the clothes, re-distribute them and rinse 2 more times. Always go for a water off, full speed extraction each time. It works for me everytime. Yes, lots of wrinkles but almost all come out in the dryer. And drying is maybe 15 minutes, due to the incredible extraction speeds.
Twin tubs ARE NOT AUTOMATIC. Once you get over that, yuo will see that they get you throughs tons of clothes very rapidly.
Depends Upon Many Factors
Including how much noise one is willing to withstand and one's standards for rinsing.
For a small mixed load of items where the spin basket isn't that full you can swish things around whilst hosing them down; extract then repeat as often as one feels is required.
Large items IMHO are best extracted out of suds then either returned to the tub (filled with fresh clean water) for rinsing, then back to extractor....
It's all very tedious but can be fun if that is up one's street. Personally since the Whirlpool top loading portable arrived find that machine used over the Hoover TT. The latter is a great machine and does serve a purpose, but again the noise and small capacity can get on one's nerves after awhile.
Including how much noise one is willing to withstand and one's standards for rinsing.
For a small mixed load of items where the spin basket isn't that full you can swish things around whilst hosing them down; extract then repeat as often as one feels is required.
Large items IMHO are best extracted out of suds then either returned to the tub (filled with fresh clean water) for rinsing, then back to extractor....
It's all very tedious but can be fun if that is up one's street. Personally since the Whirlpool top loading portable arrived find that machine used over the Hoover TT. The latter is a great machine and does serve a purpose, but again the noise and small capacity can get on one's nerves after awhile.
Twin tub rinse
Think the only 'semi automatic' twin tub was the spinarinse on the Hotpoint 9414, fill it through the rinse connector, which "showered" the spin can and then the pressure switch tripped for a spin and, then reset when the spin can was empty.
Regards Andy
Think the only 'semi automatic' twin tub was the spinarinse on the Hotpoint 9414, fill it through the rinse connector, which "showered" the spin can and then the pressure switch tripped for a spin and, then reset when the spin can was empty.
Regards Andy
arbilab
Well-known member
On my 1973 Panasonic:
Spin suds back to wash tub.
(Partially) fill spinner from tap, spin that out to drain. Repeat if effluent remains sudsy.
Set that load aside. Continue until wash water needs changing, drain wash tub, refill with tap, agitate rinse previous loads, spin dry.
I'm a rinseaholic, don't believe simple immersion is sufficient. But you can run a twin any way that is satisfactory for you.
Spin suds back to wash tub.
(Partially) fill spinner from tap, spin that out to drain. Repeat if effluent remains sudsy.
Set that load aside. Continue until wash water needs changing, drain wash tub, refill with tap, agitate rinse previous loads, spin dry.
I'm a rinseaholic, don't believe simple immersion is sufficient. But you can run a twin any way that is satisfactory for you.
liberatordeluxe
Well-known member
I suppose one can always use the main wash tub for a thorough rinse once the wash water has been drained. Never owned a twin tub before hence my curiosity on how they rinsed the clothes.
Rinsing in the wash tub
is all very well but it will use a LOT of water, bearing in mind that you may have to change the water several times and if you are doing more than one load (bearing in mind a twinnie has about half the capacity of a modern auto machine) that is likely. If you get a Hoovermatic DL or HotpointSupermatic 9414 there are auto rinse options and the Servis Supertwin has a slightly more manual version of the same. The recommendations given above about re-distrubition are correct added to which you need to take time over the rinsing so the water has time to permeate right to the bottom of the spinner. Note also that clothes will be MUCH more creased coming out of the spinner than out of an automatic so you need to be prepared to iron your shirts at least.
I dont mean to put you off, I have three twinnies and they are fun to use. Another benefit is that you can save and re-use the water not only for the wash but for other things - for example I re-use the wash water to wash the car and outside of my conservatory and I also save the rinse water for those as well. And watering the garden before this torrential rain started! The other thing is that 1. you will need to have somewhere to store and use it and 2. if you buy an vintage machine it will likely need some remedial attention before you can use it, so dont go OTT on the price
Al
is all very well but it will use a LOT of water, bearing in mind that you may have to change the water several times and if you are doing more than one load (bearing in mind a twinnie has about half the capacity of a modern auto machine) that is likely. If you get a Hoovermatic DL or HotpointSupermatic 9414 there are auto rinse options and the Servis Supertwin has a slightly more manual version of the same. The recommendations given above about re-distrubition are correct added to which you need to take time over the rinsing so the water has time to permeate right to the bottom of the spinner. Note also that clothes will be MUCH more creased coming out of the spinner than out of an automatic so you need to be prepared to iron your shirts at least.
I dont mean to put you off, I have three twinnies and they are fun to use. Another benefit is that you can save and re-use the water not only for the wash but for other things - for example I re-use the wash water to wash the car and outside of my conservatory and I also save the rinse water for those as well. And watering the garden before this torrential rain started! The other thing is that 1. you will need to have somewhere to store and use it and 2. if you buy an vintage machine it will likely need some remedial attention before you can use it, so dont go OTT on the price
Al
paulc
Well-known member
My Mum used to spin the suds out of the load then remove it from the spinner and put the load on the wash lid, she would then rinse each item under running water as she dropped it into the spinner. When all the load was back in the spinner she would fill it up, spin and repeat this way of rinsing three times.
mikeklondon
New member
Rinsing
Most of my family had Twin tubs and I think they all used the method Paulc's mum used. Spin suds back to washer tub if needed for 2nd load. 1st rinse was in a bowl of warm water, back in the spinner, 2nd rinse an tap running to an overflowing bowl of cold water spin again, 3rd same again + 4th if needed followed by 4/5 minute final spin. by that time the 2nd load in the wash tub would be finished and ready to rinse. This process was repeated about 10/12 times for a family of 4
Monday major clean change beds sort washing treat stains and put in to soak + shopping cooking
Tuesday was usually a 7 am start
Bedding Whites 2/3 Loads
Dining room Whites 1 load
Kitchen Whites 1
All above soaked and boiled then change water
Light Shirts 1 load
Dark Shirts 1
Whites Underwear 1
Change water
Bathroom whites Towels face cloths ect boiled
Lights 1
Darks 1
Socks 1
Duster ect 1
Wednesday was spent
Ironing most of the day
Most of my family had Twin tubs and I think they all used the method Paulc's mum used. Spin suds back to washer tub if needed for 2nd load. 1st rinse was in a bowl of warm water, back in the spinner, 2nd rinse an tap running to an overflowing bowl of cold water spin again, 3rd same again + 4th if needed followed by 4/5 minute final spin. by that time the 2nd load in the wash tub would be finished and ready to rinse. This process was repeated about 10/12 times for a family of 4
Monday major clean change beds sort washing treat stains and put in to soak + shopping cooking
Tuesday was usually a 7 am start
Bedding Whites 2/3 Loads
Dining room Whites 1 load
Kitchen Whites 1
All above soaked and boiled then change water
Light Shirts 1 load
Dark Shirts 1
Whites Underwear 1
Change water
Bathroom whites Towels face cloths ect boiled
Lights 1
Darks 1
Socks 1
Duster ect 1
Wednesday was spent
Ironing most of the day
If One Looks At Rinsing From The Point Of View
Of top loading (American style) automatics (usually one rinse), or other manaul or semi-automatic means of doing the wash (including wringers), spray rinsing and or one deep rinse in a tub (the twin's or otherwise) probably will do. OTHO if you are looking for the deep clean rinsing from say front loading washers with their multiple deep cycles you may be in for allot of work.
Of top loading (American style) automatics (usually one rinse), or other manaul or semi-automatic means of doing the wash (including wringers), spray rinsing and or one deep rinse in a tub (the twin's or otherwise) probably will do. OTHO if you are looking for the deep clean rinsing from say front loading washers with their multiple deep cycles you may be in for allot of work.
mikeklondon
New member
Lots of work
Hi, looking back now I think with time I had forgotten how much work the old twin tub was, I was born in 1954 and brought up by 4 aunts + my dad following the death on my mum when I was 4 the big + of this was 5 washing machines and vac's to play with. One had a Thor and no kids of there own and had a easy life in comparison to the rest who had TT's. I think my dad was the 1st in the family to buy a fully auto machine around 1967/8 when he remarried.
Hi, looking back now I think with time I had forgotten how much work the old twin tub was, I was born in 1954 and brought up by 4 aunts + my dad following the death on my mum when I was 4 the big + of this was 5 washing machines and vac's to play with. One had a Thor and no kids of there own and had a easy life in comparison to the rest who had TT's. I think my dad was the 1st in the family to buy a fully auto machine around 1967/8 when he remarried.
Methinks There Is Also The Fact If Soap
Was used for laundering (as it was with twin tubs and wringers) froth from the wash goes away quite quickly once water is changed. However that does not equal all the stuff was rinsed away from laundry. Only when the rinse water was clear and free from scum would the wash be properly considered "clean".
You couldn't pay me enough to do the washing for anymore than a single or maybe couple using a twin tub. I'd rather have one or even better two wringer washers. They hold more for a start and there is less tangles.
Was used for laundering (as it was with twin tubs and wringers) froth from the wash goes away quite quickly once water is changed. However that does not equal all the stuff was rinsed away from laundry. Only when the rinse water was clear and free from scum would the wash be properly considered "clean".
You couldn't pay me enough to do the washing for anymore than a single or maybe couple using a twin tub. I'd rather have one or even better two wringer washers. They hold more for a start and there is less tangles.
mikeklondon
New member
Soap factor
I fully agree with you about the soap, Interesting WW's tangle less than a TT.
Question when did fabric softener come in to use, all I can remember as a kit was starch and blueing in the final rinse
I fully agree with you about the soap, Interesting WW's tangle less than a TT.
Question when did fabric softener come in to use, all I can remember as a kit was starch and blueing in the final rinse
Fabric Softeners/Conditioners
Had been known since early in the last century. Textile makers developed them to deal with the harsh feel fabrics had after the dying process. Basic formula for a cotton softener was: seven parts water, three parts soap, and one part olive, corn, or tallow oil.
Later chemists developed better formulas and fabric softeners were used by commercial laundries. Sometime in the 1960's P&G developed Downy fabric softener and marketed it for home use. IIRC Unilever came out with their own version around that time for the European market. The rest as they say is history.
Fabric softener really became "necessary" as more and more households began using tumble dryers and more domestic textiles were made from man-made fibers. Also the switch to terry cloth for bath linens as well. The latter fluffs up more when tumbled dried after using fabric softener, and former needs the stuff to avoid static cling.
Had been known since early in the last century. Textile makers developed them to deal with the harsh feel fabrics had after the dying process. Basic formula for a cotton softener was: seven parts water, three parts soap, and one part olive, corn, or tallow oil.
Later chemists developed better formulas and fabric softeners were used by commercial laundries. Sometime in the 1960's P&G developed Downy fabric softener and marketed it for home use. IIRC Unilever came out with their own version around that time for the European market. The rest as they say is history.
Fabric softener really became "necessary" as more and more households began using tumble dryers and more domestic textiles were made from man-made fibers. Also the switch to terry cloth for bath linens as well. The latter fluffs up more when tumbled dried after using fabric softener, and former needs the stuff to avoid static cling.
hoovermatic
Well-known member
Interesting
...that this subject should appear because I was thinking about this only this morning. When I was a young child my Mum had a Philips Top Twin Deluxe twin tub and she ALWAYS rinsed in the spin can. Those machines had a facility on them whereby the spin pump could run even if the spinner was stationary and the lid was up, as well as a virtually perforation free spin can, unlike a Hoovermatic. So she would spin off the wash water, pile up the clothes on the wash tub lid as the next load washed, and drop in the spun items one at a time, saturating them with clean water until the whole lot was loaded. She would then run more water over the top and let it drain through before running the spinner. She only ever rinsed once, never used softener and used Persil or Fairy Snow, which was easy to rinse out in those days being a soap powder as opposed to synthetic detergent. It was a good feature of those machines that the spin pump ran independently of the spin can that allowed her to do this. I don't remember her doing it any other way.
...that this subject should appear because I was thinking about this only this morning. When I was a young child my Mum had a Philips Top Twin Deluxe twin tub and she ALWAYS rinsed in the spin can. Those machines had a facility on them whereby the spin pump could run even if the spinner was stationary and the lid was up, as well as a virtually perforation free spin can, unlike a Hoovermatic. So she would spin off the wash water, pile up the clothes on the wash tub lid as the next load washed, and drop in the spun items one at a time, saturating them with clean water until the whole lot was loaded. She would then run more water over the top and let it drain through before running the spinner. She only ever rinsed once, never used softener and used Persil or Fairy Snow, which was easy to rinse out in those days being a soap powder as opposed to synthetic detergent. It was a good feature of those machines that the spin pump ran independently of the spin can that allowed her to do this. I don't remember her doing it any other way.
liberatordeluxe
Well-known member
@hoovermatic perhaps that is the issue then, the fact that detergents are no longer soap based which is why they are bloody difficult to rinse out of clothes. As i have a water softner i am going to buy Harveys Washing powder specially formulated for soft water and it is made by an ex employee who used to work for P+G! If only Persil stuck to being a soap based product i am sure rinsing wouldn't be an issue.
Judging by all the comments regarding twin tubs i am not sure i can be bothered with one to be honest they sound a lot of hard work compared to automatic front loaders or top loaders.
Back to soap powders does anyone know why modern detergents foam loads and are difficult to rinse compared to Persil of the 80's and early 90's?
Judging by all the comments regarding twin tubs i am not sure i can be bothered with one to be honest they sound a lot of hard work compared to automatic front loaders or top loaders.
Back to soap powders does anyone know why modern detergents foam loads and are difficult to rinse compared to Persil of the 80's and early 90's?
liberatordeluxe
Well-known member
@ Superelectronic did you say you had hard water where you lived and it made no difference to how detergents rinsed off fabrics?
superelectronic
Well-known member
Errmmm...
...not exactly. I think what I did say was that detergents still cause foam into the final rinse in spite of using a high-level rinse machine even with hard water. Bear in mind here that I am dosing for hard water so using more detergent than someone with soft water. Perhaps if I cut that dose in half I'd have fewer suds, but having seen the detrimental effects on a machine of light-handed dosing in hard water, I'm not about to start doing that.
I'd warrant that having soft water does make it harder to rinse in terms of knocking back the suds, but as to whether clothes are any better rinsed in hard water is tricky to say. For example, if you took two identical loads of washing - one washed and rinsed in soft water, the other in hard - then agitated each load in a tub of plain warm, soft water, would we see the same amout of sudsing from detergent residue, bearing in mind the load washed in hard water would have had more detergent used on it?
Perhaps we should also consider whether suds are the ultimate indicator of rinsing performance too. Who's to say that a detergent that doesn't foam is leaving any less residue on the laundry?
Good luck with your specially formulated detergent anyway. It has to be said that P&G's UK powders are generally more sudsy than others, just for the record.
And as for TWIN TUB RINSING, well...tried it twice and gave it up as a bad job after that! I'll probably give it another go at some point in the future though.
...not exactly. I think what I did say was that detergents still cause foam into the final rinse in spite of using a high-level rinse machine even with hard water. Bear in mind here that I am dosing for hard water so using more detergent than someone with soft water. Perhaps if I cut that dose in half I'd have fewer suds, but having seen the detrimental effects on a machine of light-handed dosing in hard water, I'm not about to start doing that.
I'd warrant that having soft water does make it harder to rinse in terms of knocking back the suds, but as to whether clothes are any better rinsed in hard water is tricky to say. For example, if you took two identical loads of washing - one washed and rinsed in soft water, the other in hard - then agitated each load in a tub of plain warm, soft water, would we see the same amout of sudsing from detergent residue, bearing in mind the load washed in hard water would have had more detergent used on it?
Perhaps we should also consider whether suds are the ultimate indicator of rinsing performance too. Who's to say that a detergent that doesn't foam is leaving any less residue on the laundry?
Good luck with your specially formulated detergent anyway. It has to be said that P&G's UK powders are generally more sudsy than others, just for the record.
And as for TWIN TUB RINSING, well...tried it twice and gave it up as a bad job after that! I'll probably give it another go at some point in the future though.
