Memories: Ironing

It is hard to believe that at one time, almost everything had to be at least ironed, if not starched and ironed. There was no taking it out of the drier, giving it a shake, and hanging it up. No, taking the clothes down from the outside clothesline was just one step in the process of doing the wash. Sheets and towels came in off the and were folded and put away; I know many people ironed their sheets but we only ironed pillowcases and we didn't starch them as many did. 

 Pretty much everything that was worn, other than underwear, was starched and ironed. After washing and before hanging on the clothesline, the clothes were starched. There was the box of Faultless starch that was used to make the starch base, then depending on how stiff you wanted the article to be the base was diluted. What, you say, where is the spray can of starch?? Ah, my dear, there was a time even before spray starch, hard as it is to believe. Anyway, after the clothes were washed and starched and dried on the line, and brought in, it was time to start dinner and ironing would have to wait until Tuesday (because washing day was Monday, as everyone knew.) The damp clothes would be rolled up and put in the ice box to await ironing. 

 The next day, the ironing board would be set up near a window or in front of the fan if it was summer and the radio would be turned on to music or a soap opera and ironing would commence. If the clothes had dried out too much, there was the Coke bottle with a sprinkler head corked on the top and filled with water to dampen the clothes. Shirts and blouses, then skirts and petticoats, slacks and jeans, and last pillowcases and any crocheted doilies. It was a good days work and then it was time to make dinner. 

 No wonder our mothers told us to take care with our clothes!