Traditional Wooden Laundry Tongs

Mass Production

• The mass production of laundry tongs led to them becoming part of life in homes across the country by 1900, instead of using sticks to help lift the washing. Washing was still done by hand. Often, people had two sinks with a division on which it was possible to secure a wringer. Items were washed in one sink, then fed through the wringer to remove the soapy water. They dropped into the neighboring sink, where they were rinsed. The wringer was cleaned and the laundry was fed through it in the reverse direction to remove the rinsing water. The tongs were used to lift items being soaked in a boiling solution of soap and water. These were placed in the sink before being cooled off, and fed through the wringer.

The First Washing Machines

• The arrival of mass produced washing machines made laundry tongs even more of a household essential. Indeed, some washer manufacturers included a free set with each machine purchased. The tongs were now used to fish out items which had sunk to the bottom of deep washing machine tubs. This allowed the person using the machine to retrieve the items without having to place most of her arm in the detergent solution.

Spin Dryers and Twin Tubs

• The arrival of spin dryers, used in conjunction with stand alone washers, provided another use for laundry tongs. Items were lifted out of the washer with the tongs, and dropped straight into the spin dryer. Sheets and blankets still had to be lifted by hand. However, the advent of twin tub washers allowed the tongs to take the initial weight of these heavier items, with one corner being fed into the base of the spinning drum. The remainder of the item was then fed across between the tub and the spinning drum by hand.

Modern Day Uses for Tongs

• Laundry tongs remain a useful way of retrieving small items left at the bottom of upright washer tubs when the wash cycle has finished. They are also used to lift items soaking in dye out of the dye solution. They provide a safe means of lifting laundry out of bleach solution.