Wringing

The Favorite 521E wringer attached to a manual wash dolly type machine (920123). Wringer manufactured by J.H. Connor and Sons Ltd., Ottawa, Ontario, c. 1900. Photo courtesy of Imager.

Once the clothes were washed, the woman twisted garments by hand to remove excess water. Manual wringers eased the water removal process. Clothes were run through two parallel rollers made of vulcanized rubber. The pressure between the two rollers -- it could be increased or decreased by adjusting the tension on the spring -- forced the water from wet clothing. A crank and a series of reducing gears transformed the woman's circular arm-movements into the rotation of the wringer's roller. Wringers could be attached to the top of a washing machine (920123), or mounted to a tabletop or sink.