First the clothing was checked for holes or rips and had to be mended.

Water was hauled from the well or a nearby river. Everyone in the family helped to carry buckets (pails) of water. There had to be enough water for washing and rinsing. Water for washing was heated in an iron kettle or metal washtub. Rinsing was done in cold water.

A cake of homemade soap was cut into pieces or chips and added to boiling water. Clothes were sorted and soaked in hot soapy water. The whites were washed first, then the colored clothes and finally the dirtiest clothes. A long stick was used to stir the clothes around in the hot water and to pull the clothes out.

Dirty clothes were scrubbed on a washboard.

Then the clothes were scrubbed on the washboard with homemade soap to remove the dirt. A cake of soap was rubbed over the stains. The cloth was rubbed up and down on the ridges of the washboard and dipped in water. This was very hard on the arms and fingers and a person's back would get sore from bending over.

The wash water was reused until it was too dirty. Then more clean water had to be heated.

To get out the soapsuds, the clothes were rinsed in cold water. If more than one rinse was needed two tubs were used. The clothes were wrung out by hand or with a wringer. A wringer had rollers and a crank that would turn the rollers and squeeze the water out of the clothes. It required a lot of effort to turn the crank. Then the clothes were hung on lines outdoors to dry. Clotheslines were tied between trees or buildings. Laundry was also spread out on the grass or on bushes to dry.

In the winter snow was melted for washing. Lines were stretched across the room near the fireplace (or stove) and most of the clothes were dried indoors.