52 
House & Garden 
P L A N N I N G THE MODERN LAUNDRY 
A Scheme for the Complete Washing, Drying and Ironing Equipment Together 
With Suggestions for Laundry Construction 
VERNA COOK SALOMONSKY 
M ONDAY'S operation nat¬ 
urally starts with the 
clothes chute and for this the 
use of a glazed terra cotta pipe 
of at least 15" diameter is rec¬ 
ommended, although plaster 
on metal lath is often used, in 
spite of the difficulty of suc¬ 
cessfully plastering the inside 
of a chute. A great conven¬ 
ience results from the provi¬ 
sion of doors in the kitchen and 
bathroom above so that linen 
from either floor can be thrown 
directly into the hamper in 
the laundry below. These 
doors should be of the self¬ 
closing type as a prevention 
against fire and dust. 
From the hamper the clothes 
are assorted and then placed 
in the electric washer which 
should be, if of the stationary 
type, alongside the laundry 
trays, or, if movable and pro¬ 
vided with a swinging wringer, so placed as to 
provide easiest manipulation of clothes from 
<the washer, through the wringer and into the 
tubs. Good light and direct plumbing are 
factors in determining the position of both 
trays and washer. 
Washing Machines 
Of the numerous electrically-driven wash¬ 
ing machines now obtainable we find some 
models with wood shells, some of cast iron, 
some of copper with all steel frames and even 
those for attachment on twin stationary tubs, 
and each working on a different principle. 
There is one type in particular which differs 
radically from the others, in that it operates 
on the vacuum or suction principle; the dirt is 
not expelled by a constant rubbing against 
cleated or corrugated surfaces but by forcing 
the water through the garments, which does not 
wear out the materials or injure delicate laces. 
This model is complete with an electric wringer 
which swings in any desired position and is 
also provided with a small gas heater attached 
to the underside of the machine to keep the 
water hot or to boil the clothes at the same time 
that they are being washed. 
For whatever starching is necessary, water 
can be boiled on an electric stove kept during 
the week in the cabinets. 
The clothes are now ready to be dried. Open 
air drying is, of course, always advisable but 
unfortunately not always possible and so the 
thoroughly equipped laundry 
should have an artificial dryer 
so as not to disrupt the house¬ 
hold schedule. There are sev¬ 
eral types of dryers to be had 
in almost any size; however a 
dryer containing less than three 
compartments is hardly ade¬ 
quate for the average family. 
These dryers are heated either 
by gas, electricity or steam, 
and one type has a gas stove 
exposed in the room. This is 
a good feature in a laundry 
where a stove is desired but 
otherwise it is not to be ad¬ 
vised, as the wasted heat only 
tends to increase the tempera¬ 
ture of the laundry. 
Ironing Equipment 
After drying, the next im¬ 
portant step is ironing. Those 
pieces which are ruffled or 
cannot be ironed flat should be 
put to one side for hand ironing. Everything 
else can be ironed by the ironing machine. 
This is operated by either gas, electricity or 
gasoline, and, where no mechanical power is 
available, by hand. So much has already been 
written on the intrinsic and labor economy of 
the electric ironer that a word here in com¬ 
mendation seems superfluous. 
A table should be rolled into a position near 
the ironer convenient for the laying of the 
finished work. A sanitary and inexpensive 
table for the laundry is one with a composition 
top which does not crack from heat, and which 
is supported on a white metal or natural 
maple frame. 
The ironing board with its electric or gas 
iron attachment should be provided for the 
ironing of the more elaborate pieces, such as 
shirtwaists and summer dresses. To one model 
is added a pivoting sleeve board which may 
be pushed back when not in use. For those 
who prefer a separate iron, a stand equipped 
with main and sleeve boards only can be had, 
and, for the too compact laundry a portable, 
folding ironing board should be used, which, 
when not in use, can be folded up against the 
wall. In some communities electric power for 
operating these machines can be obtained at 
the commercial rather than the domestic rate. 
The machines should all be on separate cir¬ 
cuits so as to avoid fuse blow-outs when two 
or more machines are working simultaneously. 
(Continued on page 72) 
The electrically driv¬ 
en washing machine 
is the first essential 
piece of equipment in 
a modern laundry 
This plan is devised to meet the 
requirements of an average family 
and the equipment is installed in 
positions that save time and steps 
Cabinets for supplies 
and accessories 
should be built into 
the laundry. Brooms 
may be kept here 
The clothes hamper stands below 
the chute. Close to it is the elec¬ 
tric dryer with one of the sections 
pulled out ready for the clothes 
The clothes pass 
from the tubs to the 
washing machine 
and are then placed 
in the dryer at the 
left 
Two kinds of iron¬ 
ing machines are 
provided—a large 
roller for flat work 
and a hand iron for 
the other 
