Mother Hubbard Washboard

Before the intention of washing machines, all laundry was done manually. One of the key components in this process is a washboard, like this Mother Hubbard Standard Roller Washboard made by Mother Hubbard Incorporated from Mendote, Illinois, on display. To wash your clothes in the 19th and early 20th centuries, first you needed to prepare a tub of soapy water and soak the clothes, especially whites, for 10-15 minutes. Then, place a section of the wet, soapy garment onto the corrugated surface of the washboard and rub it vigorously, applying pressure to scrub out dirt and stains. You can reapply soap directly to stubborn areas as needed. After washing, wring out the soapy water and transfer the clothes to a tub of clean rinse water. Rinsing thoroughly, usually requiring two or three rinses. Finally, Wring out excess water from the clean clothes and hang them to dry. Alternatively, you can use this wash board as a music interment which can be played by dragging, tapping, or striking its surface with various implements like thimbles, whisks, or bottle openers to create rhythmic sounds. And in a jug band or Zydeco music, the washboard often plays on the off-beats (like the second and fourth beat in a four-beat measure) or provides counter-rhythms to other percussion instruments.