Spring Laundry

Iron, washing board and "škaf"

Back in the day, the time preceding Easter was reserved for a big spring laundry session. The laundry was first soaked in large wooden tubs and pails (locally called "warnce" and "škafi") and then scrubbed and boiled in large pig-fodder-cooking cauldrons for days at a time. Lye soap was used to remove obstinate stains and ashes were used for bleaching white garments and bed linen. The soaked and washed laundry was then rinsed in clear water from wells, or next to the beds of nearby watercourses. Large pieces of laundry, especially bed linen, were then spread out on nearby bushes to dry.

Washboards and flat irons (locally called "periunki" and "piglajzni") were two of the indispensible items when it came to the big spring wash. While flat irons can nowadays still be found as decorative items in many a house, washboards are more of a rarity. They were simple in design, most often made of wood and therefore less sturdy and not as interesting for long-time storage.