Monday would have been laundry day.  Clothes may have been put to soak Sunday night, making them easier to clean Monday.  If not soaked the previous night then a little ammonia should be added to the wash water to help loosen the soil.

Proper sorting and order of loads is as important as the washing technique.  Fine flannels followed by nicer whites then colored flannels, bed linen and coarser pieces.  More than one load would have been washed and rinsed in a single tub of water.

Water would be heated on a fire and soap would be added to the nearly boiling water.  As the steam wafted out of the kettle with the smell of lye soap in the air several pieces of laundry would be added to the pot or wash log.  The woman of the house or her daughter would have stirred the clothing with a long wooden stick.  When they had soaked sufficiently (several minutes), the clothes would be lifted, heavy and wet, from the kettle with the stick and placed in a wash tub for scrubbing on a washboard.  From there the clothes went to a rinse tub and finally were hung to dry on a clothesline.  Time and help permitting, the clothing would be ironed while still damp. If it was not possible to iron on Monday the clothes would be dampened and rolled for ironing on Tuesday.

Mending could be done before or after washing.   Regular inspection of washboard, tubs, and wringers was necessary to prevent wash day damage to clothes.  Stains could be removed by a variety of substances.  For oily stains—cold water; ink stains—milk or lemon juice; wine—dry salt on wet stain followed by boiling water; fruit stains—boiling water; paint—turpentine; mildew, rust or grass stains—lemon juice.

Plain cooking was necessary on wash day.  Planning ahead on Saturday by making Monday’s dessert was advised.