Mangle - clothes dryer

[Deleted User]

I hand wash clothes, but this winter to save my hands I'm looking for a mangle to squeeze out the worst of the water before drying in front of the wood stove. I don't want a toy - I want to dry sheets and duvet covers.

I can't find anything on eBay - it looks like they are viewed as an historical item! Can anyone advise where I can buy a decent mangle please.

Slowly57

Just a quick comment - bear in mind that mangles mangle buttons, zips and other fasteners. We had an old single tub and mangle combo years ago and lots of broken buttons lol. (I believe a 'modern' mangle allows you to adjust the roller height to avoid this - ours wasn't 'modern'.).

If you're buying an old one, make sure the rollers are in decent condition (rubber rollers can crack with age, as can wooden ones). I don't think they make full size mangles in the UK any more - you could maybe see if caravan/camping shops have them?

Good luck!

missbiggles1

Why not look for a spin dryer - they don't take up much room and get an enormous amount of water out befor drying. You can pick them up cheaply second hand.

TravellingAbuela

I am a member of a caravan talk forum and a similar question came up on there recently. Obviously for a portable one and not floor standing! It seems new ones are impossible to find here but are readily available in Holland and the USA!

Have you considered a small spin dryer as an alternative? We had one many years ago and the water it extracted (even after being spun in the washing machine) was amazing.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all the help. I'll have to look for a small spin dryer I think. Appreciate the responses, was wondering if I was going wrong with my internet searches.

culpepper

I got mine on ebay. It is from the 40s but the rollers are flawless.

If you tick the EU option down on the left of the page, there are a few listed but you have to wait for customs to okay deliveries sent this way.

Google translate is very useful when reading listings (go into google search and type translate and a box pops up in the results to type or paste straight into)

Mine took 3 weeks from Germany and almost all of that was it sitting in customs in the UK

I have seen numerous old mangles in the UK with pick up only but most are quite large and the rollers are not always useable (you need to look very carefully at the photos).

There are new models from the USA (tick worldwide down on the left) but they are very expensive once you add shipping and taxes.

Searching 'wringer' may lead to more results.

I got mine for power outages .
We use a spin dryer normally . I got that new on ebay from the White Knight outlet.

With a spinner you really need to work in batches.
Follow the wet weight limit and go and hang your spun laundry between batches to give the motor time to cool down before the next batch.

coffeehound

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Why not look for a spin dryer - they don't take up much room and get an enormous amount of water out befor drying. You can pick them up cheaply second hand.

Amen to that. I was going to do a thread on spin dryers since they never seem to get a mention on here!

[Deleted User]

Architectural yards and recycling places sometimes have them but they are likely to be pricey, and they are usually used as 'statement ' pieces in people gardens !!! my old Mum would be spinning in her grave at how daft folk are today :):)

I spent many hours as a skinny child turning the mangle for my Mum and hated every minute of it.

I am afraid I too would plump for a spin dryer. Unless you live somewhere that has long power cuts of days at a time I cannot see the point in having a mangle, but different strokes for different folks.

Even with a mangle they still need to be dried off and a steaming clothes horse in front of the fire may look romantic and 'olde world' but it also encourages damp and mould indoors .

Easier if you got a person with a strong grip on the other end of the thing you want wrung out and they grasped one end and you t'other and you begin twisting in opposite directions as tightly as you can
That gets the worst of the water out

Are you going to wash by hand then perhaps beating on stones in a river ? if not then if you are using a washing machine then it will be spun already, and if its an old fashioned tub then the above method of wringing out works virtually as well as a mangle.

When I was touring the U.S with my friend we used to wash out our tee shirts overnight in the motels and wring them out buy wrapping them in a towel and twisting it in opposite directions then hanging on the shower rail in the bathroom.Virtually dry by the morning as well .

JackieO xx

Nomoonatall

Bad memories of mangles and blisters! There are some on the Preloved website.

Spin dryers are great, but you need to spread the laundry evenly, or you'll end up chasing it!

Caterina

This thread makes me think of what I have always had in mind to do once the kids have left home (it would have been futile to try and do it while they were here, too much stuff to wash all the time):

Washing clothes while in the shower. Let me explain: I already shower with my feet in a bowl, to catch grey water and then use it to flush the toilet.

If I put a few bits and pieces, not jeans or very dirty or heavy things, just light stuff underwear and tshirts, nightie, etc. in the bowl, and stomp on it a bit, with some shower gel, I use the Eco stuff that has no nasties, then use another bowl for rinse (and save that water too for the toilet), I should be able to dramatically cut the washing machine laundry!

I just fear that DH will think I have gone completely bonkers!

Anyone else do this?

BB15

I love that idea Caterina but like you I would never do it because of my husband! Lol.