The Curious Autodidact

Children enjoy ride on steam powered train

Last summer the 20-something daughter of a friend came home complaining about her dry cleaning bill and it was all I could do not to jump down her throat about the waste of money and all the chemicals she was being exposed to. I calmly asked her why she didn’t hand wash and she said she didn’t know how! I was astonished to learn this and later asked her younger sister about her hand washing skills and she didn’t know either, but her philosophy was if it didn’t go in the washer and dryer she didn’t wear it. Naturally I sent them both this little on-line tutorial about hand washing and encouraged her to save money by not tithing her pay to the local dry cleaner.

I have never taken for granted access to a washing machine. Hardly a week goes by when I use the washing machine that I don’t think about how many women have no access to such machines, who must carry water from far far away to hand wash the family’s clothes.

Here’s a clever article about saving money on washing and another on-line calculator that will help you to realize how much you are spending each time you run these great inventions that so many of us are fortunate to have access to in our homes, down the hall, or in our neighborhoods.