How to Change the Oil in Ironrite Mangle Irons
In the 1940's and 50's, a businessman required from five to seven clean shirts every week: at least one for every day and Sundays too. These cotton shirts looked best when starched and ironed crisply.The laborious chore of ironing the shirts fell on the homemaker with her ironing board and iron. The marvelous mechanical ironer reduced both time and labor involved, and while it excelled at all flat ironing, the mangle ironer could produce a perfect-looking shirt in minutes with minimal effort. The problem was that learning to use the machine was complicated and time-consuming.
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Clean the housing of the ironer with a soft cloth and an all-purpose spray cleaner to remove dust and soil. Disposable cleaning cloths or soft paper towels are convenient for this purpose.
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Locate the oil drain on the machine using the manufacturer's manual, if possible. The drain is usually located on the lower right side above the table. Open the drain and catch the used oil either in a plastic container or with disposable cloths. Soak up any remaining oil before continuing.
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Add no more than six ounces of lightweight gear oil, SAE 50, to the gearbox. Such oil can be purchased in an auto supply store or discount store. 3-in-1 all purpose oil is suggested as a suitable substitute for the original oil
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Clean the machine housing again, removing any trace of the new or old oil. Keep the ironer surfaces clean in order to prevent soiling of laundry.
References
Tips
- Keep the Ironrite machine upright when moving it unless the oil has been drained. Tilting the machine will cause the oil to spill.
- Change the oil in the Ironrite only once every two or three years unless it is heavily used.
Writer Bio
Karen W. Waggoner is a retired teacher and lifetime scribbler. She has published short stories, essays in anthologies and periodicals. Waggoner is the author of the memoir, "On My Honor, A Navy Wife’s Vietnam War." She is a graduate of Stetson University, the University of Connecticut and Christian College for Women.
Photo Credits
- George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images
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