Other Definitions
mangle (dict)
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MangleA mangle is a mechanical laundry aid consisting of two rollers in a sturdy frame, connected by cogs and, in its home version, powered by a hand crank. It is used to press excess water out of laundry, either between washing and rinsing, or after rinsing. It was invented sometime in the 18th century; it was a cheaper, simplified version of the box mangle. Box mangles were large and expensive; they were used by wealthy households and large commercial laundries. Middle-class households and small-scale washerwomen used the plain mangle. Later in the 19th century, the steam engine was harnessed to laundry purposes and commercial laundries used steam-powered mangles. When washing machines were first invented, they were simply a tub on legs or wheels, with a hand-cranked mangle on top. With the invention of the electric washing machine with its double tub and spin cycle to remove water, mangles disappeared in developed countries, save as antiques to be admired rather than used.
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