ZERO WASTE

IN THE SPIRIT of spring cleaning, consider treating your Craftsman-style home to a vintage washing machine that will launder your clothes and probably start some nostalgic conversations about those good ol' days.

The Easy Spindrier, available at the Seattle RE Store, likely was manufactured in the 1940s or '50s, and this model still works. The washer has two distinct functions: The larger barrel on the left fills with water and jostles clothes for an initial clean; then, clothes are moved to the smaller compartment on the right, which serves as the spin cycle. Both sections are controlled by large handles near the bottom of the machine. The item doesn't come with its original instructions, so consider looking online or watching YouTube videos for an idea of how it works.

This washing machine was salvaged from a 1920s house in Seattle's Lower Queen Anne neighborhood. A builder tearing down the home found the machine in the basement, stored away and not recently used. It's unclear how long this washer was used, but seeing it come alive when plugged in gave its salvagers quite a pleasant surprise.

For sale: The washing machine is going for $200. If you plan to use it for washing clothes, it likely will need a good tuneup and maybe some replacement parts.

Dimensions: It's 3 feet wide, just over 3 feet tall and about 2 feet deep.

Find it: The RE Store is at 1440 N.W. 52nd St. in Seattle. Online at www.re-store.org.

Michelle Ma is a Seattle-based freelance writer. Greg Gilbert is a Seattle Times staff photographer.