Ben Harlan, scientific leader of the station, doing his laundry
Philip K Swartz - 1960-61 - South Pole Station - Antarcticans Database Project more

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With water at an absolute premium, we allowed a shower once a week, and laundry once every 10 days. Overall water consumption ran about 5 Gal/person/day. It was obtained by digging and hauling snow to a large asphalt melting kettle that was heated with diesel burners. This was an "all hands" evolution and very strenuous. As the snow was melted, it would be pumped to a couple of large storage tanks in the old garage (a heated building) and then just as with diesel fuel, when needed it would be pumped to small end-use tanks in the buildings. The only buildings that had water to be used were the sick-bay, the galley, ther washroom/laundry/shower, and the scientific building.

Pictures from Philip K Swartz, overwinter, South Pole, 60-61