The tool is called a "Rubel", in Russian, meaning "Smoother" and it was used for washing and ironing clothes and linens. Fabric was wound onto a wooden roller, a soapy solution was applied, and then the rubel was rolled over the surface of the roller for washing. Dried clothes were also wound onto the rubel and rolled across a table to smooth out any wrinkles and give the fabric a soft and relatively even texture. The rubel was most effective for dense linen and hemp fabrics, but it was rarely used for woolen and lightweight cotton fabrics.