![]() ![]() Continued Improvements & Computerized Models Washing machines still relied on some manual processes until 1937, when the first fully automatic electric washing machine became available. These early models were often connected to a sink using slip-on connectors, rather than the more permanent connections we are familiar with today. Fans were also added to prevent overheating. Yikes! Thankfully, multiple improvements were made to the domestic washing machine over the next decade, including the addition of an enclosed motor to prevent shocks and short circuits. In these early models, electricity was used to rotate the tub, but since the motor wasn’t protected from the water, short circuits and electric shocks were common. Other companies produced electric washing machines as well. Maytag introduced a wooden tub washing machine in 1907, and the company that would later be known as the Whirlpool Corporation began producing wringer washers with electric motors in 1911. Electric Washing Machines for Home UseĮlectric washing machines for home use debuted around the same time as commercial electric models. It was a game-changer in the commercial laundry business. The drum-type washing machine featured a galvanized tub and an electric motor. Fisher and marketed by the Hurley Machine Company of Chicago. Called the Thor, it was invented by Alva J. But in 1908, the first commercial electric washer was introduced. Until the late 1800s, home washing machines were manual, while commercial models relied on steam and belts to operate. While manual washing machines saved a lot of labor, it was the broad adoption of electricity that truly changed the way Americans washed clothes forever. Image Source: Edison Tech Center Electric Washing Machines for Commercial Use In 1876, Margaret Colvin invented the Triumph Rotary washer in Philadelphia. Members of the Shakers also began building and marketing large wooden washing machines designed for small-scale commercial use. William Blackstone also created a manual washing machine as a birthday gift for his wife around the same time. ![]() Two Americans named James King and Hamilton Smith made especially important contributions they each filed patents in the 1850s for what historians sometimes refer to as the first modern washers. In the 1850s, multiple strides were made in the creation of manual washing machines. The Industrial Revolution was a significant factor, as growing urban populations and a newly minted middle class created an unprecedented demand for labor-saving devices. But the washing machine didn’t really catch on in America until well into the 1800s. ![]() Amos Larcom of Watervliet, New York, received another washing machine patent in 1829. In 1797, the first washing machine patent was awarded to Nathaniel Briggs, a resident of New Hampshire. Laundry was done this way for thousands of years. The arduous task of washing clothing would typically be undertaken by women, servants, and sometimes soldiers. If washing clothing at the water source was not possible, multiple trips would have to be made to carry water from the river to a large basin in the home instead. Washing was often done at a riverside and clothing would have to be vigorously rubbed against rocks or a washboard. Image credit: Julia Bujalski Washing Clothes Before Machinesīefore washing machines, doing laundry was a day-long affair. ![]()
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