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The Development Of Washing Machines Over The Decades

What is for certain these days is that our lives as they relate to household chores such as washing of laundry has been made much easier by something like the development of washing machines over the decades. This commonplace household appliance (is also available as a commercial model) has made the act of washing clothes far easier then we've generally known in our history.

Author: Annie Deakin
Date: Feb 19, 2010 - 10:14:00 AM

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What is for certain these days is that our lives as they relate to household chores such as washing of laundry has been made much easier by something like the development of washing machines over the decades. This commonplace household appliance (is also available as a commercial model) has made the act of washing clothes far easier then we've generally known in our history.

As a technical definition, these sorts of machines are of the kind and type that makes washing laundry such as clothing, sheets or linens much easier. The term 'washing machine' is normally given to a type of machine that makes use of water to clean laundry. It usually doesn't include those machines that are used in dry cleaning or ultrasonic cleaning processes.

Before the washing machine itself was invented, people usually manually washed and scrubbed their clothes through a variety of methods. Throughout much of our history, the most common method was pounding or scrubbing laundry or clothing on a rock that was lying next to a river. The classic washboard -- made of corrugated tin -- was developed to eliminate scrubbing of clothing on rocks.

People have been clamoring over the years for something like a washing machine and that clamoring eventually resulted in the earliest versions of a washing machine, though it probably wouldn't be recognizable today. Most of these machines back then made use of manual cranking and human power to clean clothes, for the most part. Some machines were also powered by gas engines.

Additionally, most early machines made use of wood as their primary material. The wooden tub would be filled with water and that water would be squeezed out of clothing that was washed and then reused for washing of other clothing throughout the day. Once metal came to be commonly used, a small fire could be started under the tub to keep water heated. Eliminating soap and water from clothing required a separate process.

In order to do so, laundry would be taken from the top and then squeezed or wrung out. Eventually, it could be removed from the tub and then wrung out by means of what are called wringers. In the beginning, these wringers were hand-cranked or manually operated. Over time, the clothing could be run through a set of wringers that were electrically powered.

It was not until the 1930s -- when electricity was ubiquitous throughout much of the country, that better washing machines could be developed. Electrical motors by that time were of a small enough size that they could be used to operate the top of the washer so that it could be spun rapidly. Prior to consistent electrical motor quality, washing clothes and getting them clean was kind of hit or miss.

Today, just about anyone of a certain age can recall scenes in their mind of mothers or other people washing clothes in washing machines that had a set of wringers standing above the tub. Those who are even older might also recall these same wringers being operated by hand. Regardless, most everyone would say that the washing machine has done more to alleviate drudgery than most any other home appliance.

Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer. Her current area of specialism is computer desk, bedroom furniture sale, bedroom sale

View all articles by Annie Deakin

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