Art, obsession, and identity
Before the 1880s, people wore the same things for a week. To clean their garments, they'd soak their clothes in ashes and urine, as part of a lye mixture.
Patented in 1858, the first ironing board was created by New Yorkers William Vanderburg and James Harvey. It was then called the ironing table.
Dry cleaning is a process that uses a chemical solvent other than water to clean garments. It was first patented in 1821 by American entrepreneur Thomas L. Jennings.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Chinese immigrants in North America started opening up laundry services due to the lack of jobs offered to them. At the beginning of the Great Depression, they were running around 3,550 laundromats in New York City.
An old-school washing machine used almost 50 gallons (over 225 liters) of water per wash. Now that's a lot of water for one go!
In addition to that sweat, your body produces, on average each day, 1/8 cup (40 grams) of grease and sebum. And let's not forget all the dead skin cells and flakes. That's just another reason to toss your used clothes in the washer.
Disney World cast members inside the costumes had to wear company-issued underwear that was shared within the laundry system. However, the rule was dropped in 2001 due to worker complaints about contracting pubic lice and scabies.
One of the earliest forms of washing clothes can be traced back to long sea voyages. Sailors would throw their laundry into a cloth bag and toss it overboard, letting the ocean’s waves clean the dirt and grime out of the clothes.
Laundry day isn't a new concept. In 19th-century Britain, Mondays were typically reserved for women to do the big weekly wash.
In the Middle Ages, many cities across Europe developed communal wash houses, where the women gathered and did their laundry together.
The technique of ironing with heated metal first occurred in China. It can be traced back to the Shang dynasty, (circa 1600-1100 BCE). The electric iron was invented in the US in 1882 by Henry W. Seeley.
Ancient Romans used ammonia from urine to clean and whiten woolen togas. They'd heat it up in water, and stomp on soaked clothes. The collection of urine was taxed.
Laundry was first done in watercourses, where water would carry away the dirt from garments. This method is still used in rural and poorer regions.
Before dryers, drying was done outside in the sun. The sun was also used as bleach to lighten up fabrics. The laundry was spread out on rocks, bushes, and even grass.
By 1915, the electric dryer was introduced. However, due to its cost, line-drying was the most popular method. New technology and lower costs introduced the dryer in more homes decades later.
Instead of wasting water on laundry, astronauts on the International Space Station eject their dirty, worn clothes into space to burn out in the atmosphere.
Evidence has been found that ancient Babylonians understood soap making as early as 2800 BCE. They produced soap by cooking fat rendered from slaughtered animals, water, and lye from wooden ashes.
Laundry is an essential part of everyday life, and chances are you probably don't give much thought to it. Apart from tossing your dirty clothes into a machine, there's a lot more to laundry than what you might imagine. In fact, its history is filled with fascinating facts that date back to ancient times.
Want to know how dirty clothes have been dealt with throughout history? Then check out this gallery. Click on!
Your clothes may look clean after wearing them once or twice, but that's not always the case. A shockingly 70% of laundry soil is invisible.
During the American Revolutionary War, the Culper Ring, a spy ring organized under George Washington, used laundry drying on a washing line to send messages between members.
Produced by the Hurley Machine Company in 1908, the first mass-marketed electric washing machine in the US was called Thor.
With improved technology and environmentally-friendly laws, today’s washers use less water compared to 40 years ago. Manufactures design them now to use around 13 gallons (50 liters) of water.
First hitting the market in 1975 via Bounce, dryer sheets were initially made to help prevent static buildup that occurs in the dryer. Today, they're also used for polishing shoes or removing pet hair from furniture.
As laundry machines weren't an option, those in submarines during WWII had to be strategic about sleeping arrangements. Used uniforms were stored zipped in plastic inside out, under mattresses. This way the smell would be diminished.
Detergent was first manufactured in 1916 during WWI as a result of a soap shortage in Germany. However, it only became a household product in the 1930s.
All that perspiration can lead to stains on areas such as collars and armpits. So make sure to pretreat those areas before throwing the garment into the washing machine.
A shockingly large number of people have fragrance sensitivity. A study by the University of Georgia found that 31% of the participants were irritated by scented laundry products.
Because they were so expensive, dryers only became part of the home in the 1960s. And even so, it is still a luxury for many to this day.
The first washing machine was invented in 1782 in England by Henry Sidgier. Years later, inventions like the hand-powered drum machine helped form the machines we use today.
Thanks to more effective detergents, more technological machinery, and streamlined operations, laundry work has come a long way. But the goal of getting out every last bit of grime stays the same!
Sources: (Scrubba) (Dropps)
Laundry list: surprising and historical facts about laundry
Do you know how laundry evolved throughout the years?
LIFESTYLE Curiosities
Laundry is an essential part of everyday life, and chances are you probably don't give much thought to it. Apart from tossing your dirty clothes into a machine, there's a lot more to laundry than what you might imagine. In fact, its history is filled with fascinating facts that date back to ancient times.
Want to know how dirty clothes have been dealt with throughout history? Then check out this gallery. Click on!