The History of the Washing Machine

Welcome to History Class. In today's video we will talk about the history of the washing machine, how were people cleaning their clothes before its invention, how were the early models working, and what we should expect from the latest innovations in the field of washing machines. Ancient peoples cleaned their clothes by pounding them on rocks or rubbing them with abrasive sands and washing the dirt away in local streams. Evidence of ancient washing soap was found at Sappo Hill in Rome, where the ashes containing the fat of sacrificial animals was used as a soap. On ships, the crew washed their clothes by placing the dirty laundry in a strong cloth bag and tossing it overboard, letting the ship drag the bag for hours. The principle was reliable, forcing water through clothes to remove dirt. The earliest washing machine was the scrapboard invented in 1797. It would not be until the 19th century when steam power would be used in washing machine designs. American James King patented the first washing machine to use a drum in 1851. The drum made King's machine resemble a modern machine. However, it was still hand-powered. In 1858, Hamilton Smith patented the first rotary washing machine. Less than 20 years later, in 1874, William Blackstone built a birthday present for his wife. It was a machine which removed and washed away dirt from clothes. This was the first washing machine designed for convenient use in the home. Electric washing machines were advertised and discussed in newspapers as early as 1904. Alva J. Fisher has been incorrectly credited with the invention of the electric washer. The inventor of the electric washing machine remains unknown. The first completely electric-powered washing machine was named the Thor, invented by Alva J. Fisher. It was introduced in 1908 by the Hurley Machine Company of Chicago, Illinois. A patent was issued on August 9, 1910. The Thor was a drum-type washing machine with a galvanized tub and an electric motor. One of the biggest problems of early electric washing machines was that the water often ran to the electrical parts. This resulted in short circuits, sparks, and overheating. It is presumed that the first laundromat opened in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1934. It was run by Andrew Clayne. Patrons used coin-in-the-slot facilities to rent washing machines. Washer design improved during the 1930s. The mechanism was now enclosed within a cabinet, and more attention was paid to electrical and mechanical safety. Spin dryers were introduced to replace the dangerous power mangle or ringers of those days. Appendix Corporation introduced the first domestic automatic washing machine in 1937, having applied for a patent in the same year. Over time, manufacturers of automatic washers have gone to great lengths to reduce cost. For instance, extensive gearboxes are no longer required, since motor speed can be controlled electronically. In 1978, the first microchip-controlled automatic washing machines were produced. In the early 1990s, upmarket machines incorporated microcontrollers for the timing process. This proved reliable and cost-effective, so many cheaper machines now also incorporate microcontrollers rather than electromechanical timers. In 1998, New Zealand-based company Fisher and Paykel introduced its SmartDrive washing machine line in the US. This washing machine uses a computer-controlled system to determine certain factors, such as load size, and automatically adjusts the wash cycle to match. It also used a mixed system of washing, first with the ecoactive wash, using a low level of recirculated water being sprayed on the load followed by a more traditional style wash. The SmartDrive also included direct-drive brushless DC electric motor, which simplified the ball and agitator drive by doing away with the need for a gearbox system. In 2008, the University of Leeds created the washing machine concept that uses only a cup or less than 300 ml of water and 20 kg of reusable plastic bits to carry out a full wash. The machine leaves clothes virtually dry and uses less than 2% of the water and energy otherwise used by a conventional machine. As such, it could save billions of liters of water each year.