Washing Machine

Before the invention of the washing machine, people used to wash their clothes by rubbing them in water, and pounding the clothes using wooden sticks or rocks. Later, people invented scrub boards to help in washing clothes. Some discovered that they could clean their clothes by putting their clothes into a barrel filled with detergent like alkaline and stir them using a wooden stick. At sea, the sailors would drag their clothes  at the stern (the back most part of a ship or boat) to clean them using sea water. After some time, manually operated washing machines were invented; it came in a wooden box with a handle. In order to wash your clothes, you were needed to put your clothes into the wooden box filled with water, and by rotating the handle; you would be able to stir the clothes inside to clean them.

Another early invention of the washing machine was to put clothes into a bag. One end of the bag was fixed while the other end was attached to a wheel and a cylinder. By rotating the cylinder, we would be able to clean the clothes. After the invention of the steam engine,manually operated washing machines were replaced by automatic ashing machines. In 1884, commercials advertising for washing machines sounded like this, even a kid can wash 6 mattresses in 15 minutes.

The first electric powered washing machine was invented in 1901 by an American by the name of Alva J.Fisher. In the mid 1930’s an American company manufactured the first washing machine which could wash, rinse and spin with a time control ability. Due to its convenience, it was widely accepted and used by people around the world.

In the 1960’s, the first drum type washing machine was introduced. Eventually, with the invention of more powerful detergents, it helped improve the development of the household washing machine. Currently, there is a variety of washing machines, but their concepts and methods are basically the same as a hand wash-with rubbing, pounding,physical stirring actions and chemical reactions.

Food for Thought :

Improvement  of an invention can be achieved through many cycles of the innovation process.

Short Stories on Discoveries, Inventions, Innovation & Creativity

AAET and UTAR, 2015

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