Month: July 2021

In the history of technologies, washing machines are one of the most relevant innovations in terms of their social impact and, paradoxically, one of the most misrepresented segments. The unreliability of the patents system at the time led to an absence of factual substance regarding the evolution of an appliance that played such a significant role in the empowerment of women as well as the improvement of sanitary conditions. While many labor-saving technologies have progressively decreased employment rates, the automation of washing machines has boosted economies in many parts of the world and opened the doors to laundry service Sudz and many other businesses to assist people through their busy lifestyles. This article will take you for a spin around the evolution of washing machines, from wooden machines all the way to the high-performing machines you find at our laundromat Sterling Heights, MI.

The pre-mechanization period

Nowadays, you can visit our laundromat Sterling Heights, MI for easy and efficient laundry service Sudz with eco-friendly products and high capacity machines. However, until the late 18th century washing clothes consumed excessive amounts of water, demanded heavy physical labor, harmed the skin with caustic substances and required large investments of time. Hand-powered mechanization imitating the motion of washing with a scrubbing board inspired hand-cranked rotating drums with levers or handles in the mid-19th century to expedite the arduous laundering process. Yet most families in the early 20th century were still using basic wringers and washboards to do their laundry at home.

The advantages of a clean society

Public wash-houses, the 19th century ancestors of today’s laundromat Sterling Heights, MI, were introduced as part of a major sanitary reform in times when cholera, typhoid fever and smallpox were serious concerns. Their impact over the public health and hygiene of the community was as positive as their influence towards the improvement of the laborious laundry methods. Hand washing clothes by the river was slowly replaced by the convenience and salubrity of washing, drying and ironing clothes in these growingly popular wash-houses. For a small fee, a person could have access to soap, water, heat, light and, above all, a practical mechanical washer and a centrifugal water extractor. As running water was introduced into homes, these public laundry facilities gradually disappeared. However, they inspired the earliest prototypes of the washing machines you find today at our laundry service Sudz.

Electrified laundry

As the first step towards electric washing machines, small motors were sold separately to be connected to the hand cranks on washing machines in the 1880s. As long as the unit was powered by a rotary motion, you could hook the electric motor and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to electrify your wooden washing machine. Later on, some washing machines with incorporated electric motors were manufactured by companies such as The Whirlpool Corporation to power the agitation system and the wringer used for pressing water. These early electric machines were not automatic; the operator still had to manually fill and empty the tub, and monitor timings. Hurley Machine Company and the 1900 Washer Company were the pioneers in large scale manufacturing of electric washing machines. Wooden tanks were replaced with metal ones in models such as Thor, designed by Alva J. Fisher, which is among the first patented machines for commercial laundry.

Automatic machines

Three decades later, as electricity became more accessible, domestic washing machines were launched by Bendix Home Appliances. These needed to be fixed to the floor in order to stop them from dancing around the room as they had no drum suspension. This company was the first one to introduce semi-automatic washing machines in 1937. It was a significant milestone in the reduction of human efforts in the laundry process. This machine was able to autofill, regulate the water supply, maintain the water temperature through a thermostat, rinse and spin-dry the clothes. Everything was controlled by a timer. The high production costs and World War II put a hold on the demand of these artifacts, but companies such as General Electric, who launched one of the first front loaders, got rapidly back on track once the economy was restored around the 50s. By this time, machines were becoming fully automatic and the connections to cold and hot water supplies went from temporary slip-on to permanent connectors.

Laundry today

As the popularity of washing machines grew, manufacturers continued seeking for ways to make the laundry process easier. Reducing the size and improving the efficiency of washing machines were focal points in their continuous evolution. In the 90s, washing machines became digital for further automation applied to the selection of cycles, reaching higher user acceptance by caring for delicate fibers. Today, washing machines are a fundamental support to the busy lives of contemporary people. Smart technologies incorporated to optimize the functions and protect the environment are among the ongoing advances.

Laundry service Sudz

At Sudz Laundromat, we strive to deliver the best experience to everyone visiting our laundromat Sterling Heights, MI. From commercial to personal laundry, we save you time and money with our top-grade laundry services. At a small fee, our contemporary version of the old school popular wash-house offers affordable fabric softener, detergent, bleach and soap, as well as free coffee, Wi-Fi, flat screen TV’s, books and magazines to enjoy in a comfortable atmosphere. Visit us at our laundromat near shelby township, MI, to enjoy the advantages of modern washing machines.

Few people truly enjoy household chores, and doing laundry is arguably among the least favorite ones. Yet we underestimate how easy we have it compared to previous generations. The increasingly active lifestyles of contemporary societies veer people’s preferences towards further convenience and practicality. We seldom remember the times when our great grandmothers had to hand wash our grandparents’ dirty socks. Nowadays, you need not even worry about folding your clothes as Sudz Laundromat can do it for you. But how did people wash their clothes before the comforts of sterling coin laundry?

 Washing clothes with your own sweat

 Today’s kids may have never seen a scrubbing board, and neither did the ones who lived before the 1700s. Back then, washing clothes was an all-day activity. In present India, one can still see women doing laundry by the Ganges just as they did in pre-washing machine times in Europe. In the mountains, they take advantage of the thaw that drips down the hill and into their laundry buckets, which they trample with bare feet -just as winemakers used to crush their grapes- or thrust with a stone. Europe and the USA used to wash their clothes in the same way, using nature’s water supply and their own physical labor. The term ‘possing’ is found in early 17th century references suggesting linen being possed (meaning beaten down) in possing tubs with a log of wood. From these natural accessories derived several artifacts such as the wooden clogs for the trampling of laundry that were used in rural Scotland in the mid 1700s. Affluent Europe with easier access to water was able to bring laundry into the comfort of the home. Coppers (big metal pans) were incorporated to heat the water and sticks were used for pounding and stirring. This evolved into ‘washing dollies’, or possing sticks with handles, used for agitating clothes in a tub. There were regional variations across rural Europe, some of which have perforations to help the water circulate, or metal handles instead of wooden ones.

 In the 18th century, the English allegedly invented the ‘washing bats’, similar to their cricket bats but instead of hitting a ball, they were used to beat the laundry against a rock. Although there is evidence of the laundering of linen clothing and other textiles with a flat wooden implement, or bat, in ancient Egypt. The invention of the revolutionary ribbed wooden washboards is also debatable. 1833 seems to be the year of the first patent for a metal washboard, designed by an American. However, by the 19th century wooden washboards were widely used in Scandinavian Norway and Finland, while they were not that common in USA households. Variations of boards with and without grooves were found in other parts of Europe before the 19th century, such as Italy and France.

 The mechanisation of laundry

 The mechanisation of laundry was not a priority during the industrial revolution. Three early designs claim to be the first ever mechanical washing machine: a 15th century idea intended for use in textile manufacturing, a 1670s wheel and cylinder mechanism to squeeze the water out of a laundry bag, and a 1691 patented engine with a long list of possible uses, including washing clothes. Mechanical versions of the washing dollies appeared, like the ‘Yorkshire Maiden’ in Germany, aimed to make the laborious chore of washing clothes a bit easier. Women still had to work the machine, hang the laundry out to dry, starch, iron and every other task involved in the arduous process, but at least they could stay dry while doing so. There are references to other patents for designs intended to save time and reduce the usage of lye, soap and fire but there is no solid evidence of their popularity at the time.

 Laundry trends

 Advertising from late 18th century England shows a trend of washing machines targeted to homes, though it seems that innovations such as rotating drum designs were more popular among hospitals and commercial laundries. Cutting the costs of paid labour inspired more inventions such as the ‘wringing machine’ based on a netting or cloth wrapper for laundry which was twisted, turned and squeezed. Box mangles were used to press household linens and clothes wound on rollers below, or spread flat under the rollers covered by a specially-woven ‘mangle cloth’ to smooth (or iron) them. These artifacts required two people to push and pull the heavy box, filled with stones or sand, back and forth with leather straps or wooden handles.

 The ‘washing mill’, an English patented portable wringing machine, was advertised in America in the late 18th century. Yet the USA did not dabble in laundry technology for a while. In the 19th century, washboards were almost universally used and even in the early 20th century were the prevailing artifact for clothes washing. Many households prior to World War I still had no indoor plumbing or mechanization of laundry. In turn, the washing dollies were used at least until the 1920s.

Nowadays, households without washing machines do not have to resort to strenuous handwashing techniques. A sterling coin, a full laundry bag and a nice stroll to Sudz Laundromat are all that is needed in order to have your clothes cleaned. Lye is replaced with eco-friendly products and your clothes are gently washed instead of smashed with wooden logs. For superior comfort, we even offer pick-up and delivery services. Come to Sudz Laundromat for modern sterling coin laundry, and enjoy the spare time from not having to stir the washing machine.