Since people started to cover themselves with clothes, they have been looking for a way to wash it. See in the photo gallery several manual methods and tools of use.

Several attempts to achieve an efficient washing machine since the industrial revolution have been well documented, such as a patent application filed in 1691, an advertisement in 1752 in Gentlemen's Magazine and another patent application for a rotary machine in 1782, all in England.

In the photo gallery you can see an advertisement from 1860 comparing the ancient and the “modern” way of washing clothes.

William Blackstone, in 1874, perfected the washing machine, as a gift for his wife, building a tub with a crank to turn the internal mechanisms. This apparatus recogía the clothes and it moved by the water, considering that the suciedad had come off during the movement.

It was only with the invention and popularization of the electric motor, at the beginning of the 20th century, which resulted in a washing machine that worked more efficiently. It is important to note that, until that moment, all types of washing machines were manual or used some type of animal traction, as seen in the photo gallery, a machine driven by goats or dogs.

It was only in 1908 that the first electric washing machine appeared, called “Thor” and that it was presented by Alva J. Fisher, an inventor who worked for the Hurley Machine Company and that he was the holder of the patent, although it was not possible to know that he was the true inventor. From there, he started the production on a large scale.

As the invention evolved, it also created the challenges for manufacturers. In the beginning, a motor and a mechanism were needed, something that could improve the functioning of the machine, but that not require so much energy, that could burn it or overheat it.

Despite advances, the washing machine was not yet common enough to be found in homes. It was only in 1936 that people, despite the Great Depression, started to buy washing machines for their homes. Before that, American women, when it was possible, used a local laundry, where they could find several new and shiny machines, along with small boxes of detergent and even refreshments and sweets. This culture of self-service continues until today in the United States.

By the early 1950s, American manufacturers were already marketing machines that not only washed clothes, but also spin-dried them.

For women, the possibility of having a washing machine has become both a blessing and a curse. It certainly made life more convenient, saved precious time, and was easier than getting the job done by spending an entire day at a dry cleaner's or doing the work by hand.

Going to the laundromat wasn't just an assignment, it was also a social event. American laundromats were the places to chat, share, catch up and grab a bite to eat, while washing machines did the heavy lifting. Owning a machine at home ended this social life.

Contemporary domestic machines are manufactured in two basic models, front opening or top opening. The top opening ones, more popular in the United States, Australia, Brazil and part of Europe, receive the laundry in a vertically mounted cylinder, with a central agitator and have the lid at the top.

Front opening machines, most popular in Europe and the Middle East, have a horizontally mounted cylinder, without a central stirrer, but with a watertight door and a glass window. Both models have the ability to wash automatically, driven by an electric motor, running wash, rinse and spin cycles that are pre-programmed according to the type of garment.

The use of digital electronics currently replaces complex mechanical systems previously used to control washing. Connected to an electric power point, a water inlet point and a waste water outlet, with programmable controls and a deposit for soap and softener, they work without supervision, washing, rinsing and removing excess water by centrifugation. Some more modern machines also dry clothes with hot air after washing. They can also have their electronic control connected to a computer network, allowing monitoring and control over the Internet.

We at PHOENIX LAUNDRY SYSTEMS are experts in equipments for professional laundries. Discover our entire line of washer extractors, tumble dryers, horizontal ironers, monoroll/multiroll ironers and folders. 

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