Washing_Machines

Washing Machines Before washing machines were invented people removed dirt from their clothes by pounding them on rocks and washing them clean in the streams. Sand was used as a malleable cleaning stone for the clothes. Soap was eventually found at a place in Rome called Sapo Hill. People found ashes containing the fat of animals to have great cleaning powers. The first washing "machine" was invented in 1797. Most people called it a scrub board because one would literally scrub the clothes clean. In 1874 William Blackstone decided to build a birthday present for his wife. It was a machine that removed and washed away dirt from clothes. It was made of a wooden tub in which there was a piece of wood with six wooden pegs glued in it. The inside tub looked like a milking stool. The stool moved back and forth with a handle and some gears. The dirty clothes were hooked on the pegs and moved through the hot soapy water. Mr. Blackstone started to build and sell his washers for $2.50 each. When word got out, the competition moved in fast. Most of the early washing machines cost less than $10. In 1861 a clothes, first, washing, washer, time, one, machine, wooden, water, tub, system, people, moved, machines, early, dirt, clean, build, wringer, washers, washed, using, types, type, through, stool, scrub, replaced, removed, pegs, out, new, invented, introduced, inside