Did you know that the first mechanical washing machine was invented far back in 1851, while the first domestic automatic washing machine was introduced in 1937?

The washing machine is an incredible invention that has changed our lives for the better. It saves time and energy, and money, and helps the environment by reducing water consumption. Before the washing machine, people had to wash their clothes by hand, a laborious process that could take hours and even days depending on how many garments needed to be cleaned. The frequency of washing clothes varied by culture, income, and class.

The first washing machine was invented in the 1850s. It wasn't until the early 20th century that more advanced washing machines were invented, including those with electricity and mechanical parts. However, the act of hurling laundry into a tub that does most of the work is barely 250 years old. And we owe it all to the man who invented the washing machine and the like-minded individuals who improved on the concept until the automatic washer (and even dryer) were born.

The earliest washing machines were hand-operated. It was made up of a large wooden tub that had a hand crank to wash the garments. A woman would fill up her tub with water, soap, and clothing, then scrub them clean by hand or with a washboard on top of it. This process was time-consuming and labor-intensive--but it was all that people had at the time!

Rumour has it that the earliest washing device was not the brainchild of John Tyzacke but an Italian called Jacopo Strada (1515–1588). The official history of the washing machine seems to begin with patent 271. This was the number that British inventor Tyzacke received for his machine in 1691.

To many, the Tyzacke machine is seen as the world’s first real washing machine but the truth was more remarkable. The so-called “engine” beat the nonsense out of a lot of stuff. This included minerals to break them apart, preparing leather, pounding seeds or charcoal, refining pulp for paper and washing laundry by hitting the clothes and raising the water.

Jacob Schäffer (1718 – 1790) was a creative and busy man. The German-born scholar was fascinated with fungi and discovered heaps of new species. Besides being an author, he was also a professor, a pastor and an inventor. Schäffer was a stellar inventor especially in the area of paper production. But it was his design for a washing machine that he published in 1767 that earned him a place in the history books.

Schäffer was inspired by another machine from Denmark which, in turn, was based on a British creation not unlike the Yorkshire Maiden. In 1766, he published his version (apparently with several improvements). Despite all the tweaks, somebody still had to worry the laundry inside the tub with a crank. The invention enjoyed more success than Tyzacke’s. Schäffer himself made sixty washing machines and Germany continued to make more for at least a century after that.

The first rotating drum machine was not automatic but it was certainly a step in the right direction! Henry Sidgier registered his invention in 1782 for which he received English patent 1331. Sidgier’s rotary washing machine consisted of a wooden barrel with rods. It also had a crank to help turn the drum. As the drum turned, the water flushed through the rods and washed the laundry.

One of the first US patents for a washing machine was granted in 1797. The inventor was a man called Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire. Today, we have no idea what this washing machine looked like because, in 1836, a huge fire tore through the Patent Office. Many records were lost, including the description of Briggs’ invention. Seven years after the fire destroyed the work of Briggs, another patent for a washing machine was granted to an American – Jno Shugert of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. It was US Patent 3096 and thankfully, a good description of the device exists today.

Shugert combined what he called a “fiat washboard with a box.” His design claimed that the device could wash clothing without harm. In other words, the fabrics were not unduly rubbed or pressed during the washing process. To use the machine, Shugert advised soaping the clothing beforehand and put them inside the box before filling it with water. Working the handles of the washboard, the laundry was agitated back and forth, constantly kept in motion until they were spanking clean.

James King invented the first mechanical washing machine in 1851. He created a drum-based device that used water pressure to agitate clothes and remove dirt. Hamilton Smith patented the rotary version of this design in 1858, which soon became more popular than its predecessor. In 1868, Thomas Bradford invented another commercially successful model that resembled today's washing machines--you could say it was worth the wait!

The first domestic automatic washing machine was introduced in 1937 by Bendix Home Appliances, a subsidiary of Avco. The machine wasn't like the automatic washers of today, judging by its technical design and appearance, but it did have the majority of modern features. The machine lacked any drum suspension and it was not very popular at first because it was expensive. It wasn't until 1952 when General Electric released their first spin dryer that the market really took off, but even then they were still very expensive machines that only affluent families could afford.

There are several different types of washing machines available today, including automatic machines that you can program to do your laundry automatically at any time during the day or at night. In more recent times we have seen washing machines become smaller and cheaper due to competition between manufacturers.

Sources: History Cooperative | TCL