The Evolution of Laundry

Have you ever thought about the history of laundry? Probably not. One of the most basic, domestic tasks is something we hardly think deeply about, but when you look back to the beginning, it has come a long way. From ancient civilizations washing dirty clothes in rivers to hundred dollar machines washing clothes with a small detergent pod, you have to wonder - when and how did we arrive to this level of laundry washing?

In 1760, the the first soaps for laundering were mass produced, and continued to grow as the Industrial revolution came and thrived. The first "scrub boards" arrived in 1796, and the first "clothes dryer" (hand powered of course) were invented in the early 1800's. The first "hand powered" washing machine was not invented until 1851, and in 1861 the first clothes wringer was added to the washing machine. It wasn't until 1858 that the first rotary washing machine was built by Hamilton Smith, and at the break of the 1900's wooden wash tubs were replaced with metal tubs. Only 8 years later, the first electrical washing machine was invented, and the first electrical dryer soon followed, appearing in 1915. And the rest as they say, was history.

P&G were the first company to get the ball rolling on the laundry business, which started with them launching brands we use today such as Downy, Bounce and Tide. The first laundromat was opened in 1934 in Texas, and four electric washing machines were rented to customers on an hourly basis. Soon after, self service laundromats appeared all over the U.S., and people started to use them more frequently with the rise of cities and apartments without laundry rooms. 

Today, laundromats are used by over 86 million people in the U.S., and there are about 35,000 coin laundromats operating in the U.S. With population growth, and the increasing amount of people renting apartments instead of owning houses, the laundromat business continues to grow. There is even a Coin Laundry Association established to help growing laundromat businesses. 

So as you can see, doing laundry has always been a large part of society, and it is a basic human need that has grown and advanced over time. Basically, that is why we are here. We know people have crazy schedules today, and we want to help take care of your laundry needs so that you can focus on more important things like family and work. There is a need for clean laundry, and we are here to provide it! As history shows, as our basic needs advance, so do our methods and services, which is why we only offer the best! 

For more information visit: www.Southplazalaundromat.com

You can also call 508-752-9426 and inquire about our pickup/delivery and wash/dry/fold services!