Whether a rewarding routine or a boring chore, housekeeping is something we have to do. Exploring the history of housework can help us understand how technology and society have changed, but also show us what we and our predecessors have in common.
One thing is for sure, while you have the luxury of hiring a reputable company in Loxahatchee Groves, FL for its comprehensive home cleaning services, your ancestors did not. How did they manage and what did they use to keep their homes hygienic? Keep reading to find out.
How did people clean before chemicals?
Before anything else, there was water, the first ever substance people used to wash dirt off their hands. You could easily do it on the bank of a river or in a waterfall, and it was quite efficient since the molecular structure of water dissolves many substances.
However, around 2200 B.C. it was the Babylonians who first found a way to bring hygiene to the next level by inventing soap, although they did it accidentally. Since they used water to wash cooking utensils covered in wood ash and animal fat, the combination of these substances inadvertently led to the creation of the first soap ever.
The Egyptians had a similar way of doing it but they used vegetable oils combined with alkaline salts, and the Romans discovered soap by sacrificing animals on top of Mount Sapo. The animal fat flowed down together with volcanic ash and water when it rained straight into the Tiber River.
The witty Greek people found a way to take off dirt without using water or soap. They’d rub their bodies with sand, clay, ashes, or pumice, then cover with oil, finally scraping it all off using metal blades.
When was the first cleaning product invented?
Apart from water and soap which marked the beginning of cleaning history, further development of tools and supplies made our lives today much easier. Here’s a short overview of this evolution:
- 1782: The first patent for a washing machine featuring a rotating drum is awarded to Henry Sidgier.
- 1886: Josephine Garis Cochran designs and patents the first ever dishwashing machine which she later displays at the World’s Columbian Exposition, sparking hotel and restaurant owners’ interest.
- 1898: B.J. Johnson develops the first ever formula for liquid soap made of palm and olive oils – Palmolive.
- 1907: The Scott Paper Company showcases the first paper towels, originally designed to substitute cloths in public restrooms.
- 1912: Originating from Germany, Lysol reaches America, and is promoted as an all-purpose cleaning supply.
- 1943: Proctor & Gamble improves laundry soap flakes by adding certain enzymes and compounds and starts the production of the world-famous laundry detergent – Tide.
- 1998: A significant year for the environment and the use of supplies – an order mandates that all federal facilities must use environmentally preferable cleaning products.
- 2012: Dishwashers are 101% and washing machines are 98% more energy-efficient than they used to be two decades ago.
Who in Loxahatchee Groves, FL provides comprehensive home cleaning services?
Whether you’re not sure if you’re doing everything right, or you’re just too tired and can’t find the way to motivate your loved ones to help you out, it’s time to reach out to Yorleny’s Cleaning Service. With our team of skilled and experienced technicians and their expertise-based approach, we’re able to meet your needs and specific requirements. Take some well-deserved time off and spend a great day with your family at the Lion Country Safari while we take care of your home’s hygiene. Give us a call today and schedule your initial appointment!
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