Laundry is a common household chore—when did it first begin?

Every week, people all around the world work on their laundry. The reason is simple—we all want clean clothes! Given the fact that laundry is such a clear and constant part of our lives, most of us can’t imagine a world without it. However, the truth is that laundry did originate somewhere. In this post, we are going to discuss the invention of laundry and its many exciting developments throughout history.

The History of Laundry

Laundry is one of those chores that most people wish they could skip, but everyone has to do (unless you work with a great laundry service, of course!). We can’t imagine a world without it—but remember, human beings were not born with laundry or clothes. Let’s explore laundry through the ages. 

The Introduction of Laundry

The first introduction of laundry is a tale as old as time. After people started to wear protective covering and clothes, there became a need to keep them clean. From washing away dirt and sweat to cleaning off clothing after working with animals or tending to the sick, at some point in time, we began washing our clothes. Older variations were likely nothing more than a simple rinse in the nearby river, but it was a start. No one knows when the first article of clothing was washed, but we do know it had a huge impact. 

The Evolution of Laundry

Throughout the years, our approach to laundry has changed significantly. Like everything else, we started to realize that laundry was more effective with tools. We beat blankets to shake dust and dirt loose, and we started using washboards to scrub our clothes clean and remove some of those more stubborn stains. As we continued to wash and hang dry clothing, we learned more about how to get  clothes clean and free of certain kinds of stains. This was a huge improvement. 

The Modern Version of Laundry

The world changed in the 1700s when modern laundry as we know it was first invented—at least the first few stages of it. It was during this time that the world’s first washing machine was invented. Before long, we had a growing market around laundry. We had machines to do the grueling manual labor, and people started making products to clean clothing and push back against stains. 

Today, we have even more convenience thanks to the help offered by laundry services. These services can handle your laundry for you, and they will even pick it up and deliver it too!

The Takeaway

Laundry has been an important task for a very long time, and it changed the world for the better. Without it, we wouldn’t have fashion or enjoy each other’s company like we do today. Whether you need a casual wash or you want to test out a laundry delivery service, we are happy to keep advancing the world of laundry one load of clothes at a time!