Have you ever taken a second to look around and just appreciate the items that assist you and your lifestyle? It’s easy to overlook all the things that help us during our day-to-day tasks, taking our cleaning appliances and devices for granted. Now that it’s the month of giving thanks, there’s plenty to be grateful for. The necessities are always top of mind when it comes to giving thanks, a roof over our head, food in our stomach, and clothes on our back. However, many of our modern conveniences get overlooked. In this post we’ll share 5 amazing inventors that have added comfort to our lives, and the inventions to be thankful for.
1. Hubert Cecil Booth: Inventor of the Electric Vacuum
If you’re a big fan of having clean floors and not having to beat your rugs outside on a regular basis, then give a big thanks to Mr. Hubert Booth. In 1901, Booth invented the world’s first electric vacuum in London which set off the industry to create the vast range of electric vacuums we have today. At the time, other vacuum designs blew out air to lift dirt from carpets and surfaces and was highly strenuous. Booth’s design used an electric motor to suck up dirt through a filtration system with great force. In the current era our vacuums have evolved immensely from Booth’s original idea, from the creation of sweeping bots and even cordless, lightweight electric vacuums.
2. Josephine Garis Cochran: Inventor of the first Practical Dishwasher
Josephine Cochran formed the idea to create a practical dishwasher after finding her fine China plates chipped and damaged from hand washing in the 1880’s. Although other dishwasher designs existed, these designs used coarse bristles that would scrub dishes and still damage plates in the process. Cochran created and patented the first dishwasher design using water pressure without scrubbers that was operated by a hand-cranked motor to spin hot soapy water from a bottom broiler onto the dishes without chipping them.
3. Alva Fisher: Inventor of the Modern Washing Machine
The idea of what we know as a washing machine is credited to Mr. Fisher. In 1908, with the help of the Hurley Electric Laundry Equipment Company in Chicago, he introduced his design which the company labeled the Thor. The Thor was the first commercial electric washing machine, powered by an electric motor, using steam and belts. Other laundry machines at the time had to be hand-cranked. Although the Thor did not yet have the mechanism to wring out the soaking laundry at the end of the cleaning cycle, it’s largely credited to be responsible for the revolution of today’s modern washer.
4. John Hammes: Inventor of the Garbage Disposal Unit
John Hammes had the same thoughts as most of us do when thinking about having to dispose of spoiled food: it’s gross. In the 1916 he began to form his idea for reducing garbage inside the home in his basement in Wisconsin. After years of testing different mechanisms and prototypes, he invented the first garbage disposal system. His final product was a compact motorized grinder that grinded and crushed food into tiny bits so that food waste was able to be washed down the kitchen sink without clogging pipes. He started his own company and began to sell his product which was called In-Sink-Erator in 1935. The company is still around today and continues to innovate garbage disposal products.
5. Mary Anderson: Inventor of Windshield Wipers
Lastly on the list, we have to give appreciation to Mary Anderson for inventing vehicle windshield wipers in 1903. Although this is the only invention on our list that isn’t a home device, it’s an equally important cleaning device that is not only a modern convenience but a driving necessity! Anderson was struck by the idea on a snowy day, riding a trolley in New York City, noting how many drivers needed to open their windows to be able to see through the snow and storms. She had the idea to place a lever inside a vehicle that controlled a rubber blade attached to a spring-loaded arm. This lever was balanced in weight to keep the wiper on the window and moved across to wipe away rain and snow. Because of Mary Anerson, the hazards of driving in hazy conditions have been reduced and driving safety has improved.
