A brief history of laundry

Ever since people have worn clothing, laundry has been washed. This task was previously mainly for men. This was because it was hard work because the laundry was washed rivers and kicked with feet or pounded with large stones. The typical tools such as washboards and washtubs were invented only later. Our entertaining overview chart shows how the story of laundry washing has evolved and has when the first washing machine from Bosch countless liberated uncountable housewives from the hard work of laundering.

• Before 1800: Washing was an event of several days. In some households it was common to only wash two to four times a year.
• Around 1800: Wash houses open. They mostly contain tubs of hot water and washboards in wooden frames.
• About 1850: The "mangle" is invented. Simply built from two long rollers in a frame and a crank to revolve them. This is the first mechanical revolution of laundry.
• 1886: The first workshop. Robert Bosch’s first workshop is the milestone for an ongoing success story that already lasts for more than 130 years.

• From 1904: Conquest of electric washing machines. Primitive from our point of view but groundbreaking for the period of time.
• From 1934 Laundromats everywhere. These self-service laundries make mechanical laundry accessible for almost anybody.
• From 1937: The domestic automatic washing machines gain ground. Because technology gets better and more affordable.
• 1958: First automatic Bosch washing machine. This marks the breakthrough of the automatic washing machine in Germany.

• 1972: Bosch sells its first combined wash dryer. A revolutionary product during a revolutionary time in history.
• 1993: Bosch goes green. And converts its production in Germany, Greece and Spain completely to CFC and FC-free.
• 1999: Bigger washing drums. Bosch presents the first washing machine with a 6 kg drum.
• 2009: Bosch presents VarioPerfect. It is the first feature that lets the consumer choose if the washing circle should be extra fast or extra efficient.

• 2010: Introducing Bosch i-DOS technology. It automatically adds liquid detergent to suit the type and quantity of laundry.
• 2011: The very first twin-design. For the first time the design of Bosch Home Professional washing machines and dryers is accurately aligned..

*Up to 99.99% reduction of E. coli, C. albicans, S. enterica, A. brasiliensis, S. aureus, bacteriophage MS2 in the washing programme "Mix cold" with liquid laundry detergent at recommended dosage and a load size of 4 kg – investigation MB 7623/15 dated July 29th, 2015 conducted by wfk-Institut für Angewandte Forschung GmbH commissioned by BSH Hausgeräte GmbH.