Have you ever thought about what cleaning was like before vacuum cleaners? Imagine using just brooms, dustpans, and a lot of elbow grease to clean your house. Thankfully, the vacuum cleaner was invented, and it changed the way we clean forever.
But who came up with this brilliant idea? Let’s take a journey back in time to find out.
Who Invented The First Vacuum Cleaner
The idea of cleaning carpets with a machine started in the 19th century. People were tired of using brooms and beating their rugs to remove dirt. The first vacuum-like devices weren’t like the ones we have today. In fact, they didn’t even have motors! The early models were hand-operated and needed a lot of muscle to use.
Daniel Hess Vacuum Cleaner
The history of the vacuum cleaner begins in 1860 by Daniel Hess of Iowa. Daniel Hess created a device that used bellows to create suction. But it wasn’t exactly what we would call a vacuum cleaner today. It was more of a mechanical sweeper that could pick up dirt, but it wasn’t very effective.
What Did The First Vacuum Cleaner Look Like
Who invented the vacuum cleaner in 1868
In 1868, Ives McGaffey came up with a vacuum cleaner that you had to power by turning a hand crank. It wasn’t easy to use, but people still bought it, and it sold well for many years. Later, in 1876, an inventor named Melville Bissell took that idea and improved it, creating a popular line of cleaners that people really liked.
Hubert Cecil Booth
The real breakthrough came in 1901, thanks to an English engineer named Hubert Cecil Booth. Booth saw a demonstration of a machine that blew air to move dust around, but he thought, “What if we sucked up the dust instead?” That simple idea changed everything.
Booth invented a large machine that worked on suction power. It was so big that it had to be parked outside the building, and long hoses were fed through windows to clean inside. People even had “vacuum parties” where Booth’s machine was used to clean their homes while they watched. However, his invention was too large and expensive for most households.
James Kirby Vacuum Cleaner
In 1906, James Kirby came up with a new idea for vacuum cleaners that changed everything. He used a mix of air and water to trap dust and dirt, which helped reduce how much dust got released into the air. He got a patent for his idea and started a company that still makes vacuum cleaners today using his designs.
The First Portable Vacuum: James Murray Spangler
While Booth’s vacuum was groundbreaking, it wasn’t practical for everyday use. Enter James Murray Spangler, an Ohio janitor who, in 1907, invented the first portable electric vacuum cleaner. Spangler was struggling with dust in his workplace, which triggered his asthma. So, he decided to build his vacuum using a fan motor, a soapbox, and a pillowcase to collect dust. This simple invention laid the foundation for modern vacuum cleaners.
William Hoover Vacuum Cleaner
In 1908, James Murray Spangler, an American janitor with asthma, invented the first upright vacuum cleaner. He noticed that the dust from cleaning carpets made his asthma worse, so he created a “Suction Sweeper” to help. Spangler gave one of his first models to his cousin, Susan Hoover. Her husband, William Henry Hoover, bought the patent from Spangler that same year and started The Hoover Company to make the vacuum. Spangler stayed on as a production manager, and Hoover paid him royalties until Spangler passed away in 1925.
Who invented the vacuum cleaner in 1908
Spangler sold the patent to his cousin’s husband, William Hoover, in 1908. Hoover saw the potential and improved the design, making the vacuum cleaner smaller and more efficient. Hoover’s company became one of the biggest names in vacuum cleaner history, and soon, the Hoover vacuum became a household name.
Who Really Invented The Vacuum Cleaner?
While several people played a part in the development of the vacuum cleaner, Hubert Cecil Booth and James Murray Spangler stand out as the key inventors. Booth created the first suction-powered machine, while Spangler made it portable and accessible to everyone.
History Of The Vacuum Cleaner Timeline
The invention of the vacuum cleaner completely changed how we clean our homes. Instead of spending hours sweeping and dusting, vacuum cleaners made it possible to clean quickly and easily. Over time, vacuum cleaners became more affordable and practical, with features like disposable bags, powerful motors, and even robotic models that clean on their own!
1876 – The Bissell Carpet Sweeper
- Inventors: Melville and Anna Bissell
- Invention: The carpet sweeper
- Details: This early manual device used rotating brushes to clean carpets. Queen Victoria herself had her royal carpets “Bisselled.”
1898 – John Thurman’s Gas-Powered Cleaner
- Inventor: John Thurman
- Invention: Gas-powered vacuum cleaner
- Details: Thurman’s machine blew particles into a bag, and he offered it as a cleaning service, rather than selling the device.
1901 – Hubert Cecil Booth’s Petrol-Powered Vacuum
- Inventor: Hubert Cecil Booth
- Invention: Petrol-powered vacuum cleaner
- Details: Booth invented a large machine parked outside homes, with long hoses passed through windows. It was the first to use suction instead of blowing dust away.
1905 – Walter Griffiths’ Portable Vacuum
- Inventor: Walter Griffiths
- Invention: Griffiths Improved Vacuum Apparatus for Removing Dust from Carpets
- Details: A portable, easy-to-store device with bellows and tools for sucking dust, resembling modern vacuums.
1906 – James Kirby’s Cyclone Concept
- Inventor: James Kirby
- Invention: Vacuum cleaner using air and water to reduce dust emissions
- Details: Kirby’s idea revolutionized vacuum cleaner design, leading to the creation of the company that still manufactures Kirby vacuums today.
1908 – James Murray Spangler’s Upright Vacuum
- Inventor: James Murray Spangler
- Invention: The first upright vacuum cleaner
- Details: Spangler, a janitor suffering from asthma, invented a vacuum using a motor-driven fan and a pillowcase. He sold the patent to his cousin’s husband, William Hoover, who founded The Hoover Company.
1909 – Fred Wardell’s Cylinder Vacuum
- Inventor: Fred Wardell
- Invention: First cylinder-style vacuum cleaner
- Details: This lightweight vacuum had attachments to clean upholstery, floors, and walls, and was sold by Wardell’s Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company.
1912 – Electrolux’s Lux 1
- Inventor: Axel Wenner-Gren
- Invention: Lux 1 vacuum cleaner
- Details: This Swedish vacuum became the first in a long line of vacuum cleaners from Electrolux, selling millions worldwide.
1927 – Miele’s Melior Vacuum
- Inventor: Carl Miele
- Invention: Melior vacuum cleaner
- Details: The German company Miele produced its first vacuum in 1927, and it remains a family-owned brand today.
1978 – James Dyson’s Bagless Vacuum
- Inventor: James Dyson
- Invention: Cyclonic bagless vacuum cleaner
- Details: Frustrated by losing suction in bagged vacuums, Dyson created the first bagless model after five years and 5,127 prototypes. Dyson vacuums revolutionized the industry and became a global brand.
2002 – iRobot Roomba
- Inventor: Helen Greiner
- Invention: Robot vacuum cleaner
- Details: The Roomba can clean rooms autonomously, navigating obstacles and returning to its base to recharge.
2000s – Cordless Vacuum Cleaners
- Details: Cordless vacuums became popular, following the trend of cordless power tools, offering up to 60 minutes of cleaning time on a single charge.
Next time you vacuum your home, you can thank these inventors for making your cleaning routine a whole lot easier!
