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Electric appliances such as dishwashers have revolutionized cleaning. People may take the existence of these appliances for granted, but the truth is that they save us all a lot of time and energy. In fact they were a major stepping stone in the long and storied history of housekeeping.

What’s more, these days anyone can hire a reliable house cleaning company in Kew Gardens, NY, to take care of their chores for them. But things weren’t always so convenient. This article lays out the fascinating account of how housework evolved through the ages.

What is the history of cleaning?

Cleaning habits and methods have undergone a huge change in the previous century. Numerous inventions led to a more efficient cleaning process, whereas some things have remained the same. Here’s an overview of what housekeeping looked like in the past:

1. Cooking

Cooking used to be quite an ordeal in the past. It was performed on a coal or wood burning stove, which involved extensive cleaning after cooking, as ashes from an old fire had to be removed. Starting a fire wasn’t simple either. People would have to set paper and kindling inside the stove, adjust dampers and flues and light a fire. 

The ash box had to be emptied at least twice a day and it was practically impossible to protect yourself when cleaning. Another issue was preparing unprocessed food for consumption. When people wanted to eat poultry they had to kill it and pluck the birds on their own. All of this made cooking very time-consuming.

2. Cleaning

Cleaning was even more demanding than cooking. Walls blackened and curtains got dirty from the soot and smoke from coal and wood burning stoves. Another problem were the smelly deposits of black soot that gas and kerosine lamps left on furniture and curtains. Nowadays using green cleansers that leave no residue is one of the top dos and don’t of house cleaning.  

3. Doing laundry

Prior to the invention of a washing machine, doing laundry was a lengthy process. Women used to soak clothes in a tub filled with warm water. They would leave the clothes overnight and scrub the laundry on a rough washboard. They used soap made from lye which severely irritated skin. Then they placed the clothes in big vats of boiling water and stirred the laundry with a long pole to prevent the clothes from developing yellow spots.

4. Water supply

People didn’t have intricate pipe systems in the past which made water supply and doing chores a nightmare. Well-off families that lived in cities had private cisterns, whereas the majority of people used the water from a hydrant, a pump, a well or stream located in the vicinity of their home.

For instance, people needed 50 gallons of water per a load of laundry, which means that the average woman carried over 36 tons of water a year.

5. Time consumption

Most chores in the past took a lot of time and energy. Breakthroughs in science and the invention of various appliances made life a lot easier. However, one of the fun facts about home cleaning is that women would spend around 52 hours a week on chores in the previous century, whereas today a full-time housewife devotes 55 hours to housework on a weekly basis. It seems that some things haven’t changed.

Which house cleaning company in Kew Gardens, NY is reliable?

If chores are too arduous and you need a helping hand you can rely on Swipe N Clean. Our seasoned pros provide comprehensive cleaning services and use solely eco-friendly supplies to ensure your safety and satisfaction.

Feel free to go for a walk by the Richmond Hill station while we spruce up your home. Call us today and make an appointment!