Two Chinese men use the abacus to calculate for their business. "The abacus was one of the earliest aids to calculation." -Hill, 1921

Chinese Abacus

Two Chinese men use the abacus to calculate for their business. "The abacus was one of the earliest…

An illustration of pants, vest, shirts, and socks hanging on a clothesline.

Clothes on Clothesline

An illustration of pants, vest, shirts, and socks hanging on a clothesline.

A decorative banner of a girl's daily chores.

Daily Chores

A decorative banner of a girl's daily chores.

An illustration of a woman hanging clothes on an clothes line located outdoors.

Hanging Laundry

An illustration of a woman hanging clothes on an clothes line located outdoors.

Two girls doing laundry.

Laundry

Two girls doing laundry.

A laundry closet used to store chemicals and other items.

Laundry Closet

A laundry closet used to store chemicals and other items.

The utensils needed to do laundry in the late 19th century.

Laundry Utensils

The utensils needed to do laundry in the late 19th century.

This sign is used to indicate that a laundry facility is located nearby.

Laundry, Black and White

This sign is used to indicate that a laundry facility is located nearby.

This sign is used to indicate that a laundry facility is located nearby.

Laundry, Color

This sign is used to indicate that a laundry facility is located nearby.

This sign is used to indicate that a laundry facility is located nearby.

Laundry, Outline

This sign is used to indicate that a laundry facility is located nearby.

This sign is used to indicate that a laundry facility is located nearby.

Laundry, Silhouette

This sign is used to indicate that a laundry facility is located nearby.

Sing a Song of Sixpence. The Maid was in the garden, hanging out the clothes.

Maid in the Garden

Sing a Song of Sixpence. The Maid was in the garden, hanging out the clothes.

A mouse scrubbing her laundry on a miniature washboard.

Mouse Laundry

A mouse scrubbing her laundry on a miniature washboard.

"A clothes sprinkler may be made from a milk bottle. In it place a large cork, insert a garden sprinkling spray in the cork. This will dampen the clothes evenly."—The Federal Digest, 1921

Clothes Sprinkler

"A clothes sprinkler may be made from a milk bottle. In it place a large cork, insert a garden sprinkling…

A cartoon of two elderly women washing laundry and talking over a fence.

Two Older Women Washing Laundry

A cartoon of two elderly women washing laundry and talking over a fence.

A clothes washer, or washer, is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels, and sheets. The term is mostly applied only to machines that use water as the primary cleaning solution, as opposed to dry cleaning.

Washing Machine

A clothes washer, or washer, is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels, and sheets.…

An illustration of a woman scrubbing clothes on a washboard.

Woman Washing Clothes on Washboard

An illustration of a woman scrubbing clothes on a washboard.