Evolution of Laundry Services: From Hand-Washing to High-Tech

Laundry is one of the oldest tasks of human activities. This task came to light exactly when people started to wear clothes to protect themselves from external harm like sun, wind, rain and infection. From the age of hand washing clothes to machine washing with advanced technology this service has passed a long way of its evolution. In this blog, we will look at the evolution of laundry services in London and all over the world: from hand-washing to high-tech technology. 

The Early Days of Laundry Services

Laundry service has been traced to more than thousands of years ago in ancient Rome then this service spread to London and all over Europe. where people used to wash their laundry or stained clothes in streams and rivers.  The royal people used their bathroom both for bathing and laundry cleaning. In medieval times, laundry was a laborious task. People wash their laundry using lye, clay and animal fats. To remove dirt and stain they used to soak their laundry in water and then hit them with a wooden stick or rubbed them on a washboard. After that, they wash their laundry in water and hung to dry.  Over the course of time, the first ever washing machines were invented during the industrial revolution. It was patented by Mr. Hamilton Smith in 1858. But this could not reach the mass people because it was bulky and expensive, and only the wealthy could afford them. However, Alva Fisher designed the first electric washing machine in 1907 which was also enormous, heavy, and costly, and they required a significant amount of manual labour to operate.

The Rise of Self-Service Laundries

Self-service laundries first appeared in the early 1900s, allowing consumers to wash their clothing using self-service machines. These laundries grew popular among middle-class families because they were less expensive than hiring a washerwoman or taking clothes to a public laundry. Louis Goldenberg invented the first coin-operated laundry machines in 1934, and they immediately became popular and facilitate 24-hour laundry service in London and other European countries. The first automated washing machines began to appear in the 1950s. They were more effective and user-friendly than older types. These devices paved the way for modern laundry services in London and improved family laundry efficiency all over the world. Automatic washing machines had advanced in affordability and accessibility by the 1960s, becoming a common gadget in most homes.

The Emergence of High-Tech Laundry Services

The laundry industry has developed into a high-tech industry today, with revolutionary equipment and technology. The availability of 24-hour laundry service with self-service machines, drop-off laundry services, and dry cleaning is common in many cities, including London. These laundries have advanced equipment that makes it possible to quickly and efficiently wash and dry clothing using less water and energy than conventional machines. Ozone washing is one of the most recent technologies introduced in the laundry services in London and other parts of the globe. The highly reactive gas ozone can destroy bacteria and dirt in clothing. It cleans clothes more thoroughly than regular detergents using less water and energy. Additionally, it also reduces the need for hot water and lessens the carbon footprint of the laundry industry.  Using Robots in sorting and folding is another aspect of technology that is being used in the laundry industry. Clothes sorting and folding are now being done by robotic equipment, which reduces human labour. With them, laundry services take less time and are less expensive but more effective and can process garments more quickly than humans. This also boosted the service provider to secure 24-hour laundry service in their area. In addition to these technologies, many laundry services in London like Hamlet Laundry now offer online booking and payment options, and laundry services have also gone digital. Customers can now book and pay for laundry services via a secure website. The management of operations and order tracking are both made easier for laundry service providers by digital technology.

The Future of Laundry Services

Technology still continues to advance, and that’s why the laundry industry will continue to evolve and become more efficient and convenient than anytime before. In the future, we can expect that washing and drying clothes will be more quick and efficient tasks with more sophisticated and advanced machines. We may also see the use of artificial intelligence too that will optimize laundry processes and reduce energy consumption. The use of Eco-friendly products, like detergents and softeners, is the new global trend in this current world. People are aware of environmental effects and impacts on the earth, now they know what and which suits the most to lessen the use of water and energy while doing laundry effectively at the same time. 

Conclusion

The laundry industry in London anywhere in the world has evolved significantly from the age of hand-washing clothes in rivers to machine washing at home.  With the latest technology and highly advanced equipment, it has become a high-tech sector now. Since customers’ expectation has also evolved the laundry industry expanded more and reached the customers’ doorstep. As this development continues we may see more sophisticated and high-quality laundry services like Hamlet Laundry services in London and all over the world which will increase the efficiency and environmentally friendly nature of 24-hour laundry services in the future.