The invention of the vacuum revolutionized housecleaning just over one hundred years ago, and cordless vacuuming has taken convenience one giant step further than that.

Once upon a time, women had nothing but a broom to pick the dust off the floors. If you have never tried it, using a broom to clean a carpet is extremely difficult. To help make this task more efficient, the very first carpet sweeper was invented in 1860. It had a rotating brush and bellows which generated suction. However, it was never mass-produced.

Several improved carpet sweepers were invented in the years following, including one that had a hand-operated fan and models powered by both gas and electricity.

The First Vacuum, Ever

The first true motorized vacuum was invented in 1901 in England by Hubert Cecil Booth. This machine was driven by an internal combustion engine. It was so massive that it needed to be placed on a horse carriage.

Despite its bulkiness, the vacuum sold well and proved to meet its goal of simplifying housework. Since then, people have continued to come up with more and more improvements to make things even easier. Vacuums have gotten smaller, lighter, and easier to maneuver and care for.

Some things that made vacuums easier are the concepts of an upright model and disposable bags. Better motors helped make smaller models possible. The use of plastic helped vacuums get lighter. A vacuum that functions wirelessly has been one of the most significant improvements so far.

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With a cordless vacuum, there is no more need to trip over cords or replug the cleaner in once you are too far from the outlet. And of course, you do not need to go through the process of wrapping and unwrapping the cords before and after use.

The First Cordless Vacuum

The very first cordless vacuum was sold by Black & Decker in 1979. This vacuum ran on batteries and was dubbed the "Dust Buster". The Dust Buster was handheld and proved to be extremely successful. Black & Decker  still sell a model of the Dust Buster today.

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