History of the Laundromat
Since humans evolved from fig leafs and animal skins to tailored cloth there was a need to launder to insure that the item could continue to be worn again without causing offence. Before the time of electricity this was done by walking down to the closest river and rubbing the clothing against rocks or boards. If a river wasn't close at hand they would fill a watertight vat or vessel, sometimes over a fire for better washing. Soaproot or yucca-root would be used to aid in cleaning. Later the use of soap made from lye and fats would be used. To dry the clothing they would wring out the water by twisting it then lay it over a line, tree branch or over the grass.
Years go by and the invention of the washboard is made replacing rocks. This is just a corrugated slab of hard metal held by a wooden frame. Soon to follow would be the first mangler or wringer depending where in the world you lived. This replaced the need to twist the cloth till the water was wrung out. It is now 1907 and you can agitate your clothes with a washboard and wring them with a wringer.
On the road to washing machines was a tub full of water and a handle that turned two paddles swishing the water for agitation. In the early 20th century came electricity, replacing hand turned paddles and washboards. You now had a electric tub with water and a wringer attached on top. Later the wringer would be removed and the tub would become a perforated double tub that spins out the water. This latest idea is still used today with newer applied sciences.
Now its time to capitalize. Why wash your own laundromats Madison when someone else can do it for you? In the late 1920's and early 1930's public laundries started to appear. You could take in your clothing and an attendant would clean and return them to you. Next was pay-by-the-hour washers. Automatic washers showed up in the late 30's and by the 1950's coin laundry was the way it was done.
April 18, 1934 set the start of laundromats with the first “Washateria” in Ft. Worth, TX. These were narrow stores with a few washers on one wall and dryers on the other offering 24 hour availability and no locks. Many of the new laundromat in Madison, WI that sprang up were run by absent owners who new little about the business and maintenance of the machines. They soon fell to their doom, buildings with broken washers and dirty facilities.
The 1960's brought about bigger and better stores. The owners stuck around to make sure that all maintenance was being done and that the stores stayed clean. Hours of operation were set and locks installed to detour theft and destruction. A new pride set in and competition began.
Economic falters put a halt on the growth of the industry but the demand was still there. The comeback started in the 1980's with a bigger demand on services. There were self and full service laundromats, some offering tailoring, dry cleaning and even shoe repairs. The store were bigger and offered an array of washer and dryer needs. Larger washers and dryers were also made available for blankets, sleeping bags and rugs.
Today's madison laundromats are not much different now. A few of the changes being in the science of the machines. They have become more energy efficient, stackable, and for the new green, environment friendly. So until the day someone invents self-cleaning or dirt repellent clothes we will have the need to wash them. As the science expands so will the industry and we will continue to wear clean fresh smelling clothes.