The Evolution of Laundry: A Historical Journey with Connecticut Roots

Laundry methods have evolved drastically over thousands of years. In ancient times, people used natural resources such as sand, ashes, and even fermented urine, which contained ammonia, to clean their clothes. The Romans, for instance, relied on urine-soaked cloth and fullers’ earth to remove stains and odors. During the medieval period, people began using lye soap, often made from wood ash and animal fat, to aid in the washing process.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, the washboard became a staple tool for scrubbing garments, making the cleaning process more efficient but still labor-intensive. The invention of hand-cranked washing machines in the mid-19th century introduced mechanization to laundry, reducing the need for manual labor. The early 20th century saw the rise of electric washing machines, transforming the way households managed laundry. By the 1950s, automatic washing machines became widely available, revolutionizing laundry once again by making it more convenient and efficient.

Before the rise of modern appliances, laundry was a physically demanding process. In colonial Connecticut, settlers, including those in Glastonbury and Wethersfield, relied on the Connecticut River as a natural resource for washing clothes. Households used large iron pots to boil water and wash garments with homemade lye soap. The process was labor-intensive, often taking an entire day to complete, making "wash day" a significant weekly event.

As society progressed, laundry work increasingly became the responsibility of domestic servants. The Wethersfield Historical Society's article, The Woman Came to Do Laundry… , highlights how, during the 19th and early 20th centuries, domestic workers—often immigrant women or African American day laborers—were hired specifically to handle washing and ironing. Many of these women remained nameless in historical records, yet their labor was vital to maintaining upper-class households in Greater Hartford, including Glastonbury.

Glastonbury’s industrial development in the 19th century brought significant advancements in fabric production, which directly influenced laundry practices. Textile mills along Roaring Brook provided fabrics for clothing and household linens, and as demand increased, so did the need for efficient laundering methods.

During the mid-to-late 1800s, local factories like the Hopewell Mill produced cloth for Union soldiers during the Civil War. This production meant that maintaining uniforms and linens became an essential part of daily life. The industrial boom also brought about mechanical innovations, such as hand-cranked washing machines, which made cleaning garments more efficient than traditional washboards and basins.

By the early 20th century, laundry practices took another turn with the rise of mail-order laundry services. The Litchfield Historical Society details the use of laundry mailing boxes, such as the Laundripak, which allowed college students, military personnel, and travelers to send their dirty clothes home for washing. This practice, popular from the 1910s to the 1960s, highlights how laundry was not only a domestic task but also a logistical challenge requiring creative solutions.

Oswald Marrin Jr., a Litchfield resident who attended Brown University in the late 1930s, regularly used a laundry mailing box to send his clothes back to his mother in Connecticut. This method was both cost-effective and convenient, illustrating how families adapted to the demands of remote laundry needs before the spread of laundromats and home washing machines.

Laundry has long been connected to the history of work and industry in Glastonbury. The town’s shipbuilding industry in the 18th and 19th centuries required large amounts of cloth for sails, which were washed and maintained using early textile processing techniques. Later, in the 20th century, Glastonbury became known worldwide as the home of the J.B. Williams Co., the nation’s first soap factory and a pioneer in shaving soap production. Founded by James Baker Williams in 1849, the company originally produced 'Genuine Yankee Soap' before expanding into a variety of grooming products. The factory, located on what is now Williams Street, was an early adopter of mechanized soap production and was one of the first factories to hire women, employing both men and women in the labor-intensive process of mixing, boiling, and pressing soap into bars. Over time, the company became synonymous with high-quality grooming products, including Ivorine laundry soap and the widely recognized Aqua Velva aftershave. At its peak in the 1950s, J.B. Williams Co. employed 230 workers and shipped products globally. Though operations moved to New Jersey in 1960, its legacy remains a key part of Glastonbury’s industrial history, highlighting the town’s role in the evolution of laundry and personal care.

Additionally, the South Glastonbury Historic District, rich with industrial history, was home to gristmills and textile mills powered by Roaring Brook. One of the most significant was the Cotton Hollow Mill, which processed cotton in the 19th century. Built in 1814, the Hartford Manufacturing Company’s five-story mill was powered by two large dams, providing energy to produce textiles efficiently. At its peak, the cotton mill employed over 350 workers, many of whom lived nearby. The factory’s design featured ramps that transported cotton between floors, streamlining production. However, the financial panic of 1893 led to its closure, and a devastating fire in 1920 ended Cotton Hollow’s manufacturing era. To this day, the 90-acre area is known as the Cotton Hollow Preserve. These textile mills played a crucial role in supplying fabric, reinforcing the link between industrial development and the evolution of laundry practices in Connecticut. These mills processed wool and other fabrics, requiring careful maintenance and laundering to preserve the materials. The community that formed around these mills depended on laundresses and domestic workers to clean the garments worn by laborers and townspeople alike.

While laundry has transformed from a labor-intensive chore to a convenient modern service, its history remains woven into the fabric of Connecticut’s past. The evolution from household washing to industrial processing, to mail-order laundry, and finally to self-service laundromats reflects the ongoing innovation in this essential task.

Today, Clean-n-Green continues the tradition of efficient, high-quality laundry services with modern advancements, offering self-service laundromats, drop-off laundry, and home delivery options. We offer multiple options to meet our customers' needs, including self-service washers and dryers with loyalty card perks, convenient drop-off services, and home delivery. Our facility integrates cutting-edge technology, including Ozone washing systems, which use oxygen to naturally disinfect and clean clothes more effectively while reducing water and energy usage. This not only ensures cleaner, fresher garments but also promotes environmental sustainability.

By embracing innovation while honoring the history of laundry, Clean-n-Green provides a seamless, eco-friendly laundry experience for the Glastonbury community—keeping clothes clean with efficiency, care, and a commitment to sustainability.