It was in 1901 that Hubert Cecil Booth, a London engineer, tried something different in order to dislodge trapped dust and dirt. He placed a handkerchief on a dusty couch, and then proceeded to suck air through it. By thus depositing grime on his handkerchief, he proved that suction could dislodge, and trap dirt. Inspired by this result, booth developed the first machine to combine a power-driven suction pump with a dust collecting bag attached to it. His innovation was named Puffing Billy.
Later, more convenient and smaller vacuum cleaners evolved for domestic use. However, they were soon overtaken by the electric suction sweeper patented in the US by James Murray Spangler, in 1907. Unable to capitalize on his invention, he sold it to a leather goods maker, William Henry Hoover. A catchy slogan ‘it beats as it sweeps as it cleans’ was delivered while marketing it.
The vacuum cleaners predecessor, the carpet sweeper was introduced in the market in 1811. Melville Bissell patented a more efficient version in 1876, which revolutionized housework.
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