Ives W. McGaffey - A History of Vacuum Cleaners

Well, even though I’m not living the Orange County Dream, (House with a foundation that meets sand and an ocean in my backyard I can surf fish in.) I’m still extremely grateful for the lifestyle I live. I hated working for other people, being in at a certain time, doing things “their” way. It just wasn’t for me. Vacuum cleaners have enabled me leave for lunch when I want, take vacations at my leisure, and spend quality time with my family at work over the summer. (Though my sons have a different name for time spent at the shop, slave labor.)

I feel it’s time I pay homage to the people that developed my industry by writing a “History of Vacuum Cleaners”. I’ll cover who invented the first vacuum cleaner, how vacuum cleaners became an essential cleaning tool for most homes, and even poke fun at some of the nobler than useful vacuum cleaner designs. So, without further delay, here is my History of Vacuum Cleaners as told by the Vacuum Sensei.

Origins of the Modern Vacuum Cleaner
There were several precursors to the vacuum cleaner as we know it today. One of those monstrosities was a large, heavy, cart-like machine that was difficult to push and hard to maneuver. In 1868 a man by the name of Ives W. McGaffey started selling a vacuum cleaner more like the common household vacuum cleaner we know today. Even though his machine took off, it was still fairly heavy and extremely inconvenient for people to use.

Selling the First Vacuum Cleaner
After McGaffey patented his vacuum cleaner design on the 5th of June, 1969, McGaffey partnered with a company called The American Carpet Cleaning Co. The vacuum cleaners were sold to existing American Carpet Cleaning customers for a heft price tag of $25. That was an astounding $500 when adjusted for inflation! Clearly, the McGaffey’s vacuum cleaner was taking homes by storm. Only two of McGaffey’s original vacuum cleaners are known to still exist; they’re both held in a historical museum maintained by the Hoover Vacuum Cleaner company.