From the circular saw to Scotchgard, inventions by women revolutionized our homes. In honor of Women’s History Month, we spotlight some of our favorites.
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Women Inventors Make Their Mark
Imagine your home with no refrigerator, central heating, security system or WiFi. Without the resourceful women inventors who created these and other groundbreaking innovations over the past century, our home lives would be almost unrecognizable today.
Not only did these early innovators enhance the comfort, safety and efficiency of American homes, they often did so in a culture that was dismissive of their achievements. Many women inventors had to co-author patents with their husbands or other male colleagues. Others had their names omitted from patents entirely, and only recently were recognized for their contributions.
To mark Women’s History Month (March) and International Women’s Day (March 8), we are highlighting ten inspiring women thinkers and scientists, and the brilliant inventions they brought into our homes.
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Dishwasher: Josephine Cochrane
Each time you relax on the couch while your dishwasher takes care of dinner’s dirty work, thank Josephine Cochrane. Bored by the chore of hand-washing dishes — and annoyed that her fine china would often chip when scrubbed in the sink — this Chicago socialite came up with a mechanical solution in the shed behind her home.
She patented her design, which incorporated water jets and a dish rack, in 1886. Soon after she founded Cochran’s Crescent Washing Machine Company, which eventually became part of KitchenAid. Cochrane was finally inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2006, almost a century after her death.