logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2021
41m 47s

Vacuum Cleaners

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Tracking the history of how we clean and why our cleaning needs have shifted also tells the story of human progress in a wider sense. How did we get from natural-fiber brooms to gasoline-powered vacuum cleaners and ultimately to the home-use models we know today?

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
The Many Meanings of the Bunker Hill Monument
Very soon after it was completed in 1842, the Bunker Hill monument started to be about a lot more than just the battle that took place on June 17, 1775. Research: "Battle of Bunker Hill." Britannica Library, Encyclopædia Britannica, 18 Nov. 2025. libraries.state.ma.us/login?eburl ... Show More
45m 49s
Jun 27
SYMHC Classics: Four Paperclippers
This 2021 episode talks about several specialists – most with some involvement with the Nazi party – who entered the U.S. and became citizens through Operation Paperclip.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
36m 24s
Jun 26
Behind the Scenes Minis: Pacts and Facts
Holly talks about the agreement known as the Pact of the Catacombs and recent developments related to it. There's then discussion of Daguerre's Legion of Honor medal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
25m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
Littering: Not Cool
The history of litter is in lock step with the history of disposable packaging. Learn all about this nasty habit today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
53m 15s
Jun 2020
A Brief History of Autonomous Zones
Today we talk about the history and philosophy behind autonomous zones, and how people can ruin them. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1 h
Dec 2015
The Peugeot Story
<p>How did a company that started out making coffee mills and bicycles become one of the most important names in modern racing? Tune in to learn more.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.c ... Show More
1h 1m
Jun 2023
The Stinky History of Human Hygiene
Ever wondered when and why people started caring about body odors and cleanliness? Well look no further than today's episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
57m 15s
Jul 2020
How Soap Works
<p>Soap is a miraculous substance – and mysterious too: we have no idea how humans first figured out to make it. We lived with soap for millennia before we thought to use it to wash ourselves with it, but once we did a love affair with cleanliness was born.</p><p> </p> Learn more ... Show More
49m 8s
Feb 2020
Memento Mori
Some things stick around long after we've forgotten about them, while other objects vanish before we can use them. Let's explore both types today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comJoin our Patreon for ad-free episodes!: https://www.patreon.c ... Show More
9m 22s
Mar 2020
Introducing: Personology
A psychological examination of historically significant lives. We will peak into the minds of our subject to answer, what made them tick? Uncovering the personal motivations that drove their public acts and how those acts in turn changed all our lives. Learn more about your ad-ch ... Show More
2m 5s
Mar 2022
Another Banger
<p>The inventiveness of people will never stop being a major curiosity for us to enjoy. But today's stories have more than a healthy dose of surprise.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.c ... Show More
10m 28s
Mar 2011
Germ-free Dirty Hippies
<p>It's been said that cleanliness is close to godliness, but is it possible for a person to be too clean? In this episode, Julie and Robert analyze the relationship between hygiene, bacteria and health. Tune in to learn more.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a hr ... Show More
28m 11s