Effect of Washing Machine on Society This essay will explore the impact of washing machine on society. In particular it will focus on women and how technology has influenced them. First world, Western cultures where the impact of the washing machine is ripe. At the beginning of the 20th century, the majority of married women worked at home. At the beginning of the 21st century, most married women work full time. This is a significant change in the way society works. Greenwood attributes this change to the washing machine. (Greenwood, Seshadri, & Yorukoglu, 2005) It is reasonably easy to draw positive conclusions about the impact of washing machines, and I will explain some of them. There have also been some negative effects and some interesting social changes regarding cleanliness standards. In 2010 the former editor of the Irish Times asked a roundtable on feminism which invention had changed their lives the most. Mamo Mcdonald, born in 1929, answered “The washing machine” (Fintan, 2012)Before the introduction of the washing machine it was normal for all weeks of washing to be kept for one day, usually Monday. Rhoda Bickers remembers her childhood in Taihape “I hated Mondays! That was laundry day. After school I had to go home and wash the dishes because mom had been washing clothes all day.” (Rasmussen, 1994, p. 8) These quotes paint an interesting picture of life in the early 20th century. Washing was clearly a labor-intensive all-day job. The washing machine clearly made a big impact for Mamo and I'm sure Rhoda appreciated it too. This makes it clear that most housework was considered women's work. The introduction of the washing machine allowed for labor savings. Combined with other household tools, among a multitude of devices, it is believed to have the single greatest effect on society, unlocking the female workforce. While it is difficult to draw direct links between technology and change, it is strongly suggested that the washing machine was the catalyst that enabled social change. The washing machine wasn't a magic box with dirty clothes going into one end and being ironed. folded clothes coming out of the other. There was still a lot of work to do to clean the clothes and prepare them for the next use. All this work fell to women and the washing machine could not effectively satisfy their needs and requirements. In this case, technology contributed to isolation and reduced social engagement. Society soon expected people to wear clean clothes. This required more wash cycles, reducing the machine's labor-saving impact.