Cleaner Collection (#36)

Circus Cleaner
A poor cleaning lady, down on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor at Olympia Circus, London. Date: 1930s

Advert for GEC Electric cleaner 1950
GEC Electric cleaner. 1950

TOY MONKEY
A toy monkey mascot, made from wire pipcleaners and wool. Date: early 1930s

Toy Cat Mascot
A toy cat mascot, made from wire pipecleaners and wool. Date: early 1930s

Toy Lion & Elephant
A toy elephant and lion, mascots, made from wire and wool, confronting one another. Date: early 1930s

ar, art deco, art deco style, augmented reality, carpet, chore, cleaner, cleaning
Woman robot vacuuming rug

A Little Street Sweeper
Illustration of a little street sweeper begging circa 1860. (Photo by Kean Collection/Getty Images)

Scale of Prambanan Temple
Prambanan Temple or Candi Prambanan in the Indonesian language is a majestic Hindu temple of huge proportions, this image gives some idea of the sheer scale of it when compared to a man at the steps

RAILROAD WORKER, 1943. Mrs. Irene Bracker, a wiper in the roundhouse of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad in Clinton, Iowa. Photograph by Jack Delano, May 1943

RAILROAD WORKER, 1943. Mrs. Marcella Hart, a wiper in the roundhouse of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad in Clinton, Iowa. Photograph by Jack Delano, May 1943

RAILROAD WORKER, 1943. Mrs. Dorothy Lucke, a wiper in the roundhouse of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad in Clinton, Iowa. Photograph by Jack Delano, May 1943

RAILROAD WORKER, 1943. A female worker cleaning one of the giant locomotives of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad line in Clinton, Iowa. Photograph by Jack Delano, May 1943

The Castle from the Grass Market, Edinburgh, etched by George Cooke and Henry Le Keux
XJF497285 The Castle from the Grass Market, Edinburgh, etched by George Cooke and Henry Le Keux, 1820 (etching) by Callcott

The introduction of split cane brooms for London street sweepers, 1840 (pencil on paper)
XJF354252 The introduction of split cane brooms for London street sweepers, 1840 (pencil on paper) by Scharf, George the Elder (1788-1860); Private Collection; German, out of copyright

Household maid (b / w photo)
XJF425602 Household maid (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; English, out of copyright

Colin Court at the stain removers, 1814 (coloured engraving)
XIR269597 Colin Court at the stain removers, 1814 (coloured engraving) by French School, (19th century); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris

Standing in the doorway was an elderly French lavatoire attendent
KW272908 Standing in the doorway was an elderly French lavatoire attendent. illustration from But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes by Anita Loos, published in 1928 (litho) by Barton

The Cleaning Lady, from Les Femmes de Paris, 1841-42 (colour litho)
XIR216400 The Cleaning Lady, from Les Femmes de Paris, 1841-42 (colour litho) by Geniole, Alfred Andre (1813-61); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

The Sweeper (oil on canvas)
XIR154035 The Sweeper (oil on canvas) by Janssens, (Elinga) Pieter (1623-82); 60x58.5 cm; Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee du Petit-Palais, France; Dutch, out of copyright

The Soldiers Farewell, 1853 (oil on canvas)
XZL151520 The Soldiers Farewell, 1853 (oil on canvas) by Horsley, John Callcott (1817-1903); Private Collection; English, out of copyright

CRIES OF LONDON, 1759. Man and Woman with Mops. Pen and watercolor by Paul Sandby, 1759

CABIN BOY, 1799. An English ships cabin boy: aquatint, 1799, by Thomas Rowlandson

AD: SANI-FLUSH, 1918. American advertisement for Sani-Flush toilet bowl cleaner. Illustration, 1918

AD: SHOE CLEANER, 1936. American advertisement for Shinola White Shoe Cleaner. Photograph, 1936

AD: BON AMI, 1919. American advertisement for Bon Ami household cleaner, 1919

HAIR TREATMENT AD, 1886. Advertisement for Seven Sutherland Sisters Hair Grower, 1886

Cleaning Carriages
August 1908: London & South Western Railway carriages are cleaned using industrial vacuum cleaners. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Rail Cleaning Van
The interior of a London South Western Railway cleaning carriage, with an industrial vacuum cleaner. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Picture No. 11072842
Titan Triggerfish being cleaned by Clear Cleaner Shrimp (Urocaridella antonbruunii) Wainilu dive site, Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia. Titan Triggerfish

Picture No. 11072810
Clear Cleaner Shrimp Gili Lawa Darat Island, north of Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia. Clear Cleaner Shrimp

Picture No. 11072924
Janss Pipefish with air bubbles at top of cave Nudi Retreat dive site, Lembeh Straits, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Janss Pipefish

Picture No. 11072911
Rock Shrimp against Moray Eel background Batu Sandar dive site, Lembeh Straits, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Rock Shrimp

Picture No. 11072852
Clear Cleaner Shrimp with eggs by hole on night dive IMAX dive site, Tatawa Besar Island, between Komodo and Flores islands, Komodo National Park, Indonesia. Clear Cleaner Shrimp

Itinerant Russian Broom seller, with his wide selection of brushes, brooms, pipe cleaners and sundry additional cleaning paraphernalia of all shapes and sizes! Date: circa 1902

Shoeblack & Cabby
Shoeblack polishing a Cabbys shoes. Date: circa 1910

Streamer Hogfish (Bodianus diplotaenia) or Mexican hogfish off of Wolf Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Spring Clean
Window cleaners at work at BBC headquarters Bush House in the Strand, London

The all-important doorstep - 30 September 1945
Smiling lady scrubs the tiles. George Garland Collection West Sussex Record Office Ref. No. N25414

Miss May Mitchell of Pontypridd, crankshaft polisher
Miss May Mitchell of Pontypridd, formerly a vacuum cleaner supervisor, polishes a crankshaft from a damaged engine at the BOAC Depot in South Wales in 1942. Date: 1942

Picture No. 10890838
Coral Grouper - being cleaned by a Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). Example of symbiosis / symbiotic relationship. (Cephalopholis miniata) Date:

Picture No. 10750255
Cleaner Shrimp - cleaning fish Date:

Picture No. 10747195
Cat - watching a vacuum cleaner Date:

Picture No. 10747194
CAT. Cat watching a vacuum cleaner Date:

Picture No. 10890875
Giant Moray eel - being cleaned by a Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) (Gymnothorax javanicus) Date:

Picture No. 10890873
Giant Moray Eel - being cleaned by a Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) (Gymnothorax javanicus) Date:

Picture No. 10890874
Giant Moray eel - being cleaned by a Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) ( Gymnothorax javanicus) Date:

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In the early 1900s, the concept of a "cleaner" took on a whole new meaning. From the upright Hoover to the Western Electric vacuum cleaner, these innovative devices revolutionized household cleaning. Advertisements depicted women patiently using their vacuum cleaners, showcasing how effortless and efficient cleaning could be. But it wasn't just homes that benefited from this technological advancement. Even wireless communication systems were not spared from the power of suction as they were seen being meticulously cleaned by diligent individuals. The bustling High Street in Tonbridge, Kent was no exception to this trend. Follows & Bates winding machines advertised their services with pride, ensuring that every intricate detail was spotless and well-maintained. As time went on, even more advancements in cleaning technology emerged. The Daisy vacuum cleaner made its debut in 1912, promising an even easier way to keep homes dust-free and pristine. Beyond domestic settings, establishments like The Bull and Swan Inn in Stamford, Northants relied on cleanliness to attract customers. A black-and-white photograph captured its charm while emphasizing the importance of maintaining a clean environment for patrons' enjoyment. Artists also found inspiration in depicting scenes related to cleanliness. "The Chess Game" painted in 1896 showcased meticulous attention to detail as players engaged in a strategic battle amidst a pristine setting. Similarly, "Cup of Chocolate; La Tasse du Chocolat" portrayed an elegant scene where cleanliness played an essential role in creating an inviting atmosphere for indulging one's senses. Even public spaces such as Dunville Park and Royal Victoria Hospital on Falls Rd. , Belfast recognized the significance of cleanliness for health and wellbeing purposes. And let's not forget about those who dedicated themselves to keeping our railways spick and span - railway cleaners ensured that trains ran smoothly without any dirt or debris hindering their journey. Lastly but certainly not leastly (if that is indeed a word), women window cleaners defied societal norms by taking on this physically demanding and traditionally male-dominated profession.