In 1907 Murray Spangler was cleaning rugs in a department store in Canton, Ohio. The dust upset his asthma, so he looked for a solution to the problem. He collected together a pillowcase, broom handle, fan and soap box and created a machine that pulled dust away from the air he was breathing. He soon realised he had a marketable product, and sold the patent to the Hoover Company in 1908. The cleaner went into production, and Hoover selected reputable stores in big American cities to market and sell them, and trained sales demonstrators to show people how to use them. They also provided service centres. This laid the groundwork for the nationwide dealer network that still exists today. To get to people living out of the cities, Hoover sent travelling salesmen going from door to door demonstrating and selling cleaners.

Research and development continued then as it does today, to improve the product for future customers. In 1932 Hoover introduced the beater mechanism, and an advertising slogan to go with it, 'It beats as it sweeps as it cleans'. This was to become one of the most well known slogans in the history of advertising, and helped encourage people to think about Hoover and remain loyal to the brand. Hoover also introduced a headlight on the vacuum to see dust under low furniture, and the disposable bag that made getting rid of the dust less messy.

The word 'hoover' has entered our language not just as a company name, but also as a verb. When using a vacuum cleaner to clean the carpet, people often say they are 'hoovering', whether they are using a Hoover vacuum or one of many other brands.

A vacuum is a machine and machines break down and need servicing. The cleaner was sold with product information. This served two purposes; to explain how to use and repair the machine, and to market other products that the company might produce. This builds up a brand awareness and customer loyalty, in the face of competition from other domestic appliance manufacturers.

Without electricity, modern life would be very different. It was Benjamin Franklin, an American inventor, who first understood electricity's potential. In the 18th century he conducted an experiment with a kite and a key in a thunderstorm, and discovered that a lightening bolt was a powerful form of energy. In 1879 Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. In 1882 Lewis Latimer found a method for producing carbon filaments which made the bulb practical for wide use.

Cities, towns and villages were provided with electricity as a means to heat and light their homes and factories. Electricity providers were keen to encourage people to use as much electricity as possible, so they launched big advertising campaigns to alert people to the safety and cleanliness of electricity. Once this was achieved many electric companies began, as a sideline, to produce a range of products to encourage people to use more electricity, so the small electrical domestic appliance was born, including toasters, cookers, coolers, mixers and vacuum cleaners.

The vacuum cleaner was seen as a welcome labour saving device for the home.

This Hoover Junior vacuum cleaner dates from 1936.  It is powered by electricity. The base of the cleaner comprises a motor, in front of which is a suction mechanism, with a rectangular mouth positioned flat on the floor. Inside the mouth of the suction mechanism is a cylinder covered with rows of bristles. When switched on, the motor spins the cylinder round, beating dust out of the carpet, which is then sucked in through the mouth and a metal tube into the fabric bag.

Two small wheels attached to the base of the cleaner allow the machine to be easily pushed over the carpet, picking up dust as it moves. The base of the cleaner is attached to an upright metal handle long enough to allow an adult to push the cleaner without bending over. The handle is bolted to the base with a flexible mechanism to allow the handle to move back and forth and push the base of the cleaner under low furniture. The fabric bag screws onto the metal tube at the base of the cleaner, and is suspended by a metal coil three quarters of the way up the handle. A long metal clip slides along the top of the bag to keep the dust in. The bag is emptied by unscrewing it from the tube and pulling it out of its clip. The top of the bag then opens and the dust can be poured out.