Vintage Wednesday: What is it?

Long before the invention of lint brushes, there had to be a way to remove lint from clothing, right? Yes, there was! It was called a clothes brush. Clothes brushes come in all shapes and sizes. Some have handles, some are long and skinny. Some have silver backs, some wood, some plastic. Some have short, stiff bristles while others have longer, softer bristles.

Think about it. In the late 18th and 19th Centuries, there weren't washing machines - and certainly no dry cleaners. Clothes just didn't get washed as much as we wash them now. The way to keep them fresh was to give them a good brushing to dislodge all the stray dirt and lint. Brushing also kept the nap looking fresh. Nap, if you don't know, is the "pile" (think velvet or wool) of the fabric and often reflects light differently if brushed in different directions. Keeping nap brushed in the right direction helps keep clothes looking bright and new.

If you're looking for a more environmentally friendly way to keep your clothes looking fresh, go out and find a clothes brush! The technology still works...