The first vacuum cleaner was invented by Hubert Cecil Booth, a British engineer, in 1901. His device was a large, horse-drawn, petrol-powered unit that was used for cleaning carpets in buildings. Although Booth’s invention was the first practical vacuum cleaner, it was quite different from the modern vacuum cleaners we use today. It was a cumbersome machine and not very accessible to the general public.

Later on, in 1907, James Murray Spangler, an American janitor, designed a portable electric vacuum cleaner. He used a fan, a pillowcase, a broom handle, and a soapbox to create his invention. Spangler’s device was the precursor to the modern vacuum cleaners and was the first to incorporate both a brush and suction mechanism.

In 1908, Spangler’s patent and design were purchased by William Hoover, who founded the Hoover Company. The Hoover Company revolutionized the design, marketing, and production of vacuum cleaners, making them more popular and widely available to households around the world. As a result, the name “Hoover” became synonymous with vacuum cleaners in some parts of the world, especially in the United Kingdom.