Objects in Material Culture. W for Washing machines: Spinning change in homes

A-Z: This series of light hearted explorations on familiar objects from everyday life dear to the urban Indian middle class looks at how they shape our wants & desires and ultimately make us who we are as a people.

The “Whirlpool, Whirlpool” washing machine commercial is etched deeply in all our minds. That is where aspirations started — this magical device that spun and just ejected clean, fragrant clothes back to you. For the longest time, the routine of getting clothes washed by washerfolk was familiar. Sometimes, a house help came home to wash these clothes. There existed the whole procedure of soaking clothes in foamy detergent water, then scrubbing them clean furiously with a brush. The sounds of water falling as clothes were assigned from the bucket of sudsy water to that of clear water echoed throughout the home. Each piece of clothing was wrung by hand and then hung on the clothesline. If a homemaker washed these clothes on her own, it basically meant persistent backaches for her. If everyone washed their own clothes, it meant sporadic backaches for everyone.

Lo and behold came the magical washing machine — a promise of peace. No more the splish-splash of the running water, no more backaches. No house help can disturb the privacy of the home and bathroom when washing clothes. The floor will not be covered by tiny pools of water that wet clothes leave behind. All the homemaker has to do now is collect everyone’s clothes and give them to the washing machine. Set a timer and forget it — it will melodiously beep to inform you when its job is done. The device has reassured the homemaker that her time is precious too, and worthy of being saved.

Not only this, but the device has also democratised laundry duty. It’s now cool and acceptable to share the load with men. Countless commercials now show dads using the machine. The machine has brought both functional and ideological benefits in a woman’s life. She does not need to wash the family’s clothes all together. Family members can also wash their clothes separately when they feel like it. Need a uniform washed at the last minute? Concerned that your clothes will not dry in the humid monsoon or the freezing winter? Not to worry — the washing machine will spin-dry your clothes at a rapid pace. Laundry need not be planned weeks in advance.

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To truly understand the value it holds, we only need to look at the laundry bin when there is an electricity cut or the machine needs repairs. Mountains of clothes reaching the height of an actual human being can be found. This is when true chaos reigns. Countless student hostels have reported students fighting for their turn to use the washing machine.

If anyone has watched foreign films, the concept of laundromats would be familiar. The rise of washing machines has given rise to these modern spaces in Indian metro cities as well. Compare this to the washerman’s grubby stall — the feeling it evoked was different. The convenience and speed that washing machines bring is unmatched. Laundromats have sleek and modern websites, promising express laundry and premium laundry — with state-of-the-art technology — through a washing machine. They have employees that greet with a “Hello ma’am, how can I help you?” because customer satisfaction and ratings matter to them. They promise doorstep delivery with no extra charges. Laundromats, through the aid of the washing machine, promise premiumness, aspiration, and modernity — all of which are important values of consumer culture.

The Indian middle-class, which values upward mobility, sees the washing machine as an aspirational object. Material objects become important signifiers of a family’s wealth, and especially during weddings, objects like the washing machine are important purchases. In both public and private sphere, the device has proven itself to be a homemaker’s companion.

(Hamsini Shivakumar is a Semiotician and founder of Leapfrog Strategy. Khushi Rolania is a senior research analyst at Leapfrog Strategy)