Grand Rapids Michigan Blanchard & Snow House Cleaning Horse & Wagon Poisson Photo Real Photo Postcard

The horse-drawn Compressed Air & Vacuum House Cleaning Co. wagon depicted represents an early 20th-century innovation in domestic sanitation. Such mobile services emerged as mechanical vacuum cleaners and compressed air systems, initially large and stationary, were adapted for portable use, often powered by internal combustion engines or steam to generate suction or air pressure. This allowed for professional, on-site cleaning of carpets, rugs, and upholstery without their removal from the home, a significant convenience over traditional manual methods like beating rugs outdoors.