March is National Women’s History Month! To commemorate the women in US History, we want to share the impact of some of their inventions on MSNW’s business to this day. You may be surprised or not so surprised to learn that women have not always been given credit for their inventions in history past. Fortunately, times began to change in the 1900s to allow for women to have a place in the economic and political world. When women were given the freedom to involve themselves in business and science processes, they shared their abilities to create and invent with the world and impressed many.

These are some of the inventions made by women in history that MSNW janitors, landscapers, and technicians use today:

Toilet Tissue Holder

Going to the toilet should be a peaceful affair but imagine a time when toilet paper rolls were an annoying and difficult to unroll nuisance. Enter: The Toilet Tissue Holder. One of the most underrated inventions we use daily is the toilet tissue holder invented by Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner and her sister Mildred Davidson. They shared the patent on it in October of 1982. The toilet paper holder makes taking a potty break that much easier. In 1982, we said no more to grasping at toilet paper ends and ending up with torn-up pieces and mild frustration. MSNW janitors know all about the toilet paper holder because they make sure you have all the toilet paper you need in your facility restrooms by properly sliding the rolls onto the holders when they need replacing.

Windshield Wipers

Not only was the first windshield wiper invented by a woman, Mary Anderson in 1902, but the first automatic windshield wiper was also invented by a woman, Charlotte Bridgwood in 1917. Mary Anderson did not even drive, but she thought it was silly that drivers had to jump out of their cars to clear snow every time it was difficult to see. She was never able to sell her invention to manufacturers due to the lack of commercial value. The irony is that today every automobile has windshield wipers. Almost every MSNW landscaper, janitor, and tech drives a company vehicle and uses windshield wipers. Our snow team actively uses windshield wipers on the job during winter snow plowing. Windshield wipers make our jobs safer by keeping us warm in our vehicles and by giving us a clear window to see out of in rain and snow. Thank you, Mary Anderson, and Charlotte Bridgwood, for safer driving conditions.

Car Heater

Continuing with automobile improvements, Margaret A. Wilcox, patented the car heater in November of 1893. Car heaters were not actually implemented in automobiles until decades later in 1929, but the idea was sparked and is now commonplace in all vehicles. MSNW winter services team members use car heaters to keep warm during snow plowing and after shoveling out in the cold to warm up. Next time you get in your car in the winter and turn on your heater, make sure to thank Margaret A. Wilcox for keeping you warm and dry in freezing conditions.

Kevlar® Used in Work and Gardening Gloves

Look around you and you might find that Kevlar® is a material found in many of your day-to-day objects. Stephanie Kwolek is a chemist in the 1960s who invented the polymer fiber that is five times stronger than steel called Kevlar®. This material is used in many things, including bullet-resistant vests, and in relation to our work at MSNW, this material is in cut-resistant gloves, including work and gardening gloves. Our landscapers protect their hands from possible cuts from plant material by wearing gardening gloves, many of which are made with the Kevlar® material.

Female inventors in history have positively impacted our daily operations by creating objects with strengths in efficiency and safety. MSNW would not operate the same without the toilet tissue holder, windshield wipers, or any of these items, so we want to honor and thank these women for bringing these valuable items into our daily lives. Happy National Women’s History Month!