Before its invention, people spent hours doing their laundry by hand. Some people soaked their clothes in streams and then beat them with rocks to get out the dirt. Later, people scrubbed their laundry on washboards. People in some parts of the world still use such methods.
Most washing machines work automatically.
The operator simply puts in laundry, pours in detergent, and sets the controls. One set of controls determines whether the machine uses hot, warm, or cold water. The water enters the machine through hoses connected to hot and cold water pipes. The operator also sets controls to select the length of washing and rinsing time and the amount of water that enters the machine. The machine, which is powered by an electric motor, then operates automatically.