in the 1920s, an ohio janitor named james murray spangler created a carpet sweeping contraption out of a soap box, a broom handle, a pillow case, and an electric motor. he then began to sell his machine to local housewives. the first plastic vacuum cleaner was produced in the 1930s, and the precursor to modern central vac systems was created in 1952 by the hoover company, whose name was now synonymous with “vacuuming”. by the 1960s, vacuum cleaners were much more lightweight and easy to use.