Made To Sell The Value Of Clean In Every Aspect Of Life With Exhibits On Brooms, Toilets, Vacuums, Bathtubs And More
There's only one place in America where cleaning could possibly be considered fun. That’s the Museum Of Clean in Pocatello, Idaho. With exhibits on brooms, toilets, vacuums, bathtubs and cleaning products, many people are skeptical that a museum about cleaning (including clean floors, clean mouths and clean language) could be fun. A visit to the 75,000 square foot, five floor complex usually changes minds.
While the Museum Of Clean is not just a cleaning museum, one of its most well-known, complete exhibits is their collection of over 1,000 vacuums spanning from 1869 to present. The museum was opened when founder Don Aslett decided he need a bigger space for his 250 premium pre-electric vacuums.
So what kind of person has hundreds of vacuums?
“My mother told us the reason she married our dad was because he was always so clean,” explained Aslett in a 2012 message. “Our home, our clothes, our food and our yard were always fresh and in top shape. There seemed to be some charm in taking care of things that made life better.”
A farm kid who started a cleaning business to work his way through college in the 1950s, being clean has always been a huge part of Aslett's life. That cleaning business is now called Varsity Facility Services and has over 4,200 employees. He has written 40 books on cleaning, appeared on Oprah and Regis and done over 10,000 public speaking engagements, seminars and workshops all around the country, “all concerning the value of clean,” said Museum Director Brad Kisling.
“On my way to a Boy Scout Jamboree one year in the '80s we stopped at the Edison Museum in the Detroit area,” recalls Aslett. “I spotted a pre-electric sweeper from the 1800s. My whole being said, 'Why not?' There are car museums, horse museums, train museums, plane museums... Why couldn't there be a museum of clean? What's more important to mankind than the concept of clean?”
He acquired his large collection of vacuums from buying massive collections from collectors, donations and from searching for specific pieces. The collection – vacuums and otherwise – continues to grow to this day. Some of the vacuums in the impressive collection are Kisling’s favorite items in the entire museum.
“My favorite items are the four holy grails of vacuum evolution,” Kisling continues. “First is the patent model of the 1860 Daniel Hess Carpet Sweeper. A production model was probably never made. [Another is] the 1869 McGaffey Whirlwind, of which only two are known to exist.[Also] I like the horse drawn World's First Powered Vacuum by Hubert Booth from 1901 and the first Kirby vacuum, the non-electric Ezee from 1914. I also like the personal traveling toilet of Elisabeth, Empress of Austria, as well as the trash compactor from the space shuttle Discovery.”
For Kisling (like many other employees and guests) it's hard to pinpoint which items are the most important or the most interesting. While the vacuums and other cleaning products are a large part of the Museum of Clean, the museum offers so much more.
“People are just surprised to learn how encompassing clean can actually be,” said Kisling. “The museum allows people to view our history and inventiveness and to reinforce the value of clean. The goal of the Museum of Clean is to sell the value of clean in every aspect of life; everything from clean habits, clean conscience, clean language, clean teeth, clean environment... The sheer size of the museum combined with our unique art and humor...it creates a lasting impression.”
The Museum Of Clean is so big, in fact, that it features part of a replica 1800s store with products from that century, including what they cost. There are also a lot of interactive displays, including games for children made out of cleaning items, such as a sponge basketball using toilet seats for the rims and mop strings as the nets. There are many “try me” vacuums, buffers and other cleaning methods from throughout history for kids and adults to try.
“I have a dream job,” said Kisling. “All of us here see the museum as an opportunity to touch people's lives in a positive way and perhaps change some habits for the better.”
Before working at the Museum of Clean, Kisling worked in auto parts and manufacturing. He was also a painter for eight years. At one point he also owned his own retail soccer and disc golf store for 12 years. He was (and still is) a musician. But it's his time at the Museum of Clean that has created some of his most lasting memories.
“My lasting memories all concern the reactions we get from our visitors…[usually] one of surprise and inspiration, as they often don't know what to expect, or indeed have trepidations about going to a museum about cleaning. Cleaning [can be] a hard sell),” said Kisling. “I especially enjoy teaching children the value and different aspects of cleanliness and seeing their faces full of wonderment and understanding.”
Olivia Richman
A graduate of East Connecticut State University in Journalism, Olivia has written for Stonebridge Press & Antiques Marketplace among others. She enjoys writing, running and video games.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Bear Lake State Park, where its brilliant, clear waters, combined with sandy beaches, lure visitors to play, fish, boat, and camp.