The Dish Brush
Personal Selection
The dish washing brush caught my attention not only by physical appearance, but also how it is used. I selected the dish brush because it brought to mind my relationship and experience while using the tool. Cleaning dishes is no longer a chore, but an enjoyable task becasue I have a tool that is extremly functional and easy to use.
History
For years dishes were cleaned in the home with hands, rags, or any piece of cloth material that could hold water. Wisps made from materials such as: bast, rami and loofah were created, but were dominantly used to clean the body. Dish brush history dates back to 1857, when Paul Schmidt founded a brush factory, A. Schmidt & Co. The Lola Brush was born and first presented at a trade show in 1934. Today many people clean dishes with sponges, but dish brushes are preferred for their increased product life and ability to clean off hard to get spots.
Function/Purpose
The function or motion of this object is held in the tip of each flexible bristle. These bristles breakdown particles or whatever you are attempting to clean.
User
Anyone can use this tool. It is not age, gender, or culture restricting. Motor skills are required to grip and hold the brush to perform a motion that will complete the task. Although, it does appeal to the care taker or people who complete cleaning tasks in any given environment.
Materials + Production
The material of both the hand-held block and bristles is chosen to withstand harsh chemicals, heat or abrasion. Common materials for the handle include: wood and plastic, sometimes with a rubber surface which enables a smoother grip. Bristles are typically made of a combination of thick nylon material, polyester or plastic. These brushes are manufactured and mass produced on a large scale in a factory setting.
Affordance
When looking at a disk shaped dish brush it is fairly clear how it should be used. The circular shaped handle inclines the user to grip the object from the top, holding the brush which fits snug in the hand. The bristles are flexible and appear to be easily moved in any direction. This leads to a loose and fluid motion of moving the brush so it is comfortable to the user, whether that is horizontaly side to side, vertically, or circular. The dish brush moves and can be used in any motion that fits the user’s needs which makes this an easy to use and well designed or crafted object.
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