Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Keeping a Swiss household in order

It takes a lot of work to produce a tidy home. Shopping, washing, cleaning and cooking are all part of daily life. But who handles what has changed over the years, as have the tools used to keep a home clean.

In the 1920s, researchers began taking a closer look at domestic chores. At the time, housework was something only women did, whereas today, at least in Western society, men have taken on some of those duties – to a greater or lesser extent. Homemaking was more or less revolutionised by the introduction of machines such as vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, and gas and electric cookers. This collection of photographs, originally part of Swiss publisher Ringier’s picture archive, has been part of the Aargau cantonal archive since 2009. (All pictures: @StaAG/RBA)

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR