A flat container with a handle, used for collecting dust and debris swept up with a broom.
Simply 'dust' + 'pan,' but the concept revolutionized cleaning in the 1800s. Before dustpans, people swept debris into piles and scooped it up with whatever was handy - often their hands or pieces of wood. The first patented dustpan was invented in 1858 by T.E. McNeely, transforming a messy, undignified chore into a neat, efficient process. This humble tool represents the Victorian era's obsession with domestic efficiency and cleanliness.
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