“Rug Beater” by J.C. Leyendecker on the cover of “The Saturday Evening Post,” May 11, 1940.

A rug beater was used before the days people had vacuum cleaners. Carpets and rugs would be hung over a line in the garden and hit with the carpet beater causing clouds of dust until it was thought clean enough.

 

[Note: I can imagine heavy hitters in MLB during the mid-twentieth century getting their start as rug beaters.]

Done