In 1821, an African American business owner named Thomas Jennings invented the dry cleaning process and was one of the first African Americans to be granted a patent. He used the proceeds from his invention to buy his wife and children out of slavery. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_L._Jennings
dry cleaning
dry cleaning was accidentally invented in 1855
Dry cleaning was accidentally invented in 1855 when a French maid knocked over a kerosene lamp onto a dirty table cloth and the owner noticed it was cleaner after the spill.
– WTF Fun Facts
Source: http://margaretscleaners.blogspot.com/2012/01/history-of-dry-cleaning.html