When Tourists Turned America's Most Famous Geyser Into a Washing Machine
Early Visitors Discovered An Unusual Cleaning Method: In 1877, a group of adventurous tourists visiting Yellowstone National Park made a surprising discovery. They threw their dirty clothes into Old Faithful geyser and watched as the famous hot spring shot their laundry high into the air. When the clothes came back down, they were remarkably clean. This bizarre washing method worked because of the geyser's extremely hot water and powerful eruption cycle.