What specifically motivated Josephine Cochrane to invent the dishwasher?

Answer

Preserving fine, imported china frequently damaged by servants

Josephine Cochrane's primary drive stemmed from a highly personal issue related to her expensive possessions. As a wealthy hostess in Chicago known for throwing elegant parties, she grew extremely frustrated because her fine, imported china was consistently being chipped and broken during the manual cleaning process performed by her staff. This recurring issue represented both a financial loss and an aesthetic degradation of her valuable assets, making the protection and preservation of these delicate items the direct catalyst for her invention, rather than simply a general need for faster dishwashing.

What specifically motivated Josephine Cochrane to invent the dishwasher?
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