| New Washing Machine Cleans With Plastic, Not Water |
| Written by Jaymi Heimbuch | ||
| Monday, 07 July 2008 | ||
|
Basically, a user throws clothes in and starts the load, then a cartridge in the back of the machine drops in the plastic chips, and a cup of water including detergent is added. The water dissolves the stains and dirt, which is then absorbed by the chips. At the end of the cycle, a grill at the bottom of the machine opens to collect the chips. The process leaves clothes nearly dry, so using a dryer is not necessary. Tests from the University of Leeds show that the machine can get rid of all kinds of everyday stains, making it as cleanly as a washing machine, and the chips can be used up to 100 times, which adds up to about six months worth of washing. Xeros Ltd hopes they can get the machine on the It’ll still be awhile before we see if the method really pans out for the average consumer, and what I have yet to find out is if the chips themselves are environmentally friendly, what they’re made of, and what happens to them after that 100th load. And I’m also wondering how well that grill will work because I can just imagine finding these scattered throughout your house, your sock and underwear drawer, your pockets…But the system is already getting compared to the Dyson bagless vacuum cleaner, which seemed really off the wall at the time yet worked out wonderfully. Considering the many gadgets and alternatives created to make washing machines more clean and efficient, it’s clear we’re ready for a revolutionary solution. I’m hoping these machines turn out to be everything the creators make it out to be. Via Metaefficient, Reuters, Greenpacks, DailyMail; Photo via ZachKlein
Comments
(12)
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written by Sophia Stoller , July 07, 2008
Rinse?
written by Brian , July 07, 2008
So how do you rinse off the residue from the 'small amount' of detergent?
...
written by bob , July 07, 2008
How do they keep my pockets from filling up with plastic chips in the wash?
socks
written by socks , July 07, 2008
will they put holes in my socks?
Probably okay
written by Clinch , July 07, 2008
The detergent residue is absorbed by the chips, and your socks will be fine.
As for the pockets, you may get a chip occasionally, but if it can get in to the pocket, it can probably get out again (also, you should turn out the pockets before you wash them anyway). But I'm not expert, so you can't take my word for it, and you'll have to wait and see. Also, the chips are English chips (so to Americans, they be french fries)
How is a bunch of plastic chips sustaina
written by gardengrrrl , July 07, 2008
What happens to all the plastic chips? Sounds like it would create a bunch of waste in the long term.
About time...
written by QiRanger , July 07, 2008
I would love to see this technology in mass production. It has great potential, not only in terms of being more eco friendly, but with rising electric and natural gas costs, many will see this as the primary benefit.
One of the best things about living where I do, is that everything is much more compact and designed for quick use. I have no dryer and my washer spins things so well, that after an hour on the clothesline, my shirts and pants are dry. No need for a dryer here.
Too much plastic
written by andrew , July 07, 2008
It's 44lbs of plastic every six months. I read somewhere (couldn't find it) that they were looking into recycling or better options, but until then. Even if they recycle, who wants to lug 44lbs to recycling every 6 months? What about water waste to make the plastic and recycle it? I assume the chips can't be used anymore because they breakdown and wear off, so 100% reclamation is impossible. If they sell just 25,000 units, every six months over a million pounds of plastic needs to be dealt with. I'm all for water conservation, I just can't see this as viable.
...
written by Mr Dupont , July 07, 2008
Sounds good to me, as long as they use the right plastic chips and soap.
100 loads
written by Foraker , July 07, 2008
100 loads would not take six months in our house. Anyone with kids could be doing six to ten loads of laundry every week! Ten loads of laundry a week means 100 loads in about 2 1/2 months.
...
written by socks , July 08, 2008
sounds like a whole bunch of plastic microparticles ambient in the environment, with who knows what consequences?
This is amazing
written by techdude , July 08, 2008 |
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