Future Home Washing Machines: Virtually Waterless

November 1, 7:17 AMCleveland Home Healthcare Technology ExaminerSusan Slater

Previous

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Cleveland Home Healthcare Technology Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

As we look back on the history of the washing machine…the biggest change over the last couple of centuries was the advent of the electric washer after the electric motor was invented in the 1830's.

Well get ready, we are about to see another big change in the way we wash our pretty duds! Companies are working on inventing washing machines that use little or no water at all. This is a great idea as fresh water may be as valuable as gold in the future!

One company is Xeros, a spin-off company from the University of Leeds. This machine uses only about a cup of water, and patented nylon polymer "beads" invented by Professor Stephen Burkinshaw, Professor of Textile Chemistry, and director of Xeros. Simply put, the washer contains these "beads" and when the washer is activated it spills the beads out onto the minimally wet clothing and rotates the "beads" to absorb the dirt and grime. In the spin cycle the beads are then sent back into the "bead" receptacle.

The other company is Electrolux ®, and they are working on a washing machine of the future, the KaionWave washing system, which will clean nano-coated fabrics by using ultraviolet-C light to clean the fibers and uses no water or chemicals. Nano-fabrics are new fibers developed at the molecular level using nano-particles which measure one- billionth of a meter. They are also working on a washer called Airwash that uses pressurized air and negative ions.

I would write more but I have to get the laundry done!