A waterless washing machine has been developed at the University of Leeds, UK, using revolutionary technology that achieves a clean load of laundry for less than 2% of the water and energy of a conventional washing machine. The process works by replacing water with plastic polymer chips which are tumbled with the clothes to remove stains. The technology has been proven to measure up to cleaning industry standards, removing virtually all types of everyday stains as effectively as existing processes whilst leaving clothes as fresh as normal washing and dry enough to dispense tumble-drying.
According to Professor Burkinshaw, Professor of Textile Chemistry and director of Xeros, the company established for commercial distribution of the technology,
The performance of the Xeros process in cleaning clothes has been quite astonishing. We've shown that it can remove all sorts of everyday stains including coffee and lipstick whilst using a tiny fraction of the water used by conventional washing machines. -- University of Leeds PRThe promise of the Xeros process is not, however, limited to domestic washing. The same plastic granules can also be useful in other steps of textile production such as dyeing and effluent treatment, and replace dry-cleaning solvents like the extremely toxic per-chloroethylene, as well as solvents in other industrial processes.
Xeros already seized a £500,000 investment from IP Group, the University's commercialisation partner, and expects the technology to hit the UK market as early as 2009, promising, in their own words, "to revolutionise the global laundry market."
While this is not the first waterless washing machine to be invented (cue "Airwash, the waterless washing machine for the home of 2020"), it seems like it might be the first with a real shot of commercial availability for the home of 2009 or 2010.
