Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Washing machine that uses one cup of water?

I'm from Missouri, so paint me into the corner of "Show Me" when it comes to the claim that a new washing machine will use just one cup of water.

It's maker, Xeros, claims that it uses less than 90 percent of the water of conventional machines and 30 percent less energy.

I don't doubt that it uses just one cup of water.

I doubt that it gets my clothes clean.

That said, show me. I'd like to see this thing work.

From the Alternative Energy News site, here's an explanation of how the machine works:

"The work of water is replaced by using thousands of tiny reusable nylon polymer beads. These plastic beads attract and absorb dirt under humid conditions."

"This technology requires a small amount of water and detergent to dampen the clothes and loosen stains. This device also creates the water vapor that allows the beads to work. Once washing is finished, the beads fall through a mesh in the machine’s drum. These beads are reusable. One can reuse them up to a hundred times. One needs 20kg of the beads along with a cup of water and detergent. The chips can be used up to 100 times, the equivalent of six months’ washing."


Sounds like a good option for washing clothes in outer space and the desert, anyway. In both of those places it could be powered by solar rays, further reducing the environmental impact.

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