We are washing our cloths almost on a daily basis. The quantity of the water used for this purpose is enormous. That was the good reason for the researchers from the Leeds University in Britain to think about this problem and to search for the solutions. They come up with the washing machine which will use just a one cup of water! Also they claim that this laundry machine will use less than 2% of the water and energy used by washing machines we use today. Xeros Ltd is the company which will put this concept into the practical use. Xeros Ltd will develop the prototype and will advertise this laundry machine on the market.

The secret of this laundry machine is that besides the water and detergent is using a plastic chips whish is used as a dirt absorber. Thousands or 20 kg of plastic chips need to be used for one laundry cycle. The plastic chips can be reused for a 100 times which is more than 6 month of laundry machine using in a common British family. The detergent is dissolved in the hot water, and it is used only to transfer the dirt from the laundry to the chips. During the first tests the experts and engineers from Xeros Ltd find out that this process is removing almost all everyday stains from the cloth and after the washing the cloth is less wet than in the conventional washing process which is reducing a time and energy for drying.

The first comments in the hospitality and in the industry of cleaning are very positive and they are expecting to get a sample machines for testing. First commercial units are expecting to hit the market in the second half of 2009.
The inventor of this technology, Professor Stephen Burkinshaw said: “The performance of the Xeros process in cleaning clothes has been quite astonishing, 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.”

Director of Xeros Ltd, Dr Rob Rule, said: “This is one of the most surprising and remarkable technologies I’ve encountered in recent years. Xeros has the ability to save billions of liters of water per year and, we believe, the potential to revolutionize the global laundry market.”
None of this two respected gentleman did not answer to our questions: How much will cost the plastic chips, how much energy and water need to be spend for the producing of this additives and is this just a transfer of energy and water spending far from the consumer eyes?

For WC News from London,
Dan Dare

Filed under: Technology