Waterless (almost) Washing Machine

A British invention, from Leeds University, looks set to revolutionise the humble washing machine and save billions of liters of water in the process.

Using only a cup of water this new machine can wash a full load and leave it almost dry! It works by using thousands of plastic chips (20 kilos per wash) which absorb and remove dirt. During the wash cycle the cup of water, with detergents, is heated to help dissolve the dirt (just like in a normal machine) but then the dirt is ‘collected’ by the chips which can be used up to 100 times - about 6 months worth of washing!

Professor Stephen Burkinshaw, the machine's inventor, said tests have produced “..quite astonishing” results... “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,”

Although still in the design and testing stage it is thought the machine will be on the market during 2009.

[ Via MailOnline ]