Air Wash: The Waterless Washing Machine

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Removing stains from garments using a washing machine is nothing new. But, can you imagine a washing machine that cleans all sort of clothes and removes all sort of stains, but without a drop of water? Air Wash is the solution for it. Air Wash, as the name indicates, is an equipment that washes cloths without water, yes... using only thin air.

Two students from the National University of Singapore's school of industrial design have developed a waterless washing machine that removes stains from garments within a few minutes, without the use of detergents. The Air Wash, which won the ElectroLux Design Lab 2005 Award, is being manufactured from ElectroLux now.

The machine uses negative ions, compressed air and deodorants to clean clothes; the form was inspired by the waterfall, which just so happens to be nature's own negative ion factory. It can be used for cleaning garments of all kinds, though the judges took special note of Air Wash's potential to make conventional, eco-super-freaky dry cleaning obsolete. Air Wash also stands to help save lots on energy costs and water consumption, and has lots of potential for places without ready access to clean water.

Air Wash can clean garments of all types. Also less power consumption and no water consumption can surely make this waterless washing machine a wonder. Tan Si Jin Gabriel and Chua Wenni Wendy are the designers of the machine who beat entries from 3000 students from 88 countries. to win the competition.

It provides with an air inlet, stainless steel cladding, electrostatic ionizing filter, intelligent air jets, clothing stand suction, automated swing- outdoor, touch sensitive interface, translucent polymer panel, HEPA filter and an air outlet.

The air jet washing technology is inspired by the beating action of clothes against river rocks in days gone by. Negative ions aids this air jet action by clumping dust, inactivating bacteria and neutralising odours. Wearing the clothes after Air Wash, one is drenched with negative ions, which has proven health benefits such as improved blood circulation and anti-depressant properties. Air Wash provides a new means to clean clothes in a gentler but effective way, eliminating water wastage and detergent use while preserving the quality and color of clothes. It is especially relevant for jeans, jackets, wool and non-washable textiles. Marrying technology and an emotive user experience through an intuitive button-less interface, it aims to humanise the washing machine into a symbol of holistic living. Air Wash also helps clothes last longer even with a frequent wash.

Air-wash, gives way to the obsolete time consuming washing practices, where washing clothes also needed time planning. Now it is a matter of few minutes when one can work and simultaneously clean clothes.