UK team claims machine wash revolution

A prototype washing machine that uses 90 per cent less water and 30 per cent less energy than conventional machines has been developed by a team of British engineers.

The cleaning process, patented by Leeds University start-up company Xeros, employs reusable nylon polymer beads which act as a cleaning agent to remove dirt from clothes.

The technology, which was first reported by The Engineer in 2008, was recently developed into a working prototype by Cambridge Consultants.

Xeros aim to have its first commercial products available by the end of 2010.

Machines using these new reusable nylon polymer beads are expected to clean clothes in less time than conventional washing. Additional energy can be saved by reducing the need to tumble dry.

The discovery that certain types of polymer beads could be used as a cleaning agent was made by Stephen Burkinshaw, a textile chemistry professor from Leeds University.