Xeros: The New Way to Wash Clothes?

While doing some laundry research (dorky, I know) I came across this new washing machine, the Xeros.  And its concept is so fascinating:

It uses 90% less water than conventional washing machines. Yes, 90%. That’s pretty drastic.

According to the product’s website, this machine uses hundreds of nylon polymer beads to clean dirty clothes.  It all tumbles together in a machine that looks similar to a front-loader.

So what in the world is a polymer and what does that have to do with laundry?  According to Xeros:

The nylon polymer has an inherent polarity that attracts stains. Think of how your white nylon garments can get dingy over time as dirt builds up on the surface despite constant washing. However, under humid conditions, the polymer changes and becomes absorbent. Dirt is not just attracted to the surface, it is absorbed into the centre. This is exactly what happens when Xeros nylon beads are gently tumbled with dampened garments.

So this would mean no more detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, Oxi Clean (gasp!), or stain spray.  It would be a drastically different way of washing laundry.

The cost savings could be significant.  Even with the cost of the nylon polymer beads, the company estimates that “Xeros has the potential to save up to 30% direct operating costs.”  Keep in mind that there is hardly any water used and any tumble drying that is necessary is built into this machine.

And the washer’s operating time from start to finish is around 30 minutes.  Think how quickly you could fly through those mountains of laundry!  It could drastically change your laundry life.

Xeros is a U.K.-based company and this machine is still in its prototyping phase.  Xeros states that it won’t put its washing machine on the market until it has proven effective in the demanding commercial laundry world.  So there is no estimated pricing yet on this remarkable machine.

These two Xeros-produced videos are so interesting!  The first one is the concept of the machine.  The second video is an actual wash cycle and pay special attention to how well those stains are removed!  Unbelievable.

So if this was proven to be effective and reasonably priced, is this a washing machine you would consider purchasing?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

(No, Mama is not affiliated with Xeros in any way.  I just think it is a fabulous concept and I’d love to try it.)