Washing technologies

Most of the times, washing machines agitate dirty clothes in water with detergents:

  • Rotative systems are efficient, but need more expensive technologies, complicated designs, lot of energy. Less adapted to DIY.
  • Vibrating systems should be more easier and cheaper to build in poor conditions. DIY friendly.
  • Brushing or batting systems could also be explored. Noisy in DIY conditions.
  • Water pressure systems could also be explored.
  • Bubbling systems are maybe efficient in some energetic contexts.
  • An interesting challenge of this project is bacterial washing. Bacterias which eat dirt and let the clothes clean
  • Ultrasonic machines are very efficient, can also wash dishes, but still expensive to build. Can we find the low-cost, DIY, recycled parts, Ultrasound generator ?
  • Algs ? Fish ? any idea is welcome. Give your comments here !
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3 responses

brief idea what about drying machines. It should be pretty

paul hinds

brief idea what about drying machines. It should be pretty simple to put together a wooden drum that rotates really slowley (wind powered or stream powered where people wash in a river) but prevents creasing and drys faster without any human input. All it would take is a very low gear systems and a big wheel. You might be able to combine the concept with a wet tank below to slow wash while there is water and dry by eptying or moving the tank.

Been on my mind for while, in the west while a washing machine is a commodity item a dryer is still a gadget that everyone is embarressed to turn on on ground of the electricity consumption. But leaving your clothes in a pile stops thems drying and can lead to mold. A slow dryer in light wind and strong sun e.g. spain, would work well and could even be mounted into blocks of flats. It may not solve your washing problem but it saves hard work on the mangle.

Instead of an ultrasonic generator, how about using an electric

R Allen

Instead of an ultrasonic generator, how about using an electric motor with an off-set weight? Like a home-made back vibrator? Just strap it to the side of a 5-gallon bucket and plug it in. I saw a setup like this as a parts cleaner in a neighbors garage. Worked really well.

Thanks R Allen, Good idea, but its hard to

Jean-Noël

Thanks R Allen, Good idea, but its hard to find electricity and adapted electric motor, in many places in the world , the places where women need such washing systems.

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