A washing machine that uses just one cup of water for each cycle has been developed by British inventors.
Researchers at Leeds University say their invention uses less than 2% of the water and energy of a conventional washing machine.
The technology works by using thousands of plastic chips to absorb and remove dirt.
About 20kg of the chips are added to each load, along with a cup of water and detergent. During the washing cycle, the water is heated to help dissolve the dirt, which is then absorbed by the plastic chips. The chips can be used up to 100 times - the equivalent of six months washing.
Tests have shown the machine can remove virtually all types of everyday stains and leaves clothes almost dry, reducing the need for tumble-dryers.
Xeros Ltd, the company developing and marketing the machine, hopes it will be used in the washing and dry-cleaning industries.
The company believes Xeros could be on the UK market as early as 2009.
Professor Stephen Burkinshaw, the inventor of the technology, said: "The performance of the Xeros process in cleaning clothes has been quite astonishing.
"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."
Dr Rob Rule, a director of Xeros Ltd, said: "This is one of the most surprising and remarkable technologies I've encountered in recent years. Xeros has the ability to save billions of litres of water per year and, we believe, the potential to revolutionise the global laundry market." independent
