This machine promises to wash a full load of your dirty linen, without using any chemicals. Instead, the “E-wash” uses a more natural product – nuts. It is designed to work with soapnuts, natural seeds which have been used in Asia to clean clothes for hundreds of years. This particular machine ensures that the soapnuts are added to the wash at just the right time – and that any pieces of nut are washed away before a cycle ends. The makers say the nuts are much healthier for the planet than chemical powders, liquids or tablets, once washed away down our pipes. And soapnuts can be cultivated anywhere, cutting down on the pollution and costs associated with transport. The machine was chosen from a field of dozens by the appliance company Electrolux for its annual green design awards. Electrolux says an E-wash could be on the market within a few years.
Soapnuts, Sapindus mukorossi, are one of 100 species of plants that contain the soapy substance saponin. The shells of the nuts, which are usually found in India and Nepal, can be crushed and mixed with water or added to the washing in a bag. They are apparently good for those with allergies and gentle on clothes
