14-year-old girl invents pedal-powered washing machine from bike parts

At the age of just fourteen, Remya Jose created her first invention : a pedal-powered washing machine made from recycled bike parts that can make laundry easier for families without electricity. Jose is from Kizhattoor Panchayat in India, and she came up with the idea when she and her twin sister were tasked with the family’s household chores after their mother fell ill. Instead of washing clothes by hand in the river, Jose invented her own solution that saves time and effort. https://youtu.be/3gkBD8buBkU Jose began by studying electric washing machines and learning how they work, so that she could replicate the functionality in an entirely human powered machine. Her father helped her find the parts she needed for her design, and then took her sketch to a neighborhood auto shop, where the workers helped construct the machine. It worked even better than Jose had planned. The machine consists of an aluminum cabin with a wire cylinder inside, which holds the laundry. The cylinder is connected to a bike chain and pedal system. Laundry is placed inside the machine, along with hot water and detergent, and left to soak for ten minutes. Then, the user pedals to spin the laundry and clean it. A small faucet on the cabin drains the soapy water, and then the whole machine is refilled with clean water for a final rinse cycle. All in all, it’s an elegant and simple solution for families living in rural areas who might otherwise be without a washing machine. Related: Ultra Compact ‘Petit Laundry Swoosh’ Washing Machine Cleans Clothes With Only a Gallon of Water Jose’s invention didn’t go unnoticed – she was presented with the National Award from former Indian president Abdul Kalam, and at age 18 she applied for a patent on her device. Now in her mid-20s , she works as a Serial Innovator at the National Foundation in India, creating new inventions to help rural communities in her home country. Via Better India Photos via Brit + Co

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14-year-old girl invents pedal-powered washing machine from bike parts

Libromat frees women from laundry to read with their families

It may be hard to imagine, with all of our modern convenient appliances, but in some areas of the world women spend 9 hours a day just doing laundry . Libromat, a program from entrepreneurs at Oxford, gives women that time back so they can use it reading and bonding with their kids. READ MORE>

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Libromat frees women from laundry to read with their families

Green and Clean: Eco-Friendly Laundry Products

There’s really nothing like the fresh scent of newly washed laundry, so it’s too bad that many of the products we use to get our clothes clean are downright scary. Many detergents are petroleum-based and can contain a whole slew of potentially toxic chemicals , and most dryer sheets are made with tallow (or other animal fat). While some companies can voluntarily tell consumers what’s in their products, technically they’re not required to do so even if consumers ask. So, how do you choose the best eco-friendly laundry products from a shelf that is increasingly laden with new, eco-friendly products? That’s why we’re here to help: check out a few of our favorites below! Read the rest of Green and Clean: Eco-Friendly Laundry Products Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: eco laundry , eco-friendly detergents , eco-friendly fabric care , fabric , fabric softener , green laundry , green laundry product , green products , laundry , laundry detergent , laundry soap , method , mrs. meyers , seventh generation , soap , soap nuts , sustainable laundry

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Green and Clean: Eco-Friendly Laundry Products

10 Ways to Repurpose Used Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets have loads of useful applications around the house — making it easy to repurpose them after they’ve done their job in the laundry room.

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10 Ways to Repurpose Used Dryer Sheets

Ultra Compact ‘Petit Laundry Swoosh’ Washing Machine Cleans Clothes With Only a Gallon of Water

As far as washing machines go, the pedal-powered GiraDora and the Laundry Pod are pretty small – but the new ultra compact Petit Laundry Swoosh can fit on a countertop! Designed by Japanese company King Jim , the washer uses just over a gallon of water to clean 250 g of clothing in 18 minutes. The device measures in at 29 x 29 x 44 cm and it’s perfect for small space living as it can easily fit inside a cupboard or cubicle for emergency laundering. Read the rest of Ultra Compact ‘Petit Laundry Swoosh’ Washing Machine Cleans Clothes With Only a Gallon of Water Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: Compact , cubicle , efficient , giradora , Japan , king jim , laundry , laundry pod , petit swoosh , tabletop , washing machine , water issues

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Ultra Compact ‘Petit Laundry Swoosh’ Washing Machine Cleans Clothes With Only a Gallon of Water

Laundry ‘Pod’ Cuts Water Use, Electricity

What if you could wash your clothes without ever using a dime’s worth of electricity? The Laundry Pod by StoreBound is all about manpower. The human-powered laundry device saves energy, water and time when compared to a typical home washer. The…

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Laundry ‘Pod’ Cuts Water Use, Electricity

The Electricity-Free Laundry Pod Washer Cuts Down on Water, Time and Energy

Doing laundry can be aggravating enough without having to worry about quarters, hauling heavy loads, and wasting energy.  The Laundry Pod from StoreBound avoids the stress of laundromats by providing a portable, human-powered machine that saves energy, water and money. The device uses a hand crank instead of electricity, requiring only a few minutes of work to wash a load of laundry. Similar to the GiraDora , the Laundry Pod is lightweight, easy to operate, and electricity-free. Read the rest of The Electricity-Free Laundry Pod Washer Cuts Down on Water, Time and Energy Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: giradora , human powered , laundromat , spin dryer , storebound , the laundry pod , washer , water issues

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The Electricity-Free Laundry Pod Washer Cuts Down on Water, Time and Energy

Infographic: How Dangerous is your House?

Ecomom has a really cool infographic explaining the “surprise” toxins found in your home, from bathrooms to garages. It also highlights natural solutions for keeping a clean home. … Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Infographic: How Dangerous is your House?

IS IT GREEN?: The Laundry Ball

The GreenWashBall is a device that you toss into the washing machine to clean your dirty laundry in place of detergent. An innovative concept, but not the first of its kind – “laundry balls” like the GreenWashBall are abundant, including the Miracle II Ball , the Laundry Solution ball, and the Mystic Wonder Laundry Ball . They are supposedly popular in Europe and the laundry ball industry is hoping to gain popularity in the U.S

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IS IT GREEN?: The Laundry Ball

7th Generation Debuts 4x Laundry Detergent in Paper Bottle

 Seventh Generation is ditching completely-plastic packaging with the launch of its 4x concentrated formula.

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7th Generation Debuts 4x Laundry Detergent in Paper Bottle

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