No Washing Powder Required

Sanyo has announced it will begin marketing a washing machine which does not require washing powder or soap of any kind. The machine cleans the clothes by combining electrolysed water's dirt dissolving and bacteria removing properties with its ultrasonic wave technology. For really dirty clothes, there's a cycle suitable for using detergent, but if used in "zero detergent" mode, Sanyo claims the machine is capable of saving AUS$180 a year in detergent costs alone. No plans are in place for an Australian release just yet, but the Japanese domestic price of the machine will be around AUS$2000, meaning it will pay for itself in just over a decade.