Self-cleaning clothes are on the way

[Still Waters]

People could soon be able to replace their washing machines with a little bit of sunshine, thanks to pioneering nanotechnology research being developed by RMIT University researchers.

The researchers have been working on self-cleaning textiles, by growing nanostructures on textiles which - when exposed to light - release a burst of energy that then degrades organic matter.

So sunshine, or even just a light bulb, could get rid of stains and grime.

And they said the next step could be antibacterial textiles that could kill superbugs.

http://www.abc.net.a...archers/7268780

[Galactic Goatman]

As if humanity wasn't lazy enough. :/

[WoIverine]

That's cool, could save quite a bit of time, energy, and possibly water as well.

Edited March 23, 2016 by WoIverine

[pallidin]

So if I understand this, the technology "degrades" little "nasties" to the point where they are no longer a threat.

But those degraded nasties still remain in the clothing.

That sounds more like sterilization than cleaning.

[Nzo]

Great Idea... I hope they can add self cleaning and disinfected diapers. The landfills are full of disposable diapers. The year 2000 and we are still talking about landfills. If this is not a sign of massive mismanagement I don't know what is.

[Infernal Gnu]

I'm with pallidin. I don't want my clothes to be a virtual cemetery for dead bacteria.

[Nnicolette]

So how does the clothing differentiant between degrading unwanted organic matter and eating your skin?

[danielost]

Great Idea... I hope they can add self cleaning and disinfected diapers. The landfills are full of disposable diapers. The year 2000 and we are still talking about landfills. If this is not a sign of massive mismanagement I don't know what is.

and on the ther hand we have people cring about washing non-disposable diapers.

[paperdyer]

Just think about this. If you live in a large city with smog, bugs and other items in the air, would you really believe your cloths would get clean? I've been told that most people don't hang their wash outside to dry in the South because of the insect issues. Makes sense. When my family moved to North Carolina, we started hanging out our clothes on good days and quickly stopped due to "items", not all bugs, we found in our "clean" clothes.

[Nnicolette]

Im really curious... What kind of items?

[pallidin]

Im really curious... What kind of items?

Just guessing... Maybe small leaves, grass, blown dirt, pollen? I know I had to "snap-shake" clothes after outside sun/air drying many years ago.

[danielost]

hang them inside in a sun room. or build one.

[BeastieRunner]

WOOO for being lazy!

hang them inside in a sun room. or build one.

We have a mudroom for that.

[Michelle]

Just think about this. If you live in a large city with smog, bugs and other items in the air, would you really believe your cloths would get clean? I've been told that most people don't hang their wash outside to dry in the South because of the insect issues. Makes sense. When my family moved to North Carolina, we started hanging out our clothes on good days and quickly stopped due to "items", not all bugs, we found in our "clean" clothes.

Huh? Maybe once a year a bird poops on something, but I don't have any problem hanging clothes out whatsoever. It only takes a couple of hours in the hot sun to dry them. I don't like that they get stiff, but I put them in the dryer with a damp towel for about five minutes afterwards to fix that.

[Nnicolette]

What? Why hang dry if you are just going to throw it in the dryer?

[Michelle]

What? Why hang dry if you are just going to throw it in the dryer?

Anyone who has ever hung clothes on a line knows they can get sort of stiff and scratchy. Throwing them in the dryer for a few minutes with a damp towel softens them up and takes the wrinkles out.

[freetoroam]

"So one of the potential aspects of this material is that we have started testing it on superbugs and it's showing amazing results."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-23/nanotechnology-self-cleaning-clothes-are-on-the-way-researchers/7268780

Would this not be better to make bed linen?

TBO I wear clothes everyday, and so far no superbug has caused me a problem because it may have landed on my sleeve, but for people who have bed bugs, then maybe this would stop that?

I do not have a problem with bed bugs btw, well none that I have noticed.

[danielost]

the story does not say it is restricted to clothing. it says textiles.

[toast]

Also clothes are subject to erosion, so nano particles will get detached from the structure and will reach the lungs.

I dont think that this is a healthy process in general. The idea might be of benetit for dressing material, due to single

use, but it is a nonsense idea for clothes of frequent use. In addition, as the nanos are based on the metals silver

and copper, so metals who chemically react with sweat, allergies and skin irritations will occur.