New washing machine rinse-aid dries clothes

According to scientists working with support from P&G, a unique blend of detergents and fabric softeners can break down water’s surface tension in the washing machine and cut drying times by anything upwards of 10% saving US consumers $266 million: On the horizon: A ‘rinse’ for washing machines that dries clothes.

Interesting how they describe the figures in the press release; “More than 56 percent of Americans own electric dryers, with a typical dryer handling 300 loads per year…With the average load requiring from 2.7 to 3 kilowatt hours of electricity, that means drying clothes equates to 5 percent of total residential electricity consumption, costing $2.6 billion annually…”

Then: “A conservative 10 percent reduction in drying times would save consumers $266 million annually.”

Where does the $6m come from? Isn’t 10% of $2.6b, $260m? It’s significant figures from nowhere again. Ditto the kWh used per load – 2.7 to 3 (strictly they should say 2.7-3.0 kWh, but who cares about the precise numbers “about 3 kWh” would be perfectly acceptable. Some machines are probably more efficient, others less so, and any with a filter full of fluff might be using far more energy. The savings from this wonderful detergent blend could be enormous nevertheless…until one starts to consider the extra energy needed to produce it, the massive advertising campaign needed to persuade all those US consumers to spend their money on it, and then the after effects of it flushing down the drains and its impact on the environment.

There’s one more thing, while I’m on a rant – what about all those consumers whose family turn out to have an allergy to this wonder stuff…yet more expense in terms of medical costs and allergy pills and creams…