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Laundry - Clean & Simple
Americans spend a lot of time getting up close and personal with their dirty laundry—between seven and nine hours per week, according to research by Procter & Gamble.
So why do we linger so long with our laundry? Probably because each person in the U.S. generates about a quarter ton of dirty clothes every year. Just to put that in perspective, a quarter—the coin you must have to feed the machine at a commercial Laundromat—weighs 5.7 grams, according to the U.S. Mint. Therefore, a quarter ton would equal 40,000 quarters worth $10,000. That’s a lot of laundry. To be even more precise, Americans wash 35 billion loads of laundry annually—almost all of it in washers, as the days of doing hand laundry are but a quaint memory for almost everyone. Washing machines have come a long way since 1922, when Maytag first introduced an electric-powered washer that relied on an agitator in the bottom of the tub to effectively clean clothes by dragging them through the water. The machine depended on human power to feed the laundry through an attached wringer, removing water. The less water there was, the less time the laundry would take to dry while hanging from a rope clothesline. The Gyrafoam washer, which could be purchased with such attachments as a butter churn and a meat grinder, was an enormous success, and by 1927, Maytag had sold its first million of them.
The Washer is in Charge Today, the art and science of cleaning clothes is taking another momentous step forward. We’re going from an era where the machines did what we told them to do to a time when machines think for themselves—and tell us how the laundry can best be cleaned. Don’t laugh. For example, GE’s Profile Harmony Clothes Care System features a washer that talks to the dryer. The washer analyzes the fabrics, size, and weight of the load and delivers that information to the dryer through a computer cable. The dryer can then determine which settings will deliver the best results. All you have to do is push “Start.” The MSRP for the washer and dryer is $1,998 to $2,198.Fisher & Paykel’s Intuitive Eco clothes washer has a “How Dirty” option, where you simply push a button to select how dirty the load of laundry you are doing is and then press “Start.” The washer then selects the best water level, wash action, wash time, and spin and rinse cycle for you. The washer also has fabric-sensing technology for comprehensive clothes care, thirteen specialty “Life” cycles that cater to specific stains and clothing use, and three cycles for delicates. The MSRP for the washer is approximately $799. Whirlpool, Bosch, Maytag, and Kenmore all make washing machines and dryers that make laundry day easier, including features that weigh the laundry and decide how much water is needed. Preprogrammed cycles dictate water temperature and how fast or slow the load is rotated. These laundry systems are much more versatile than even those sold a few years ago. Washing and drying cottons has never been much of a challenge, but throwing woolens, silks, linens, and some manmade fibers into the washer or the dryer has been a ruinous experience for many of us. But new washers and dryers make laundering an array of fabrics a much less risky job. For instance, Maytag’s top-loading Neptune TL has 24 preprogrammed cycles for fabrics. Once a cycle is selected, the washer automatically sets temperatures, the rate its tumblers (which replace agitators) operate, rinse, and spin speeds. An on-screen guide provides additional advice about problem areas. Touch the screen and the washer automatically selects the best cycle to remove any stains. The MSRP for the Neptune washer and dryer, which is stackable, is $2,029. Whirlpool’s Duet washer has Catalyst® cleaning action that delivers a perfect mix of water and detergent in each load. And with a large capacity, Duet washers can wash up to 22 bath towels in a single load. The Duet dryer features a Senseon® drying system that helps to keep clothes looking newer longer by not overdrying them. Moisture strips sense the remaining moisture content in the fabrics, and a sophisticated electronic thermistor tightly controls the temperature.
Cleaner Laundry with Less Energy The most immediately visible difference between older washers and dryers and manufacturers’ new lines is the increasing number of front-loading machines, which not only look vastly different, but also operate completely differently from the machines most of us grew up with.In top-loading washers, laundry is completely submerged in water and an agitator moves the laundry back and forth to loosen soil. Frontloading machines use a tumbler system. The laundry sits in a shallow pool of water and the washtub rotates—similar to the way clothes dryers operate. As the tub rotates—first clockwise, then counter clockwise—the water moves through the laundry removing soil. The design not only requires about 40-percent less water, it also demands about 50-percent less energy to keep the tub spinning and nearly 70-percent less energy to heat water because less is used—all according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In addition to the Neptune and Whirlpool’s Duet washer and dryer, Sears offers the Kenmore HE4t that has a Kids-Wear Cycle that provides more washing action for better removal of common and hard-to-get-out stains and more rinsing to provide better removal of detergent. The new washer is also designed with a Bulky/Bedding Cycle and a 3.8-cubic-foot wash basket capacity. A Skincare Option can be used with any cycle, and adds a third-rinse cycle to remove soap residue. For tough protein-based stains such as blood, the washer has a Smart Heat Option that actually washes with dual temperature control. By choosing this option, the washer will wash at 104° F for a set time to remove a stain. It then heats the water to a higher temperature (as high as 153° F) for the remainder of the wash cycle. The MSRP is $1,299. Some advantages of front-load washers, which have been in use in commercial laundries for many years, include: • They hold more because they have no bulky center agitator. If you have one at home that means you can throw in sleeping bags, rugs, quilts and other items that just won’t fit in a top-loader. • Front-loaders also spin at more than 1,000 rpm in American-made machines, and higher on European models. This is much faster than the 600 to 700 rpm spin cycle on top-load washers. Clothes come out with more water removed and that reduces time in the dryer. That saves energy, and if you’re a household that does one load right after the other, it makes it more likely you won’t be spending lots of time waiting for the dryer to finish before you can put in the next load. • Front-loaders, especially those small footprint models from Miele, are stackable— particularly good for people who want to put washers and dryers in upstairs closets, small apartments, and recreational vehicles. LG Electronics’ new Tromm Front Control Laundry System, a front-load washer and dryer that can be stacked, has electronic controls on the front of the appliances instead of the back, which enables them to fit more easily under counters or in cabinets. Other features include a feature noise-reducing system, automatic temperature control, and a large load capacity. A SenseClean system enables the appliances to sense the weight of the load, and in the case of the dryer, to measure moisture and temperature, and automatically adjust the water level or dryer heat to optimize machine time and reduce shrinking and pilling. The washer boasts 3.72 cubic feet and 7.3 cubic feet for the dryer. The system also features an automatic detergent dispenser and Delay Wash, which allow you to program the machine to complete the washing up to 12 hours after it has been loaded. The MSRP is $1,099 for the washer and $849 for the dryer. The next washing machine you buy is likely to be a front-loader because between now and the end of 2007, the DOE is gradually phasing in stricter standards for manufacturers, requiring more energy efficiency and water reduction. While manufacturers don’t have to offer only front loaders, most of them are moving in that direction. Cost of Doing Laundry The bad news is that front-loading machines are initially more expensive to purchase. A good top-loader sells for less than $500, while a front-loader starts at about $600 and can go as high as $1,600 for a high-efficiency, European-manufactured model. Europeans have been water and energy conservation-minded longer than the U.S. and are ahead of us in designing these kinds of machines. Take comfort in the thought that operating costs of frontloading machines are generally much lower. If you’re currently operating a 20-year-old, top-loading washer, it undoubtedly guzzles at least 50-percent more energy and water than today’s models, so you’ll pay back the investment in a new model in a year or two. There are also ways to reduce the initial cost. Some electrical power companies offer rebates of as much as $200 when you replace an older, power-hungry model with a high-efficiency machine. Nexus Energy Guide (http://www.energyguide.com), which works with energy companies all over the country to help them promote wise use of resources, has an online database that will help you figure out whether your utility company offers rebates and how you go about getting one. Nexus also evaluates energy-saving models and names the Fisher & Paykel Ecosmart washer as a best buy. The Ecosmart washer uses only 298 kWh/year of electricity. Paired with an electric water heater, its yearly operating cost is $25 and $12 with a natural gas water heater (based upon U.S. National Average of $0.0831 per kWh and $0.688 per therm). The Ecosmart requires only about 14 gallons of water to do a full-sized load of laundry. That is about half of the amount required by most of its front-loading competition and one-quarter of the amount required by the average top-loading machine. The MSRP is $799. If you are interested in checking out other energy-efficient machines, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (www.cee1.org/resid/seha/rwsh/rwsh-prod.pdf) maintains a complete list of models that meet the DOE’s Energy Star standard.
Taking the Work Out of Wash Day Besides energy efficiency and effective cleaning, today’s washers and dryers offer all kinds of innovations that make life easier. For instance, one size no longer fits all. Some people just don’t want or need a family-size washing machine. To appeal to that market, Haier America has developed a Hand-Wash Washing System designed especially for people who only want to launder a few pieces of lingerie or other delicates. The machine, which is only about 36-inches tall, rolls up to the sink.MTI Whirlpools makes an even simpler device. The Jentle Jet Laundry Sink relies on three jets to circulate water and clean a small number of laundry items. The sink is only slightly deeper than the ordinary bathroom sink and can be installed in place of one and used for standard uses as well as laundry. Other winning ideas include: Whirlpool’s Personal Valet, which removes odors and wrinkles from clothes and lessens the number of trips to the dry cleaners. Whirlpool also offers the DryAire Drying Cabinet that lets you hang clothes to dry in a warm air-filled box. DryAire will dry a wool sweater in a couple of hours without shrinking it. Apartment and other small-space dwellers will love the all-in-one washer and dryers made by Equator, LG Electronics, and Appliances International. These dryers don’t need to be vented because they rely on a condensation drying system in which the hot air is condensed into liquid and then pumped out of the discharge hose. For example, Equator offers a 33-inch high by 23 1/2-inches wide by 24-inches deep combination washer/dryer that is ventless. The appliance only consumes 9 gallons of water per cycle, costing about $3 per year for the gas heated model and $10 per year for the electric model. Appliances International’s QuietLine washer/dryer combo is 23 3/8-inches wide by 33 1/2-inches high by 22-inches deep, and is ventless as well. It uses only 16 gallons of water per load, and features an electronically-controlled drive system that tumbles clothes gently without tangling, eight wash settings, automatic water temperature, and two powerful dryer settings, for any type of load. Laundry Centers, such as the model GLGU1032AS laundry center from Frigidaire incorporates a full-size, super-capacity top-load washer and a super-capacity clothes dryer in a 27-inch floor space. The dryer has four drying cycles, moisture sensor, and drum light, while the washer has ten wash cycles, and automatic temperature control to ensure the correct wash temperature to guarantee proper cleaning. GE’s Spacemaker Laundry Center, at 75 1/2 inches x 30 13/16 inches x 27 inches, can give you large capacity in your small space. With a One Wash/Spin Speed, reliable cleaning performance is provided for regular clothes, while three wash cycles offer convenient, preprogrammed settings for regular, permanent press and delicate clothes. Three wash/rinse temperatures offer better wash results and longer fabric life, and three water levels minimize water waste. On the dryer, an Auto Dry option uses thermostats to monitor air temperature and reduce fabric wear, while four dry cycles offer convenient preprogrammed settings for regular and delicate clothes. The MSRP is $1,099. Ideal for cleaning bed linens after your kids suffer the flu are high-end Asko, GE, and Whirlpool clothes washers that heat water up to 205 degrees. If your home is small or laundry area is near where you sleep, LG Electronics has invented a washer that is nearly silent and doesn’t vibrate at all. The secret is its Direct Drive™ system that works without belts and pulleys, delivers power to the drum with the motor attached to its center, improving vibration levels by as much as 60 percent. It also enables the washer and dryer to sense the weight of the load, and in the case of the dryer, the moisture and temperature, and automatically adjust the water level or dryer heat to optimize machine time and reduce shrinking and pilling. To top it off, the washer has one of the industry’s largest load capacities—3.72 cubic feet—and it has a delay-wash feature, which allows you to program the machine to complete washing up to 19 hours after you’ve loaded it. You get a 3.72-cubic-feet load capacity for the washer and 7.3 cubic feet for the dryer. The MSRP is $899 to $1,299 for the washer and $699 to $899 for the dryer. The new Amana washer-dryer line has a QuickWash feature that lets you wash that shirt you need for a party in record time, and SteadySpin, which will let the washer continue spinning even though the load is out of balance. For drying, a FabriCare system with QuickDry feature allows high airflow and low temperatures to dry clothes quickly, yet gently, without shrinking. MSRP is $349 to $519 for the washer and $329 to $529 for the dryer.
Get Ready for Online Laundry Internet-ready laundry appliances are the hottest thing in Europe. For example, Italian appliance maker Candy sells the ActivaSmart.com washing machine. The appliance includes a display, which is connected to an internal computer, which reveals the progress of the wash program, washing intensity, fabric, and temperature. Users have access to web site that allows them to download control software updates for added features and increased performance as the company develops them.Another Italian appliance maker, Merloni Elettrodomestici, has partnered with utility company Enel to enable consumers to “rent” their laundry appliances and pay per wash. Through an Internet connection, Enel monitors the number of laundry loads users run and charges them for both machine rental and electrical usage. In the U.S., thanks to IBM and USA Technologies, college students sitting in their dorm rooms are able to turn to the Internet for an answer to one of life’s pressing questions: Is there a free washer in the basement laundry room? The companies’ new technology, eSuds, lets students go online to see which machines are in use. When their clothes are clean, or dry, the appliance sends an e-mail message or beeps a pager or cell phone. Down the line, expect to see web-connected machines at the local laundromat or in apartment-complex laundry rooms. Wherever they may be, web-enabled washers and dryers can report breakdowns immediately, so operators can get broken units quickly back into service. And customers love them. “I don’t think anyone would choose to attend Boston College because of the laundry program,” says Linda Riley, associate director of Operations and Financial Management at Boston College, where the system has been in place one year. “But it has definitely been an attraction.” What’s next? How about a robot valet that knows how to iron? Or a laundry computer that can keep track of that single missing sock? More Editorials |
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