The secret to cleaner clothes is sound
SCIENTISTS say they have discovered the key to cleaner clothes: soundwaves. Researchers have found that blasting fabrics with high-pitched soundwaves through water dislodged dirt far more effectively than a normal drum washing machine.
Tiny bubbles produced by the ultrasonic waves created minute vortexes that helped remove the most stubborn of stains.
The researchers, whose work has been funded by the home-appliances giant Samsung, said combining ultrasound technology with a conventional spinning drum in a ‘hybrid’ machine increased cleaning performance by 15%.
The research could result in faster, more effective and more environmentally friendly washing machines.
Professor Ho-Young Kim, whose research at Seoul National University is published in the journal Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, said: ‘Ultrasonic waves in water create micro-sized air bubbles that have chaotic motions and are particularly effective at detaching stubborn dirt.’
He added: ‘Adding ultrasound waves to a conventional washing machine remarkably enhances the washing performance.’
Although the hybrid machine is still in the prototype stage, Samsung is understood to be interested in developing the technology further to create a new home appliance.
The healthcare industry already uses ultrasound to clean instruments.