Foot Powered Clothes Washer Could Improve Life for Millions

[buckworks]

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1670355/how-a-foot-powered-washing-machine-could-change-millions-of-lives#1

Better technology could improve the most basic of tasks!

[4Eyes]

Looks pretty good.

They ask "Why didn't a manually powered washer or dryer already exist? "

I know it is not exactly the same thing, but I have been using one for the last week or so.
We are still maintaining two houses at the moment and I refuse to buy a new washing machine which we won't need later, so I have been using one of these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6oE_6TwBuo

... clearly it is far smaller, and lacks a spin or dry facility - but it works surprisingly well.


If they started selling the GiraDora over here, I would buy one in a heartbeat.

I would see it as combining a keep fit regime with doing the washing. No need for a stepper or treadmill, just get more clothes dirty

[thesaintv12]

I could have done with one of those when I had my first flat.  We couldn't afford a machine, so did the washing in the bath. It was bloody hard work!

[Drastic]

Nifty. Should be a hit with the survivalist crowd too.

[4Eyes]

Still seems odd to me that we spend so much on 'labour saving' devices, then spend so much on gym membership to keep in shape.

I wouldn't like to arm wrestle with one of those poor sods who have been spending 6 hours a day doing the washing by hand.

[littleman]

>gym membership

Yeah, first world problems.  Its kind of like buying bottled water when one lives in a place where the tap water is fine.

I think we live in an interesting age.  Probably for the last 70 years or so we've had the resources to feed, shelter, vaccinate  and educate the world's poor, but largely haven't done so.