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No laundry job is too small for the Swoosh

The Swoosh will wash your face cloths, but forget about your sheets
The Swoosh will wash your face cloths, but forget about your sheets

Perhaps you’re a single apartment-dweller who doesn’t have a lot of clothes to wash, or room for a full-sized washing machine. That said, you still don’t like having to trek back and forth to the shared laundry room every time you need clean socks or undies. If so, King Jim’s new Swoosh countertop washer might be what you need.

The little AC-powered washing machine – which looks not unlike a big blender – uses five liters (1.3 US gallons) of poured-in water per load.

After depositing the dirty laundry, water and detergent, users apparently just close the lid and set the timer. One would assume that they have to drain the wash water part way through (via an integrated hose), and introduce clean rinse water. One load takes 15 minutes to wash, and another three minutes to rinse. Presumably there’s no spin cycle.

It can handle up to 250 grams (0.6 lbs) of laundry at a time. According to King Jim – if we understand the translated specs correctly – this means one piece of clothing such as a shirt, or five “rags” (towels?), or 12 wash cloths. In any case, your jeans probably aren’t going into this thing.

The Swoosh officially goes on sale in Japan on February 15th, and will be priced at ¥14,000 (US$150) before tax.

Other tiny washing machines include the Laundry POD and the GiraDora, although both are still in development, and are human-powered.

Source: King Jim (Google translate) via Far East Gizmos

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8 comments
The Skud
Even the reviewer criticises the tiny capacity! Visit almost any good caravanning-supply website to find a small tumble-action or similar clothes washer. Again it will not change to rinse water but I've seen models with more capacity than this.
Tanjamaltija
It's a liquidiser (food processor) without the blades.
bergamot69
I've used portable washing machines before- its not the agitation of the washing which makes washing small loads hard work, it is the constant rinsing and subsequent spinning which are the main issues.
Any machine that does not address those issues is a waste of time and money.
BigGoofyGuy
http://www.lets-getaway.com/washing-portable-electric.htm It does not seem to be the only one in this category. There are others that seem to be little more practical.
I can see how it - the Wonder Wash - could be good for small items that one wants to wash but don't want to use a big washer or want to wait till one has enough for a big washer to clean it with.
James Taylor
For about $10.00 at any Lowe's or Home Depot, you can get a 5 gallon bucket with lid and a toilet plunger. Cut a hole in the lid for the plunger handle, throw in clothes, water, detergent and do your own agitating. Empty, refill, rinse, repeat. Empty, wring out and hang to dry. Place in location where you can throw in dirty clothes every day and, walla, you have a laundry hamper.
Bruce Williams
This has got to be one of those WTF products doomed to oblivion along with the spinning countertop Pizza maker and spray on hair. My wife moans about the small capacity stacked washer and dryer in our glamper bus.
By the way, James B. Taylor, you are a very smart person. .... I'm getting that setup for the Mrs. next time she complains.
As an added bonus, It can double as a churn next time the little woman runs out of butter.
Gadgeteer
Despite what James B Taylor claims, a toilet plunger doesn't work well. Just pushing the clothing around does little to clean it. The old Rapid Washer and its modern counterpart, the Breathing Mobile Washer, have ports in them to allow air and water to flow through them and the clothes, whereas the plunger just traps an air bubble underneath. Neither needs a lid with a hole in it, either. The Breathing Mobile Washer may cost a little more than $10, but it's designed to clean clothes, not plunge toilets.
nutcase
I don't bother to remove my clothes before showering. Simple really...8*)