Smart solutions for garment care

MANILA, Philippines - In Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog, Joss Whedon’s Emmy-winning musical created specifically for the Internet audience to fill the vacuum left by last year’s writer’s strike, the consistently-awesome Neil Patrick Harris, who plays the eponymous title character, meets his soulmate in a laundromat.

“I’m a fan of laundry,” says Harris’s crush Penny, played by the ginger-haired Felicia Day. “The smell of fabric softener, the feel of warm clothes in your hands...”

“...so good,” finishes Harris, attempting to get close to his secret love.

The dialogue above emphasizes the point I’m about to make: Laundry has been deified by folks nostalgic about the smell and feel of freshly-laundered garments.

Like just-baked cookies, people seek to recapture the lost glory of youth (mom taking care of the household, that golden sense of security and life before dreary household chores and bills) through pre-packaged fragrances, body colognes and even linen sprays that recreate the sweet smell of clean apparel.

But reality, as I discovered during my five-week-long vacation last month, is far from the rose-colored memories we often cherish.

Being forced to launder my own garments — separating whites and colored fabrics, waiting for the water to fill halfway in order to pour the detergent and waiting a good 30 minutes or so before adding softener — was a tiresome part of a solo vacation. The long holdup, the noise and — at the end — less-than-sweet smelling, sometimes-shrunken garb that appeared after a tedious wait (I was warned by a friend not to leave my clothing unattended at a laundromat for fear of being stolen) made the actual process far from enjoyable.

This is where Samsung’s new eco-friendly washing machines come in. Designed to make the almost-daily household chore more bearable, the new machines are easy on the eyes (they come in pretty hues and a sleek design, ready to fit inconspicuously into your condo’s kitchen area or your house’s laundry room), energy-efficient (they put those old machines to shame, saving you heaps on the electric and water bill), and innovative (putting the kibosh on loud spin cycles and rattling sounds).

Wash Where You’re Going

Washing machines are heading in a completely new direction. Instead of resting the responsibility of cleaning on the shoulders of detergent manufacturers, Samsung approached washing in a completely revolutionary way. Dubbed Silver Wash, the new innovative system allows you to clean using cold water (a cheaper alternative, as your electric bill can attest) sans bleach.

Focus On Keeping Clean

The use of electrolysis and silver ions result in bacteria-free garments that stay clean for a month. Thanks to this new technology, Silver Wash eradicates 99.9 percent of germs, a staggering difference compared to washing systems that don’t utilize silver ions, resulting in a cleaning receptacle, the steel vat where clothes are placed (otherwise known as the drum), free of dirt, detergent, mold and bacteria. The reduction of biofilm provides a more sterile basin, which removes the likelihood of clothing absorbing fresh bacteria after washing. So you get fresh-smelling clothes that don’t require much detergent.

New Wave

A powerful cleaning tool is what you get with these new washing machines. With Double Store System, made up of dual jets that create several pulses of waves, clothes get cleaner faster. The inner storm, the wave that pulsates upwards, keeps clothes tangle-free, which allows movement, thereby allowing water to access all parts of the material, while the outer storm, the wave that pulsates in a counter-clockwise horizontal rhythm, maintains a gentle washboard effect, courtesy of the outer ridges of the drum, to effectively clean.

Diamond Drum is a Girl’s Best Friend

Every filament of fabric that enters the large perforations of conventional washing machine drums results in a worn, aged appearance. Dull, lackluster colors and loose threads are also consequences. The Diamond Drum eliminates these problems with diamond-shaped embossed holes that are 25 percent smaller than normal, which means the material can’t loosen or enter the perforations. This creates a gentler surface, which counteracts the powerful cleansing system, putting the pressure on the water — and not on the clothes.

Air Supply

High on the technological breakthrough list is Samsung’s new Airwash System. Utilizing only fresh, heated air, the machine powers through odors and bacteria, providing you with clean clothes without water. Sound implausible?

Here’s how it works: Through the use of ventilators, the machine extracts air from the surroundings, converting it into hot air as it passes through a radiator, releasing the air into the moving drum (which rotates clothes during the spin cycle), and propelling dirt, odor, microbes and the like from your clothes via a condensation duct located directly underneath the outer layer of the washing machine.

By bypassing potentially toxic detergents (which are high on chemicals, bad for the earth and have been known to contain sulfates and fragrances that can cause rashes or skin allergies), scrimping on water and using way less energy than most washing machines, the Airwash System automatically reduces your carbon footprint — and your bill.

One more way it saves you money? Studies have shown that this new cleaning solution practically eliminates the need for dry cleaning. Trips to the dry cleaner are instantly reduced by four. And, since the Airwash System minimizes the potential for shrinkage (making it wool and knit-friendly), you won’t need to resort to air drying. Lab tests have proven that the new system even gets rid of hard-to-remove stains and odors. Imagine your favorite shirt after the office Christmas party, redolent of cigarette smoke and drenched in appetizer sauce and wine, instantly rehabilitated.

The new Airwash System takes out the middle man (the dry cleaner) and makes your garments last longer.

Coming Clean

Samsung’s cornered the market on super-efficient, energy-saving, eco-friendly washing machines. These new technological advances, which let you clean in peace (no more noises loud enough to disturb the dead), make laundry a breeze. Forget slaving over dirty clothes and schlepping to the supermarket to load up on more detergent and softener. All you need now is to press a button and let Samsung’s new washing machines take care of the rest.