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Washing machine for cootie-phobes

Leslie Katz Former Culture Editor
Leslie Katz led a team that explored the intersection of tech and culture, plus all manner of awe-inspiring science, from space to AI and archaeology. When she's not smithing words, she's probably playing online word games, tending to her garden or referring to herself in the third person.
Credentials
  • Third place film critic, 2021 LA Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards
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Leslie Katz

For those consumers who get particularly creeped out by the idea of bacteria, Samsung has added to its line of Jetsons-worthy home appliances with a new range of front-loader washing machines that utilize nano-size silver ions to kill the microbes. The company says machines with Silver Wash technology destroy 99.99 percent of bacteria in the wash load and coat clothes with antibacterial protection lasting up to 30 days.

Silver Wash machine
Credit: Samsung

The Silver Wash machines are part of the Korean company's Silver Nano Health System, a group of appliances (refrigerators, microwaves, air conditioners) that use silver ions to slay disease-causing molds, germs and 650 types of bacteria.

Machines with Silver Wash are launching later this year in Australia and New Zealand. Guess the rest of us will just have to put up with our cootie-infested clothes a little longer.