South Korea's New Invention Could Washing Machine Forever

Summary

The video examines LG Electronics’ development of a washing machine that uses pressurized carbon dioxide instead of water and detergent. It presents the technology as a possible alternative to conventional laundry, while emphasizing that it is still being tested and is not yet a household product.

How the proposed CO₂ washer works

The machine compresses and cools CO₂ until it becomes liquid. According to the video, the liquid penetrates fabric and dissolves oils and grime. At the end of a cycle, the pressure is released, the CO₂ returns to gas and is captured for reuse, while dirt and oils are collected separately.

The video says this process requires no rinse, spin, dryer, or wastewater discharge.

Why the technology may matter

The video contrasts a conventional wash—which it says uses roughly 100 liters of water—with the CO₂ system’s claimed closed-loop process. It also highlights detergent-laden wastewater and microplastic fibers shed from synthetic fabrics during washing. The narrator argues that avoiding water and surfactants could reduce these sources of pollution.

Background and earlier attempts

The video traces CO₂ cleaning research to patents and NASA work in the late 1970s, followed by commercial dry-cleaning machines in the 1990s, including systems associated with Electrolux. It says these systems did not become widespread largely because high-pressure equipment was expensive and water was cheap.

LG’s development path

In 2021, South Korea reportedly gave LG regulatory-sandbox approval to develop and test a CO₂ washer. The video says LG committed to a two-year trial at a research center, with commercial laundry installations—such as in shopping malls—as a possible next step if testing succeeds. It also cites a U.S. patent granted to LG in 2025 as evidence that the company has continued developing the technology.

Other approaches mentioned

The video describes several other efforts to reduce reliance on conventional washing:

• Xeros machines use reusable polymer beads and reportedly require a fraction of the water used by conventional washers.
• The 80 Wash system claims to offer very fast, low-water cleaning.
• Chinese research is exploring a durable fabric coating intended to make stains and pathogens easier to remove with plain water.

Challenges and likely rollout

The narrator identifies pressure-vessel cost and safety engineering, energy use, and consumer expectations as potential hurdles. In particular, consumers may prefer laundry that smells fragrant and feels visibly wet.

The video expects a CO₂ washer to reach commercial laundries before home consumers. High water bills, sanitation needs, or restrictions on toxic dry-cleaning solvents could make the economics more attractive for commercial operators.

Overall assessment

The video concludes that waterless washing is a credible direction for laundry technology, but it does not suggest that household machines will be replaced soon. The practicality of LG’s approach at scale will depend on testing results, cost, energy use, and market acceptance.

Reviews, guides, or tutorials

None are featured. The video is a technology analysis and explainer.

Main speaker and sources

The video is narrated by a single, unnamed presenter. Sources and organizations mentioned include LG Electronics, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, NASA, Electrolux, Xeros, 80 Wash, Samsung, the University of Leeds, and researchers publishing in Communications Chemistry.