Virtually waterless washing machine now launders linens in N.H., Xeros Ltd. says

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

During the fall, leaf-peepers throng New Hampshire and Vermont, and now there may be another reason to visit Manchester, N.H. --- to check out a virtually waterless washing machine that makes “aqueous washing” virtually old hat.

Alas, tourists will probably have to content themselves with goggling vistas of glorious foliage. That’s because this washing machine --- a wonder of the age in white-appliance circles --- is being used by a commercial laundry service that launders linens for hotels, hospitals, and restaurants.

The washing machine in question was developed by Xeros Ltd., a British company that seeks to push the envelope on laundry technology.

The key, according to Xeros, is the use of polymer beads.

“Through the use of polymer bead technology, this revolutionary cleaning process has been proven more effective than traditional ‘soap and water’ methods,” Xeros said in a press release. “By combining the beads’ molecular structure with a proprietary detergent solution, the result is a superior cleaning medium that beats even water. The dirt from soiled items is attracted and absorbed by the beads, producing cleaner results than aqueous washing methods.”

A Xeros laundry cleaning system, the first of its kind to be deployed in the US, has been in operation for about a month at Sterling Linen Services in Manchester, N.H., said Xeros, which added that it has set its sights on the North American commercial laundry industry, starting in New England.”

According to Xeros, its polymer bead washing machines use up to 90 percent less water than a traditional model and up to 50 percent less energy.

Use a Xeros washing machine, the company suggests, and the only thing that will shrink is your laundry’s carbon footprint.