Okay, I just received the following e-mail from an old friend, who I used to think had her head screwed on straight. It sounds like typical snake-oil salesman BS (although I have heard that a legitimate silver-ion washing system does kill a lot of bacteria):
Dear Family & Friends,
One of the other ways that Laundry Pure works is by having silver ion probes. As you wash, the silver ions are added to the water. Silver has long been know for its antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, anti-parasitic, antiseptic and antiviral properties. The residual silver in the fabric can actually help protect against odor-causing bacteria.
So, how does any of this benefit you? There are quite a few ways. The first is money savings because you are not using detergents, fabric softeners or hot water. Laundry Pure is easy to install and draws power equivalent to a 100 watt light bulb. The unit runs only when the washing machine is running, so the cost to operate is very low.
The second, third and fourth reasons are reduced bacteria counts, effective fabric sanitization & enduring sanitization, all because of the silver.
The fifth reason is allergies. Many detergents can cause allergic reactions. When detergents are not used, the allergic reactions don’t happen.
The sixth, seventh & eighth reasons are increased fabric life, increased fabric volume and more vibrant colors. Typical detergents can contain up to 50% zeolites which act as abrasives to work out the stains in the clothes. These abrasives are hard on the cloth. Also, detergents continue to build up in fabrics and can cause fibers to mat. With Laundry Pure there is no residue because there is no detergent or fabric softener, therefore there is no residue trapped in the fabric.
If you would like to see Laundry Pure in action, you are welcome to bring a load of laundry to my house after I get mine. Because of the high demand, it will take about one to one and a half months to receive the unit. I will let you know when mine arrives. If you are interested in Laundry Pure or you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
MikeS
June 24, 2006, 8:24pm
2
Sounds a little like laundry balls redux.
Zsofia
June 24, 2006, 8:27pm
3
Here’s a fast and easy guide to bogosity - does the word “ions” appear? Ions equal con.
Zsofia
June 24, 2006, 8:38pm
4
Here’s a fast and easy guide to bogosity - does the word “ions” appear? Ions equal con.
The sixth, seventh & eighth reasons are increased fabric life, increased fabric volume and more vibrant colors. Typical detergents can contain up to 50% zeolites which act as abrasives to work out the stains in the clothes. These abrasives are hard on the cloth. Also, detergents continue to build up in fabrics and can cause fibers to mat. With Laundry Pure there is no residue because there is no detergent or fabric softener, therefore there is no residue trapped in the fabric.
Detergents DO NOT contain zeolites. Detergents usually contain sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or sodium citrate, all of which are water softeners.
Most people use too much detergent, and it can build up in clothes. The easiest solution is to run a load with detergent to rinse it out.
DrDeth
June 26, 2006, 2:56pm
6
Right. The reason why these things work is that just plain hot water- with nothing added- will do an adquate job on much of your laundry. In fact, for the first time ot two, there will still be detergent in your clothes from prior washings.
In fact, for about a year when I was a poor college student, I washed all my clothes with nothing but baking soda and a bar of Fel’s Naptha soap rubbed on the spots. Worked fine, but the whites did start to look a little dingy after a bit.
There are socks with silver fibers “X-static”, and I can tell you that they do reduce foot odor and I haven’t had any athletes foots since using them.
Well, this is the reply I sent my friend:
Dear ______,
I fear your e-mail is not a joke, and I desperately hope you haven’t put money down on this product. While there are legitimate “silver ion” washing machines, “Laundry Pure” is most certainly a completely bogus product. Did you actually read the quote: “The Radiant Catalytic Ionization Cell untilizes ozone, high intensity UV light on a hydrated quad-metalic target to create: ozone, ozone ions, hydro peroxides, hydroxides, free oxygen molecules & super oxide ions. These Advanced Oxidizers become entrained in the water to break down oils and grime and disinfect the fabric and work best with cold water.” Sadly, this is a classic example of snake-oil sales talk: it sounds high-tech, it has some basis in scientific fact, but it is really complete BS as a whole statement. Just a few tidbits:
“free oxygen molecules” probably means an oxygen atom by itself (unless they are using some other meaning, which I can’t figure out). These are, indeed, released by UV light when it hits an O2 molecule. However, free oxygen atoms also occur naturally in water anyway, and making more of them probably isn’t going to do much for your clothes.
“super oxide ions” means, simply an oxygen with an extra electron. Reactive, yes. Helpful for cleaning your clothes? Probably not.
“high intensity UV light on a hydrated quad-metalic target” – they’re shining ultraviolet light onto something made of four metals and immersed in water. Will this release some ozone, “hydro peroxides,” etc.? Who knows? Who cares? Will it help clean your clothes? Not really. By the way, “peroxide” is another name for bleach.
I don’t doubt that you’ll get your clothes to last longer without washing them with detergent. They’ll probably retain their colors longer, too, as you’re not actually washing them. The towels will probably be fluffier, too. Will you be bacteria free and clean-smelling? Doubtful.
I took a few minutes to browse through the website for the product, and I can’t believe they’re getting $700+ from people for this thing. I spent four dollars for a bottle of detergent that will wash my clothes 32 times. By the time I spend $700 on detergent, I will have washed my clothes five thousand six hundred times, which, at a rate of about once a week, will take me over one hundred years.
I urge you to reconsider buying this product, as you are most likely getting scammed big time. Cheers.
-Tofer
The sad part is that people rarely want to know when they’re being taken for a ride. Most folks would rather just pretend they aren’t than have to confront their poor judgment.