This new self-cleaning cloth is sure to make more than a few wash-weary souls raise a hearty cheer. Laundry may just be one of the most despised household chores, but now, thanks to the brilliant chemists at the University of California, that dreaded task may finally go the way of the dodo. Before you get too excited it is my sad duty to reel you back in. This cloth, made from modified cotton, doesn't actually remove dirt. The cloth instead effectively kills bacteria when it is exposed to light. This in itself is pretty amazing, so there's no reason to feel jipped.
The secret behind this breakthrough is a compound called 2-AQC, which reacts to light by producing reactive oxygen species, which causes bacteria to break down. Although the cloth may not solve all your fabric related woes, this fibrous technology may prove useful in military applications.
While it may not be time to ditch the fabric softener take heart in the fact that science is getting closer to creating completely self-cleaning cloth, which means you can finally kiss the laundry mat goodbye!
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