Today I’m taking a look at WashWow 3.0, a portable gadget that supposedly washes clothes without detergent, and can be used in any bucket, basin, or sink.
Where to Purchase
This gadget can be acquired directly from the official website. There are several models, and the version I bought was $69.99.
About WashWow 3.0
WashWow supposedly cleans and disinfects with no detergent and no agitation, and instead only uses electrolytic cleaning of water. The official website was created back in 2016.
Claims & Features
- First detergent-free dishwasher
- A new way of washing laundry
- Electrolytic water cleaning method
- Cleans clothes with no residue and no irritation
- Jewelry, glasses, fruits and vegetables can also be washed
- Powered by a USB cable
- Dishwashing gadget allows you to use it anywhere
- Compact and portable
WashWow Review
Portable washers are not a new idea, but most of them use either agitation or ultrasonic technology. WashWow, however, supposedly cleans clothes via electrolysis of water. I picked up the 3.0 model – which seems to be the most popular – for about $70. Unboxing this gadget yielded instructions, two USB cables, and the WashWow itself.
For this review, I performed two sets of tests: one test in Hawaii and one test in Las Vegas. When I took this washer with me to Hawaii I was originally thinking of trying some real-world tests, but I eventually opted for a more visually compelling test using soy sauce on white shirts, in part because the WashWow FAQ states that soy sauce stains can be removed with this device.
Going under the assumption that I would be able to see discernible results, I took two white shirts and put two different stains each: one stain that sat for an hour, and one stain that was fresh. I put one shirt in a sink full of water and one shirt in a sink full of water with the WashWow and the results weren’t terribly conclusive.
For that first test, I poured soy sauce on two white shirts and let the stains soak for an hour. I then came back and put a second soy sauce stain on each shirt and then rushed each of them into a sink full of water. My “control sink” was filled with water and I soaked one of the shirts in there for 40 minutes. I took the second shirt and submerged it in another sink full of water and the WashWow, plugged into the wall nearby. Upon pressing the button, I didn’t notice any sound or vibration, but eventually the water did start slowly bubbling around the unit.
One part of the instructions states that it takes thirty minutes for the WashWow to clean clothes, while another part the other part of the instructions states that it takes forty minutes. I waited forty-five minutes just to be safe. I pulled the shirt out of the sink with the WashWow and observed the results, and there was only a faint stain remaining. I then went over to the control sink to see how that shirt looked. I couldn’t really tell how the control shirt compared at first glance inside, so I decided to take both shirts outside to take a closer look in the sunlight. Both the control shirt and the WashWow shirt looked about the same, so I decided that more testing was needed when I got back home.
Back in Vegas, I decided to do four stains on each shirt and include a third shirt to wash in a regular washing machine. I also wanted to do an odor test because WashWow is said to remove bad smells as well. For the smell portion, I decided to get the shirts wet and let them sit so they got kind of musty smelling. I could have just run the shirts under water but it was raining here in Vegas so I thought a more dramatic way to get the shirts wet would be to get the shirts wet in the rain. I went outside in the rain, got the shirts wet in the rain – as well as a new pair of white socks. I sealed everything up in a plastic bag and let them sit overnight. After letting everything dry out, it was time for my next test.
Test #2 involved four stains in addition to odors. I used three plain white shirts and soiled them with ketchup, mustard, dirt, and wine. As with my first test, I put one “control” shirt into the regular washing machine, another “control shirt” into a sink full of plain water, and the last shirt went into a sink of water plus the WashWow. I let them soak for 40 minutes and then compared the results.
At the forty-minute mark I pulled the soaking shirts and socks out of the sinks, rinsed them off and laid them next to the shirt that came out of the washing machine. In observing, I could confirm that the shirt that went in the washing machine only came out looking far better than the shirts and socks that were in the sinks (no surprise there). It was also no surprise that the shirt that went in the washing machine came out smelling fresh. I saw little to no difference between the WashWow shirt and the shirt that just soaked in plain water. There was also no difference in the smell of each shirt, which still smelled a bit musty.
I wanted to point out that the WashWow supposedly kills germs, but I can’t vouch for that because it’s not something I can really test. As far as removing stains and odors, I don’t think it did any better than soaking in a regular sink. In fact, I’d rather just soak my clothes in a sink with a couple drops of detergent rather than pay $70.00 for the WashWow, which not deliver any discernible results in my very unscientific tests.
Finally I didn’t notice any kind of UL listing or ETL listing on the WashWow or the packaging, so I would be hesitant to place this in a sink full of water while plugged into the wall. Overall, I’m glad I tried the Portable Clothes Washer but I cannot recommend it.
If you’ve used the WashWow, tell me what you think in the comments below.