Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Portable Spot-Treatment Washing Machine

Remove that one stain with a small portable mahcine
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Washing fabrics is a chore as old as civilization. As everyone knows, the more recently a fabric item is washed, the more likely it will attract a single small stain, as if the universe enjoys such things. The response to this is a mal-coordinated cluster of responses ranging from dabbing at the area with a tissue, to maybe running that area under the tap. Most are unsatisfactory. So, a possible solution.

The device in question will consist of top and bottom halves hinged at the back not unlike a stapler. At the ends will be two rubber circular seals. The user will insert their stained clothing so that the rubber circles are over/under the stain. Then, the device will be closed, clamping the stained fabric between the two rubber seals. Then, at the flick of a switch, water, of total volume around 100ml with detergent will circulate around the device and through the stain. Because the ends are clear plastic, you will be able to see the stain and can stop treatment when it disappears. Then you empty the device, refill with plain water and run a second quick cycle as a rinse.

You're then only left with a ~5cm wet spot, which isn't the end of the world.

bs0u0155, Jun 21 2021

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       //Skip the hinge, //   

       Then how would the pump circulate the water?   

       Actually, a much simpler version would be to have two independent sections, with rubber bulbs on either side. Then you'd fill one and hold the other closed while attaching them either side of the stain, then you could pump the water back and forth by alternately squeezing the bulbs. If you were clever, you could even store one inside the other.
bs0u0155, Jun 21 2021
  

       //You're then only left with a ~5cm wet spot// Is there any reason why the device is not a combined washer-dryer?
pocmloc, Jun 21 2021
  

       //Can you send on to the ISS? <link>//   

       Laundry in space is an interesting problem. I'd have thought the way to go would be something like an ozone generator in a sealed bag, then a quick rinse in a few ml of semi-polar solvent, like ethanol, then expose to vacuum to flash off the solvent and any other volatiles and that would deal with almost everything.
bs0u0155, Jun 23 2021
  

       Because it's called a "mahcine" does it mean all of the instructions are printed in Clingon?
xenzag, Jun 23 2021
  

       //other difficulty to cycling an airlock every washing day...//   

       I guess they just don't want the risk for modest payoff. Laundry becomes routine, and that's when accidents happen.
bs0u0155, Jun 23 2021
  
      
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