Just like having sensor drying of washed clothes for efficiency, make a sensor in the washing machine that will tell the remaining detergent level and adjust rinsing water accordingly. Ask if any questions. Thanks.

I have the feeling it is hard baked. I did run one Google search, but will leave the rest to idea-busters.
-- xkuntay, Jan 19 2014

But the amount of water required isn't really a function of the amount of detergent available (or vice versa). They're both determined by the load size. Using less water will probably just cause the whole process to fail, and leave a bunch of soap in your clothes. Better to simply use the same amount of water and less detergent.

Also, on every washing machine I've ever used, you simply dump the detergent into the water after it starts filling (which is why it doesn't stop filling when you open the lid). How would the washer know how much soap is left, or even be able to reduce the amount of rinsing water relative to the amount of soap once the soap has been added to the water?
-- ytk, Jan 19 2014


Sorry. Saw the title and wanted to apply for the job washing sensors. Will keep looking.
-- cudgel, Jan 19 2014


The sensor can be a pH meter measuring the concentration in the outflowing rinse water. Once it finds out the water is neutral, it will do one more final rinse and go to spinning.
-- xkuntay, Jan 19 2014


Ooooooh, I get it now. It's a washing machine that just keeps rinsing until all of the soap is gone from the water.

At first it sounded like a way of adjusting the amount of washing water when you were low on soap for some reason. This makes more sense. Disregard previous anno.
-- ytk, Jan 19 2014


If pH has not changed in the outlet for more than a minute, it can be assumed that 99.9% of detergent has been extracted. A succeeding final rinse then should complete the job, saving water, money, and the planet.. umm.
-- xkuntay, Jan 22 2014



random, halfbakery