Some days the list of chores is never-ending, and sometimes we don’t even have enough time in one day to accomplish them all. Wouldn’t it be nice to kill two birds with one stone and get more than one chore done at the same time?
Well, thanks to a brilliant invention designed by students at Dalian Nationalities University in China, you can. They have designed a machine that enables you to check off laundry washing and exercise from your to-do list, all in one go.
The Bike Washing Machine (B.W.M.), also called the BiWa, is an eco-friendly, human-powered washing machine that conserves water and electricity while encouraging you to multitask and boost your fitness in a fun, efficient way. The concept merges a stationary bicycle with a front-loading washing machine drum, turning your pedal power into clean clothes.
How It Works
The pedaling motion spins and rotates the front wheel, which is actually the washing machine’s clothing drum. As you cycle, the drum agitates the clothes inside, cleaning them without any grid electricity. At the same time, surplus electricity is generated by the pedaling action and can be used to power the display screen that keeps you aware of the wash cycle’s progress.
If you are done washing clothes but still want to keep burning those calories, you can keep cycling since excess energy can be stored in a battery for future use. This makes the BiWa a genuinely off-grid appliance—it needs no electrical outlet, just a water connection and a willing rider.
The washing machine drum is relatively compact, which means a full laundry load may require multiple cycles. However, the design is targeted at small households, students, and anyone looking to reduce their environmental footprint while staying active. Each wash cycle typically runs for about 15 to 20 minutes of pedaling, roughly equivalent to a short cardio session.
Environmental and Energy Benefits
A conventional electric washing machine consumes between 0.5 and 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity per load, which adds up over hundreds of washes each year. The average household runs roughly 300 loads annually, translating to 150 to 300 kWh just for laundry. By replacing even a portion of those loads with human-powered washing, the energy savings become meaningful.
Water conservation is another significant advantage. Standard top-loading washing machines use 30 to 45 gallons (115 to 170 liters) of water per load, while high-efficiency front-loaders use around 15 to 25 gallons (55 to 95 liters). Pedal-powered alternatives like the BiWa require far less water since the drum is smaller and the washing action is more direct. Many DIY and commercial human-powered washers operate with as little as 5 to 10 liters per load.
Beyond the direct resource savings, pedal-powered washing machines eliminate the need for complex electronics, motors, and control boards, which are common failure points in conventional machines. Fewer components mean a longer lifespan and less electronic waste when the appliance eventually reaches end of life. If you are already doing eco-friendly laundry, a human-powered washer takes that commitment a step further.
Other Human-Powered Washing Machines
The BiWa is far from the only attempt at combining exercise with laundry. Several inventors and companies have explored human-powered washing machines, each with a different approach. Here is how the major designs compare:
| Feature | BiWa (BMW) | Drumi | Cyclean | Remya Jose’s Washer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Source | Bicycle pedaling | Foot pedal | Bicycle pedaling | Hand crank/pedal |
| Generates Electricity? | Yes (surplus stored) | No | No | No |
| Water Per Load | Not specified | 5 to 10 liters | Standard drum volume | 10 to 15 liters |
| Build Materials | Custom design | Manufactured (plastic/metal) | Scrap yard parts | Recycled bicycle parts |
| Year Introduced | 2015 | 2015 (Kickstarter) | 2007 | ~2010 |
| Market Status | Concept only | Limited production | Prototype | Not commercialized |
| Designed By | University students (China) | Yirego (Canada) | Alex Gadsden (UK) | Remya Jose (India, age 14) |
The Drumi, developed by Toronto-based Yirego, is a foot-pedal-powered mini washer about the size of a kitchen bin. It holds roughly 2 kilograms of clothing and uses just 5 to 10 liters of water. The Drumi successfully raised funds on Kickstarter and reached limited production, proving there is consumer demand for water-saving, electricity-free laundry solutions.
The Cyclean, created by British engineer Alex Gadsden in 2007, was built entirely from discarded parts found in scrapyards and dumps — an old washing machine stripped to its drum and shocks, a wheelbarrow wheel, and a bicycle frame. While it never left the prototype stage, it demonstrated that a functional pedal-powered washer can be assembled for almost no cost.
Perhaps the most inspiring story belongs to Remya Jose, a teenager from Kerala, India, who built a pedal-powered washing machine from recycled bicycle components so her family could wash clothes without electricity while she studied. Her innovation earned national recognition and highlighted how human-powered appliances can make a genuine difference in communities with unreliable grid access.
Can You Build Your Own Pedal Washing Machine?
Yes, and several detailed DIY guides are available online. Building a pedal-powered washing machine is a rewarding project for anyone comfortable with basic mechanical work, and it can be done with readily available materials.
A typical build requires a mechanically sound but electrically broken front-load washing machine, a stationary exercise bike or bicycle frame, a bike chain, a rear wheel hub compatible with a 6-bolt rotor, a ribbed belt and pulley from a car, and hoses for the water inlet and outlet. The core principle is straightforward: the rider pedals, the chain drives the hub, the hub turns the pulley belt, and the belt spins the washing machine drum.
One of the most popular step-by-step guides is the Pedal Powered Washing Machine tutorial on Instructables, which walks through fitting the pulley to the hub, tensioning the drive belt while accounting for the drum’s suspension system, connecting the water supply and drain hoses, and setting up a simple gravity-based drain. The builder notes that a fixed gear setup capable of rotating both forward and backward works best, providing a slower wash cycle and a faster spin cycle from a single gear.
The total cost can be close to zero if you source a discarded washing machine and a used exercise bike. Even purchasing second-hand components, most DIY builders report spending well under 100 dollars. The main investment is time: expect to spend a weekend on the project, plus some trial and error dialing in the belt tension and water connections.
Brains Behind the Design
The designers of this inventive washing machine bike include Xuefei Liu, Di Fang, Linhao Su, Zhanbing Li, Xiaoyu Gao, Xueyi Wang, Wen Fan, Liying Zhu, Deqian Zhao, Huan Li, Mengmeng Hu, and Weiwei Li of Dalian Nationalities University.
The project emerged from a graduation design assignment under the supervision of tutor Lucio Fe, inspired by the students’ own campus experience. With no laundry room on campus, students had to wash clothes by hand, and one of the designers, Su Linhao, wondered why the energy spent at the gym could not be redirected toward a useful chore like laundry. The concept quickly gained international attention on social media, though the team acknowledged that manufacturing partners showed limited interest, citing the technical challenge of integrating water supply and drainage into a cycling machine.
The Fitness Bonus: Calories Burned While Doing Laundry
One of the most appealing aspects of a bike washing machine is the built-in workout. Depending on your weight and pedaling intensity, a 30-minute cycling session can burn between 150 and 300 calories. That means a single wash cycle gives you both clean clothes and a meaningful cardio session.
Even without a BiWa, traditional household chores already burn a surprising number of calories. According to figures compiled by registered dietitian Juliette Kellow, B.S.C., R.D., and published by Weight Loss Resources, here is what you can expect from common tasks:
For 30 Minutes:
- Carrying boxes up a flight of stairs burns 352 calories
- Scrubbing the bath burns 200 calories
- Carrying shopping bags home burns 190 calories
- Gardening burns 157 calories
- Vacuuming burns 137 calories
- Light cleaning burns 98 calories
- Cooking burns 98 calories
- Childcare burns 98 calories
- Making the bed burns 78 calories
- Preparing dinner burns 80 calories
For One Hour:
- Washing the car burns 243 calories
- Mopping floors burns 194 calories
- Cleaning windows burns 180 calories
- Ironing burns 113 calories
Now imagine combining that calorie burn with an actual workout. A bike washing machine essentially turns a sedentary chore into an active one, stacking the fitness benefit on top of the task itself rather than replacing it. For anyone trying to fit exercise into a packed schedule, that is a compelling proposition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the bike washing machine available to buy?
No, the BiWa remains a concept design that has not reached commercial production. The student designers acknowledged that manufacturing partners showed limited interest, largely due to the engineering challenge of integrating reliable water supply and drainage into a pedaling system. However, the Drumi foot-powered washer by Yirego did reach limited production through crowdfunding and is the closest commercially available alternative.
How much water does a pedal-powered washing machine use?
Water consumption varies by design. The Drumi uses approximately 5 to 10 liters per load, while DIY bicycle-powered machines typically use 10 to 15 liters depending on drum size. For comparison, a standard electric top-loader can use 115 to 170 liters per load. Human-powered washers are inherently more water-efficient because the smaller drums and manual operation encourage more conservative water use.
Can I build my own bicycle-powered washing machine?
Yes. Several detailed guides exist, including the popular Instructables tutorial. You will need basic mechanical skills, a broken front-load washing machine, a stationary exercise bike, a bike chain, a rear hub with a 6-bolt rotor mount, a ribbed belt and pulley, and water hoses. Most builders complete the project over a weekend and spend less than 100 dollars on materials.
How does a pedal washing machine compare to an electric one?
A pedal washing machine uses zero grid electricity, significantly less water, and has far fewer components that can fail compared to an electric washer. The trade-off is that it requires physical effort (roughly 15 to 20 minutes of pedaling per load) and handles smaller loads. It is best suited to individuals, couples, or small households and makes an excellent supplementary washer for off-grid living, camping, or reducing utility bills.
What is the most successful human-powered washing machine?
The Drumi by Yirego is the most commercially advanced foot-powered washer, having completed a successful Kickstarter campaign and reached limited production. The concept of bicycle-powered washing has also gained traction in off-grid and developing-world contexts, where innovators like Remya Jose have demonstrated that recycled bicycle parts can create functional, electricity-free laundry solutions. None, however, have achieved mass-market adoption to date.
No Excuses!
The most common excuse for skipping exercise is that people just do not have enough time. But with a creative innovation like the bike washing machine, that excuse disappears. You are already doing laundry anyway—why not get a workout at the same time?
A pedal-powered washer can also save money in the long term, with fewer trips to the laundromat and fewer trips to the doctor since regular physical activity supports better health. And if you are interested in other exercise-based energy solutions, check out the Hans Free Electric bike, which can generate 24 hours of household electricity from just one hour of pedaling.
Human-powered appliances may not replace every electric convenience, but they offer something increasingly rare: a way to meet daily needs that is good for both the planet and your body. The bike washing machine is a reminder that sometimes the simplest ideas—like putting a laundry drum where the front wheel of a bike should be—are the ones worth pedaling toward.
