Self-cleaning clothes would be ideal for people who don't have time to wash their clothes or don't have the facilities to do so, he believed.

CNN: Washing no longer dirty work

During a business trip to Los Angeles in the 1980s, he dropped off a suit and clothes for cleaning a few days before a big meeting.

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He said the cleaning process was much gentler on clothes than conventional methods, and was particularly useful for expensive clothing that could lose its shape and color through washing with water and detergents.

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Mr. Greenberg says not to store your clothes for months or longer without cleaning them.

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Never store your clothes over long periods in plastic dry-cleaning bags which emit gases that can stain or yellow fabrics as well as break down the elasticity in stretch garments.

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The study defined housework as nine chores: cleaning, preparing meals, washing dishes, washing and ironing clothes, driving family members around, shopping, yard work, maintaining cars and paying bills.

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Clothes simply need to be exposed to natural or ultraviolet light for the cleaning process to begin.

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Dr. Daoud said the clothes simply needed to be exposed to natural or UV light for the cleaning process to begin.

CNN: Washing no longer dirty work