Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap

A young entrepreneur named Ludwick Marishane has invented the world’s first waterless bath.  It’s called DryBath and apparently it is a fairly cheap alternative.  For many people in the world who have limited access to clean water for bathing, let alone for drinking purposes, DryBath could have widespread application that improves the health of millions.

Marishane, a South African university student from the University of Cape Town, has created a clear gel that can simply be applied to skin in place of a conventional water and soap bath.  While we have all seen hand sanitizers that have similar applications, which have been around for many years, DryBath is supposedly distinct.  DryBath apparently does not have a strong alcohol smell and instead is odourless, biodegradable and even contains moisturisers.

Marishane openly admits that he came up with the idea as a teenager in his poor rural home when a friend of his said bathing was too much of a bother.  A limited amount of hot water only compounded the aversion to bathing.  Marishane says, “He was lazy and he happened to say, ‘why doesn’t somebody invent something that you can just put on your skin and you don’t have to bathe’,”.  Marishane was inspired from there and thus began his research.  Six months later, he came up with DryBath and obtained a patent.  Not bad, for a simple idea born out of a conversation on laziness.

What applications will DryBath have outside the obvious implications for water-restricted communities? Airlines have already signed on for long-haul flight applications.  Presumably it could have application for space travel? What about military excursions? What about for use in hospitals or other medical applications?

Christopher Dawson is an injury lawyer at the London, Ontario law firm of Lerners LLP.  Christopher’s personal injury practice includes assisting people injured in motor vehicle accidents, accident benefit cases, spinal cord injuries, orthopaedic injuries, off-road vehicle accidents, and other serious injury cases.  See Christopher’s professional biography for more information about his work in the area of personal injury law or contact him at 519.640.6360 or by email at cdawson@lerners.ca.

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