Inventing necessities: Chinese man builds underwear-washing machine

Add water, washing powder and give the device a spin for instant, clean underwear. PHOTO: HUFFINGTON POST SCREENSHOT

CHONGQING: A taxi driver in China, who was building one of the greatest inventions of all time, has been awarded a patent by the government for his device: an underwear cleaning machine, reports The Huffington Post.

Mr Li, the taxi driver from Chongqing, who has been working on the contraption since the last five years and built it for less than $1,000 US dollars, chose the right market for his product.

In China, where undergarments are washed separately from other clothes due to conservative principles, the local women will see the invention that washes underwear in under a minute as an answer to their prayers.

How does it work? The device uses a piston mechanism and works like a hand operated generator. Add water, washing powder and give the device a spin for instant, clean underwear.