DryBath: Student Ludwick Marishane Invents Product For A Bath Sans Water

Imagine achieving that clean just-stepped-out-of-the shower feeling without ever setting foot in a bathtub or soaping up.

That's exactly what one South African college student, Ludwick Marishane, achieved with his product invention called DryBath, a new way to take a bath sans water.

Marishane, 22, a University of Cape Town student, invented DryBath, a clear topical gel applied to the skin that yields the same result as soap and water.

Different from sanitizers, DryBath does not have the heavy alcohol smell as typical with antibacterial hand gels. Instead, DryBath is odorless and, when applied to the skin, creates a biodegradable cleansing film with moisturizers for the skin.

Not only is the product useful for many, namely in the developing world, but the invention landed Marishane the 2011 Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious awards for undergraduate students who are aspiring entrepreneurs.

According to Reuters, Marishane came up with the concept as a teen to invent a bath without water with a friend in mind who reportedly was too lazy to shower and lacked hot water in the winter months.

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 told Reuters.

Marishane conducted research on the Internet via his mobile phone to concoct a formula that would bring his concept to life. Within six months, Marishane had his formula and went on to have DryBath patented.

Now, DryBath is a commercial product catching the interest of major global airlines for passengers to use on flights and the government for deployed soldiers. DryBath is also innovative, according to Marishane, for his native Africa and other areas in the developing world with deficient hygiene.

For people without water, DryBath provides empowerment as an affordable tool to achieve lifesaving personal hygiene without having to be dependent on stagnant community water infrastructure development, Marishane said.

Marishane added that for developed communities, DryBath is a convenient method for daily bathing to save water.

In both situations, Marishane said, precious water is saved, which can be put to better use.

DryBath will go a long way in helping communities.

Ludwick Marishane, who founded Headboy Industries LLC, was named the winner of the 2011 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards in December and received a $500,000 prize in addition to a mentorship with Redbox founder, Mike DeLazzer.