Taken to the cleaners

A non-toxic spray invisible to the human eye that protects almost any surface against dirt and bacteria. The spray is a form of "liquid glass" and is harmless to living things and the wider environment. It is being touted as one of the most important, environmentally-friendly products to emerge from the field of nanotechnology, which deals in objects at the molecular end of the size scale.Tests have revealed an astonishing variety of potential uses for the liquid glass, from protecting vineyards against fungal attacks to coating medical implants with non-stick, antibacterial surfaces. The "easy-clean" properties of the liquid glass could lead to drastic cuts in the amount of potentially toxic cleaning agents used in factories, offices, schools, hospitals and the home, as well as cutting the costs of labour and the amount of time spent scrubbing surfaces.

"Many UK supermarkets are unwilling to stock the technology as many of the other cleaning products which they sell will become redundant. This is also the case with some major cleaning companies who are scared of having to clean less frequently and to change from using cleaning chemicals to using water in most instances," Mr McClelland told The Independent.

Ah , and now we have it . Profits versus Progress ! Capitalism employ techniques such as planned obsolescence to maintain the market for their goods.There is no limit to capitalism when it comes to protecting profits.