Washing machine with 'curry mode' launched in India

Experts at Panasonic took two years perfecting the water flow and temperature required to tackle the notoriously stubborn stains

The Japanese company introduced the curry button after a number of complaints from customers who couldn’t fully remove the food from their clothes using existing machines (Getty/iStock)

Curry stains are notoriously hard to remove. The combination of oil and colourful spices can be enough to ruin any garment.

To solve this long-standing problem Panasonic has introduced a new washing machine for the Indian market which has a special “curry mode” especially designed to tackle the unique challenge posed by the dish.

The Japanese company introduced the curry button after a number of complaints from customers who couldn’t fully remove the food from their clothes using existing machines.

So the company's experts set to work analysing the ingredients of an average Indian family’s curry and then tested combinations of water temperature and flow for two years, perfecting the setting needed to attack stubborn marks.

The new machine, called the StainMaster, has five other cycles aimed at the Indian consumer, including “daily saree” and “collar/cuff”, the company said. It is not clear whether or not similar features will be launched in the UK for other tough stains.

The company is looking to expand into India’s growing market. Currently only around 10 per cent of homes in India own a washing machine.

Panasonic has sold around 5,000 StainMasters so far had been sold so far is aiming for 30,000 by March 2018, according to the BBC.

The firm also said it would develop models similarly tailored to the cuisines and needs of other Asian nations.

Panasonic has a habit of launching eye-catching products. In October last year it showcased a new type of super-advanced telly that’s almost completely invisible, made from an incredibly fine mesh embedded in the glass.