Abstract: An ion elution unit generates metal ions by applying a voltage between electrodes. Terminals are formed integrally to the electrodes. An interval between the electrodes becomes narrower from an upstream side to a downstream side with respect to a water current flowing through an inside of a casing of the ion elution unit. Terminals that are so laid as to run from the electrodes out of a casing of the ion elution unit are disposed on an upstream side with respect to a water current flowing through an inside of the casing.

Abstract: A water feeding apparatus (300) has an ion eluter (100) and a shower emitter (200). The shower emitter (200) receives water via a coupling pipe (250) from the ion eluter (100), and sprays the water, in the form of a shower, onto laundry. Liquid droplets in the form of a shower are small and easy to dry, and thus produce crystals having smaller particles (with large surface areas), having more lattice defects, and easier to dissolve. With these crystals attached to the laundry, when the crystals make contact with moisture next time, the silver ion in the liquid droplets easily dissolves. Even when the laundry is made of water-repellent or hydrophobic cloth, the solution dries up on the surface of the cloth before water is repelled. Thus, even this type of laundry can benefit from the antimicrobial effect of the silver ion.

Abstract: A water feeding apparatus (300) has an ion eluter (100) and a shower emitter (200). The shower emitter (200) receives water via a coupling pipe (250) from the ion eluter (100), and sprays the water, in the form of a shower, onto laundry. Liquid droplets in the form of a shower are small and easy to dry, and thus produce crystals having smaller particles (with large surface areas), having more lattice defects, and easier to dissolve. With these crystals attached to the laundry, when the crystals make contact with moisture next time, the silver ion in the liquid droplets easily dissolves. Even when the laundry is made of water-repellent or hydrophobic cloth, the solution dries up on the surface of the cloth before water is repelled. Thus, even this type of laundry can benefit from the antimicrobial effect of the silver ion.

Abstract: An ion elution unit generates metal ions by applying a voltage between electrodes. Terminals are formed integrally to the electrodes. The terminals protrude downward through the bottom wall of the casing of the ion elution unit. The space between the electrodes becomes narrower from the upstream side to the downstream side along with the water current flowing through the inside of the casing. The casing has a water inlet and a water outlet, the cross-sectional area of the water outlet is smaller than that of the water inlet. The water outlet is disposed at the lowest level in the inner space of the casing. The cross-sectional area of the inner space of the casing gradually decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side.