Apparently a lot of laundry detergents nowadays use florescent dyes to make clothes “whiter and brighter”. The dyes absorb ultraviolet light and emit light in the blue part of the spectrum. It counteracts the natural yellowing that clothes get with age…the modern equivalent of the bluing my mother used when I was a kid.
Does anyone care? Well, the military says don’t use those detergents on camouflage clothing, and anyone wanting to hide from nocturnal animals should heed that advice. Apparently a lot of nocturnal animals have eyes that are extremely sensitive to those blue wavelengths, so using those detergents make clothing stand out like a beacon. Not quite the effect people want.
The world is rich with fun trivia.
April 20, 2021
Wow, you are GOOD!! this is just the kind of weird but useful info that I like. I remember blueing! Guess they don’t use it anymore, it is in the detergent.
It took me a long time to find this this morning, but it was well worth it. 🙂
Very interesting!
I think it’s hilarious. 😀
How interesting! Makes me wonder how they look if you’re using night vision goggles.
From what I’ve read the goggles are better for longer wavelengths, including near infrared. But I don’t know.
“It was blu-u-u-u-u-u-e Vel-vet . . .”
🙂
Too funny. I’ve not thought of my mother’s blueing in years!
I hadn’t either until this morning.
Well that is very interesting.
🙂
I had no idea blue dyes like this exist and also did not know they are in detergents, and now I am wondering if they are in mine. ALL is all I use because of allergies, so maybe not. I do use oxly clean to whiten some things. I gave up on Bob’s at home white tank tops, no way to keep the white
All doesn’t use them: https://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/uniforms/laundry-detergents-for-use-with-the-acu-army-combat-uniform.shtml
I’d be willing to wager that oxi clean doesn’t either.
We learn something new here…
It’s fun.
Well, I’m all in favour of clothes looking whiter and brighter, as long as the chemicals used aren’t hazardous to health. It’s a bit like the metals they put into car paint that make the cars look shinier and glossier.
So far I haven’t read about health hazards.
I love it!!! I read it to my Dave and it made him laugh out loud.
I laugh every time I think of it. I’m glad you both liked it too.