[Dolphin-Byrnes]

Dolphin-Byrnes  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Why is it that no matter what colour the laundry (and I mean even white!) the fluff that is collected in the filter system of the washing-machine (I have two different brands in use) is always but always lilac/purple/grey in colour?
 
Lucille Byrnes

What do you think?

[RD]

Dr Karl's speciality ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navel_lint

[glovesforfoxes]

the fluff that is collected in the filter system of the washing-machine

QFE

[RD]

. [ Invalid Attachment ]


If you mix all colours equally the result is black. If you mix black with white the result is grey.
If you looked at the lint, (washing machine or navel), through a microscope I suspect it would contain strands of many colours mixed with white giving the typical grey appearance.

There may be a colour bias if your clothing/washing does not contain equal amounts of all colours ...

Graham Barker of Perth, Western Australia, is in the Guinness Book of Records as the record holder for collecting navel lint. He has been collecting navel lint almost every day for over 20 years since 17 January 1984. He collects about 3.03 mg per day. Contrary to the research of Dr. Kruszelnicki, his lint was in a particular shade of red for six years and then turned green, correlating with a change of his bath towels from red to green.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navel_lint

[thedoc]

Listen to the answer to this question on our podcast.