We’ve all been there. We forgot to pop to the shops to pick up a new bottle of shampoo/shower gel/conditioner. We can feel that there’s a teeny tiny bit left in the bottle. SO WHY WON’T IT COME OUT?
Is it worth hopping out of the shower and grabbing some scissors? Should you just keep shaking the bottle in an attempt to dislodge that last smudge of much-needed bathing product? Should you pour in water and shake the bottle?
It’s too much decision-making and stress to deal with when your hair’s damp and you’ve only got twenty minutes before you have to leave the house. Agh.
Which is why this new bit of science and technology is so damn important.
Researchers from Ohio State University have developed a magical coating that makes shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner slide right off the inside of the bottle.
Meaning it won’t stick to the sides and be impossible to squeeze out. This is life-changing.
The coating works by lining plastic with microscopic Y-shaped structures, that hold the droplets of liquid aloft above tiny air pockets, so the contents never actually touch the inside of the bottle.
This is not only massively helpful when it comes to getting every last drop of product from a bottle, but also for recycling purposes, as most bottles need to be entirely clear of soap and shampoo before being tossed in the recycling bin.
The researchers are now hoping to develop their idea further and then license the technique to manufacturers.
If all goes well, one of our greatest first world problems could be solved forever. Looks like we’ll have to find something else to moan about.
