I think when we encourage our children to dig deep down and be not only very smart but ask them to invent something, we are assuming that they will think of something tremendous. And not just something but something that will make a difference in the world and importantly, a difference in their pocketbook! Well, I know something that needs to be invented and it isn’t something earth-shattering like a way to cure a dread disease or invent a car that will not only protect the environment but make it better. Nope, it is much smaller and insignificant than that but it will make every woman’s life a little brighter and easier. What, you ask, could this possibly be? O.K., are you ready? Just figure out what can be done with the lint that builds up in the dryer.
Lint in the dryer, you say, how stupid is that? Well, let me tell you, if you have a dryer like mine, lint is not a stupid thing. Every single time I put a load of wet laundry into my dryer, I have to be sure to clean out the lint trap. And it is always full of lint. Where that lint comes from, I have no idea. If, in fact, it is being sucked out of my wet laundry, wouldn’t I notice the clothes getting thinner every time they are washed? I don’t see any difference but I do know that if I didn’t clean that lint trap every single time, I am sure something terrible would happen. I am always sure that the entire machine will burst into flames and that the cause will be my pile of lint just waiting to catch fire in the lint trap. So, I clean it out every single time, ball it up and just throw it away. And when I do so, I always wonder what could be done with all that lint, other than take up space in my garbage bag.
Think about it. All that lint and it is free. And not only would someone get rid of that waste that is free, they could invent something that might be a good thing for humanity at the same time. Now don’t just tsk, tsk, tsk and forget it. Encourage your child to invent something. Not only would they be helping humanity, they could probably make a few bucks, too.
Many years ago, we had an Old English Sheepdog and in order to keep her looking good, we had to comb and brush her regularly. And during this grooming process, we were able to comb out gobs of dog hair. And it was during one of these sessions that I began to think of what could be done with all that excess and unwanted hair. So, I started to collect the hair and put it into a bag for safe keeping. When I had a big bag full, I spoke to a friend who used to spin sheep’s wool, and I convinced her to try and spin the dog hair and see what would happen. And believe it or not, she was able to spin it, turn it into skeins of “wool” and actually knitted a pair of mittens. The mittens were as good as ones made out of sheep’s wool or musk ox wool. And to my knowledge, no dog ever attacked the wearer of the mittens, which was a plus, and the mittens actually cost nothing!
Every time I use a post-it note or a paper clip or a safety pin, I think that someone was terribly clever and really filled a void with a product that was definitely needed. But when we discuss invention with our children, we always think of the automobile, the airplane, the combustion engine and other things that are wonderful but really, really big in the world of inventions. But if you think about the little things that make your life easier, there are lots and lots of things. So, why not come up with some way to use all that lint.
I assume, although I don’t know for sure, that most lint is composed of cotton, so there should be uses that would be good. Actually, if you think about fleece, which most of us have in some form or other, it is not made of some natural fiber but from recycled, plastic bottles. Did you know that? What a great way to keep our landfills empty and use those old bottles in a super, duper way. I am never as amazed to know that commercial picnic tables and chairs are made from these bottles as I am fleece. I love my fleece jacket and sweater and it not only feels great when I wear it, it washes like a dream and never seems to fade or die. Who do you suppose thought to use those empty, plastic bottles that way? I sure wish it was me.
So, take the lint out of your dryer and give it a good hard look. Think of some way to use it that will be a boon to humanity... and maybe you will make a few extra dollars at the same time. And when you do, be sure to let me know because I certainly have enough lint to donate to your cause.
