eli5: How do products like Jet Dry work?
In: Chemistry
They typically work by “wetting” the surface of the things you are washing (lowering the surface tension). Water stains happen because a drop of water “sticks” to the surface (doesn’t run or drip off) and evaporates there leaving behind all the minerals and gunk that was in the water. Using a wetting agent (rinse agent) causes all (or at least most) of the water to drip off, so it drys w/o evaporation (and then no water stains). It’s important for things like film developers (where I learned about it).
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