Anyone who has ever tried to brush off dust with a dry cloth has noticed this unpleasant effect: instead of collecting, small particles scatter in a cloud in all directions. This is not just an inconvenience, but the effect of strict physical laws that prevent high-quality cleaning without the use of water.
The main reason lies in aerodynamics. When you bring your hand or rag to a surface, a compacted layer forms in front of the moving object. airbag. This micro-air flow acts like an invisible broom, blowing away even the lightest dust particles before the fabric has a chance to touch them. As a result, dirt simply migrates from the shelf into the air, only to settle back later.
The second important factor is static electricity. Dry household dust has the ability to accumulate a charge. When rubbed with a dry rag on a surface (especially synthetic or varnished), electrostatic field. Instead of attraction, electrified particles begin to actively repel each other and from the rag itself, scattering in different directions under the influence of Coulomb forces.
Absence adhesion or clutch also plays a role. Dry particles do not have a binder to hold them together. Water or polish works as glueenveloping dust particles and increasing their weight, which prevents them from rising into the air. Without moisture, the dust remains too light and obeys the slightest atmospheric fluctuations created by your movements.
This is why dry cleaning often turns into moving dust from place to place. You can effectively collect fine debris only by changing its physical properties, for example, by moistening it or using materials with strong electrostatic attraction, such as microfiber. Simple physics makes the wet method the only way to truly clean indoor air.
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