Can Someone with a Chemistry Background Explain?

[Captroop]

I did a load of laundry this week, and when I got my clothes from the dryer it all smelled like gasoline or lighter fluid. I was thinking, "Did I piss someone off in the laundry room and they doused my clothes in lighter fluid, but then lost their nerve before setting it on fire?" So I did a little research online and found that if you run your dryer in a room that has recently been painted, then it makes the clothes smell like gasoline. And indeed, when I came in the apartment that day, I could smell that a fresh coat of paint had been applied in the building.

 

Okay, so wtf. Can someone explain to me how a fresh coat of paint + dryer makes clothes smell like gasoline? I'm truly intrigued at this point and I need an explanation.

[Ja Rhule]

H2O - Hydrogen 2 Oxygen

Water is good absorbent of smell in the air. My guess is smell mixes with oxygen in the air and then it's attracted to hydrogen.

[Jase]

I'm guessing the paint was not low-voc paint.

VOCs are in the solvents in paint and have a very low vapor pressure, which means they evaporate at very low temperatures.

When there is a localized elevation in temperature, it would stand to reason that the area of the wall adjacent to the dryer would emit these vapors at a high rate. Air intake for dryers are usually at the back of the appliance, (surprise) the face that would be pushed up against the wall.

That's my guess

Sent from my iPhone while admiring feet using CarolinaHuddle

[KSpan]

Yep - what Jase said.

[Panthro]

pixies

[Captroop]

I'm guessing the paint was not low-voc paint.

VOCs are in the solvents in paint and have a very low vapor pressure, which means they evaporate at very low temperatures.

When there is a localized elevation in temperature, it would stand to reason that the area of the wall adjacent to the dryer would emit these vapors at a high rate. Air intake for dryers are usually at the back of the appliance, (surprise) the face that would be pushed up against the wall.

That's my guess

Sent from my iPhone while admiring feet using CarolinaHuddle

 

Cool! Thanksya much!

[Chimera]

It means your clothes have cancer.

[The Saltman]

Or jaids.