# Belly Button Lint

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-button-lint/120296>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [July 22, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-button-lint/120296 "2002-07-22T23:37:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Saxifrage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Saxifrage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saxifrage)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-button-lint/120296/1 "2002-07-22T23:37:29Z")

</div>

[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1\_080.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_080.html)  
That’s all well and good to say that it comes from cotton sticking to your wet navel but it doesn’t explain why it’s always blue or grey, even when one never wears blue or grey … a related matter to this is why one always manages to find bits of carrot in one’s vomit even though I never eat them (not that I search through my vomit very often).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-button-lint/120296/2 "2002-07-23T12:39:57Z")

</div>

And here I thought it was all the hair…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![simonlb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@simonlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simonlb)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-button-lint/120296/3 "2002-07-23T13:20:08Z")

</div>

I’ve read an article about this a while ago. Apparently, it’s to do with the way the fibres in the lint reflect white light - the shorter wavelengths in the red end of the spectrum are absorbed, and the longer ones, blue, are reflected.

This also explains why dust balls under furniture have a bluish tinge, and why clouds go various shades of grey the thicker they are.

Or am I talking crap?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e95f7d/32.png) [@dino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dino)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-button-lint/120296/4 "2002-07-24T14:25:58Z")

</div>

Why is it that only men get belly fluff - although my boyfriend has plenty for two…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-button-lint/120296/5 "2002-07-24T15:30:29Z")

</div>

My guess is that the lint that’s left on your clothes is a combination of the lint from the clothes it was in the dryer with. Ever notice how belly button lint is the same color as dryer lint?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belly-button-lint/120296/6 "2002-07-25T05:02:43Z")

</div>

CurtC, lint isn’t left on your clothes, lint _comes from_ your clothes. The friction causes wear causing short strands of thread to fluff off. Those strands collect in places like your belly button (because of the sweat), the pockets of your jeans, and of course the lint trap in dryers.

simonlb, that sounds plausible.

dino, perhaps men have deeper belly buttons, thus allowing the sweat to remain unevaporated longer? Or maybe they sweat more? Or maybe it’s just you? Or do you wear a lot of crop tops? 😉