Basically it looks like Rust-Oleum has invented the ultimate water repellant - in a spray can. They call it "Super-hydrophobic coating". (Not related to rabies, I hope)
There's a video at the link. Prepare to be amazed at the manifestation of some brilliant R&D team's dream. Pay particular attention to the toilet-bowl brush example for a look at how mind-boggling this new technology is, and how the typical methods of water repellence will likely be changed forever. I think a lot of factories are about to get retooled, and Rust-Oleum is about to and a whole lotta huge industrial orders.
Someone invented magic and it's freaking us out
Wow.. a wildly hydrophobic coating. Very cool. But I have to wonder as she sprays the cooking poans- what happens when it starts flaking and gets, you know, into your body, which happens to like water a lot.
Does it just pass through your system? What about when you coat your house or roof in it and it flakes off into the general environment.
I know I sound like a little envrio-wenie, but yeah, I was exposed to enough stuff in College as an engineering major that I do have to wonder how dangerous this stuff can be. The facetious question of "How do you wash it off your hands?" isn't trivial.
Its very cool, and I really hope that this stuff is as safe and useful as they imply , because the applications are endless. I doubt that your clothing stays flexible and soft with it, however. And if you did spray your cloths how long they would stay protected. Scotchguard is basically the same thing.. but it doesn't last forever. But yeah, carpets, aprons, hats, coats.... and the building applications are legion.. . pipes with it for near friction less plumbing. Coat tongue and groove plywood with it for a leak proof roof. Heck, it would work to fix the leaks in the greenhouse seams and protect the wood its built out of..\]- that makes any wood treated wood in a matter of minutes....