- No one is sure who invented the very first spray bottle. One of the first people to use a spray bottle for commercial gain was Dr. Jules Montenier. He invented a product called Stopette which was a deodorant applied with spray bottle type device. The game show "What's My Line?" was responsible for spreading the word about Stopette, making the spray bottle popular in commercial production.
- A spray bottle is a simple machine. It consists of a tube that goes into a bottle of fluid, connecting the fluid to the nozzle. The user pumps the trigger and causes the fluid to spray out. This is made possible by two one-way valve systems. A small ball blocks the water from the bottle and the trigger. Once you pull the trigger, the ball lifts up and more water can flow in. When you let go, the ball is shoved back down and blocks the water again. The second one-way valve is at the end of the nozzle. It is pushed forward by the rush of fluid so that the liquid "sprays" out around it, and then the valve goes back in place to stop the fluid from leaking out. The pump itself is a cylinder inside a spring. The spring pushes the trigger back once you spray and release. The cylinder forces the water towards the nozzle and lets it flow back once you let go of the trigger.
- Spray bottles have been used for all kinds of things over the years. Pet lovers fill a spray bottle with water to spray on a misbehaving pet, especially cats. Many cleaning chemicals come in spray bottles for easy application. Spray bottles are also used at salons to wet people's hair before a haircut, and at garden centers to mist small plants. You can take apart a cheap plastic spray bottle to view how the one-way valves and pump system actually work.
