Cyndi Bray was really excited with her new washer and dryer. With their excellent Energy Star ratings, she was looking forward to saving time, money and energy. Imagine her frustration when she ended up wasting time, money and energy when laundering sheets. They came out as one form of wad or another:
Tornado Wad: Sheets twisted into tangled ropes in the washer. The whole sheet is not washed, and the off-balance washer thumps and jumps, leading to costly repairs. In the dryer, the tornado wad results in wrinkled, tangled messes.
Hostage-Taker Wad: The sheets trap smaller items, such as pillowcases or T-shirts, causing wet spots in the sheets that still need to be dried. The small items must be “rescued” before they can be dried.
Burrito Wad: The sheets go round and round in the dryer, wrapping around themselves or each other, forming a huge ball that isn’t getting dry at all.
Cyndi thought surely there was a solution to this, but when she found none, she took on the mission and resolved the problem herself. Undaunted by her lack of experience in physics, computer-aided design (CAD), product development, manufacturing, and marketing, Cyndi forged ahead. In a mere 14 months, she identified the physics behind the wad, taught herself Solidworks (CAD software), had prototypes made at the library, test-marketed them, revised the product based on the feedback, and found a manufacturer. She founded her company, Brayniac LLC, and launched Wad-Free for Bed Sheets, the first-ever product that prevents your laundry from tangling, twisting and balling-up in both the washer and the dryer.
Why the Wad-Free?
- Sheets come out cleaner with fewer wrinkles.
- Sheets dry 75% faster.
- Works on any size flat or fitted sheet.
- Washing machine is not thrown off balance.
- Saves wear-and-tear on sheets and appliances.
- Manufactured, assembled, and packaging printed in Colorado with US-sourced materials.
- Made with partially recycled and non-toxic plastic—no latex, PVC, BPA or phthalates.
- Made to be reused and to last for years.
- Has a positive effect on the environment with its significant energy savings.
Wad-Free in the Age of COVID
Cyndi met the challenges of COVID-related obstacles (including a hold on manufacturing, supply chain collapse, and trade show cancellations) as confidently and ingeniously as she had originally invented the Wad-Free—and without ever leaving her home. She recorded her own videos, built her website, and leveraged social media by gaining a network of entrepreneurs and a loyal customer base.
The Buzz About Wad-Free
This is only a sampling of the many “atta-boys” for Cyndi and Wad-Free:
- Wad-Free was part of a “Problem Solving Gadgets” segment on several news stations across the country.
- The Grommet, a website for original products from small businesses, asked to list Wad-Free, which quickly became a top seller.
- Wad-Free was tested in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab and deemed a “Genius Sheet Detangler,” easy to attach and remove and kept even king-size sheets from tangling. Was subsequently featured in Good Housekeeping magazine.
- Featured in Real Simple in “Clever Items: Little Helpers to Make Your Life Easier.
- Featured in Red Tricycle: “23 Life Saving House Cleaning Hacks.”
- Was the most popular item in Buzzfeed’s “26 Problem Solving Products.”
Wad-Free Supports Cancer Research
As a volunteer caregiver for patients, Cyndi supports research efforts of the American Brain Tumor Association by donating a portion of Wad-Free profits.
