This invention is directed to methods of incorporating a trigger such as boric acid, boric acid salts, sodium sulfate, or other salts, into a nonwoven web substrate for the preparation of dry nonwoven products which are redispersible when put in contact with large amounts of water or liquid. In one method, the trigger is in a dry powder form and is incorporated into the nonwoven fibers followed by treatment of the fibers with an aqueous redispersible binder, and binding and drying the web. Another method is to saturate a dry bonded nonwoven web with an aqueous solution of the trigger and then dry the saturated web. Yet another method is to apply an aqueous solution of the trigger to the web followed by applying a redispersible aqueous binder to the web and then heating and drying the web.