Okay here's another one... How does laundry detergent (powdered) work?

Question

Please give me the sites you found it on if you did find it on a site. THANKS A JILLION!!!

Answer 1

A key ingredient in both solid and liquid laundry detergents is a surfactant. A surfactant is a substance which, when added to water, significantly reduces the surface tension of the water. This effect allows water to wash surfaces better. There are many different types of organic compounds which can function as surfactants. Most surfactants are thick, viscous liquids, but some are soft, waxy or greasy solids. Detergent Molecules consist of:


Surfactants typically have somewhat longer molecules which may or may not have a electric charge. Surfactants with uncharged molecules are non-ionic surfactants. Surfactants with positively charged molecules (or ions) are cationic surfactants. Surfactants with negatively charged molecules (or ions) are anionic surfactants. Surfactants with both positively and negatively charged part in the same molecule are zwitterionic surfactants. Most brands of laundry detergent have anionic or nonionic surfactants or a mixture of the two, although cationic surfactants have been used in laundry detergents. The use of cationic and anionic surfactants together is incompatible in the same detergent.

In powdered or granular solid detergents, the surfactant is soaked into the solid ingredients. In liquid laundry detergents, liquid or even solid surfactant are blended into the liquid detergent. There is usually a limit on how much liquid surfactant can soak into powder or granular solids before making the solid detergent mushy. More liquid surfactant can usually be blended into a liquid detergent. The liquid detergents commonly contain at least some water to help liquify the other additives and still have the detergent pourable. The liquid detergents may also have other solvent liquids, such as alcohol or a hydrotrope, to help blend all the additives together.

Laundry detergents may have ingredients to help control the pH of the wash water. For example, solid detergents usually contain sodium carbonate (soda ash) or sodium bicarbonate to maintain pH by neutralizing any acidic materials that may enter the wash water. Some other ingredients which solid detergents may have include sodium silicate or some form of sodium phosphate such as trisodium orthophosphate, monosodium orthophosphate, or a form of tripolyphosphate. In some locations, phosphate is no longer used as an additive due to environmental concerns.

Some laundry detergents have enzymes to help in stain removal. Some laundry detergents have fabric softeners. Perfume or color ingredients are sometimes added for better smell or to give a detergent some color.

Other brands, however, are left without these additives, marketed to those who avoid these because of allergies or individual preference. There are also detergents made with vegetable-based surfactants which are popular in health food stores.

Answer 2

Laundry detergent acts as a surfactant, it slides through the fibers of your clothes

Answer 3

Surfactant, mycele (might be micele) how soap works - key words should get you a good site or two

Answer 4

the powder sucks always buy liquid the powder leaves white marks on clothes esp, darks and never rinses out

Answer 5

it makes the water weter.