February 18, 2008

Which is the Cleaner Cleaner?

          Wherever your home, you’ll probably have some form of detergent in your laundry cabinet.  Known today simply as detergents, synthetic detergents are non-soap washing and cleaning products that are "synthesized" or put together chemically from a variety of raw materials.

          Household detergent production in the United States began in the early 1930s, but did not really take off until after World War II. The war-time interruption of fat and oil supplies- which had been used to make soap - as well as the military's need for a cleaning agent that would work in mineral-rich sea water and in cold water stimulated more research on detergents. The discovery of detergents was also driven by the need for a cleaning agent that, unlike soap, would not combine with the mineral salts in water to form that insoluble gray substance we call soap ring.    
            By 1953, sales of detergents in the U.S. had surpassed those of soap. Now detergents have all but replaced soap-based products for laundering, dishwashing and household cleaning.
          All-purpose laundry detergents come in two forms: liquid, which is especially effective on food, greasy and oily soils, and also for pre-treating spots and stains; and powder, which is ideal for general washday loads. 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.

          Detergents are available with an almost never-ending variety of additives such as bleach and fabric softener, and in formulas designed for specific use, such as cold-water wash or high-efficiency washing machines. The detergents promising to make your laundry "whiter than white" usually contain optical brighteners, acting as phosphors converting some ultraviolet radiation to blue light and optically offsetting the yellowing of the material. Anti-foaming agents are added to lower the production of foam and to make the presence of detergents in wastewater less obvious. The content of fillers in a typical detergent can range from 5 - 45 %.

          Washer manufacturers recommend that only 'HE' or high efficiency detergents are used in front load and high efficiency washers. HE detergent is a concentrated laundry soap that is low-sudsing especially for use with low water high efficiency washers. If regular detergents were to be used in front-loading and high efficiency washers, the presence of too much suds could 'confuse' washing cycles, cause delays and make proper rinsing of clothes difficult.  In other words, it would have the same effect as using dish detergent in a dish washer – suds everywhere!

          For optimum washday results, here are some other laundry products to have on hand.

          Oxygen bleach - Although it is often referred to as all-fabric bleach, it isn't recommended for silk, wool, acetate, and some flame-retardant fabrics. Read the fabric care label to be sure it's safe for the fabric.

          Chlorine bleach - Is designed to take out stains, but can remove color too. It also acts as a disinfectant, which is why it's recommended for items like baby bibs, dishcloths and cloth diapers. Again, read the fabric care label to be sure it's safe for the fabric.

          Enzyme presoak - Is especially effective in removing protein stains, like baby formula, blood, body fluids, dairy products, eggs, and grass. When added to the wash water, it also boosts the cleaning power of the detergent.

          Fabric softener - Decreases static cling, which can be especially useful when washing permanent-press and synthetic fibers. Fabric softener is designed to make fabrics softer and fluffier, reduce drying time, reduce wrinkling, and make ironing easier. There are two versions of fabric softeners – liquid which goes into the final rinse cycle and dry which is embedded onto a sheet and goes in the dryer.

          Prewash soil and stain removers – Are available as liquids, sprays, gels, sticks, and soap bars. They can be effective in pre-treating heavily soiled and stained garments, especially those made from polyester fibers. They also work well on oil-based stains like animal fats, body soils, cooking oils, cosmetics, and motor oils.

          Starches, fabric finishes, and sizings- Available as powders, liquids, and sprays, these products are designed to give body to fabrics, make them more soil-resistant, and make ironing easier.