Decoding Detergents: A Breakdown of Common Detergent Ingredients and Their Functions | Detergent Manufacturer Guidance

Detergents are cleaning agents that are used to remove dirt and stains from clothes, dishes, and other surfaces. They are made up of a variety of detergent ingredients that work together to break down and remove dirt. Here are some of the most common ingredients found in detergents:

1. Surfactants: These are the most common ingredient in detergent formulations. They work by lifting dirt and oils off the fabric and attaching it to the water, so the dirt gets rinsed away when the water drains out of the machine. They break up stains and suspend the dirt in the water to prevent the redeposition of the dirt onto the surface. Common surfactants include:
   • Anionic surfactants:such as sodium alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), sodium alkyl sulfate, fatty alcohol sulfate, fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sulfate (AES), and alkyl sulfonate (AOS), etc.
   • Nonionic surfactants:such as cyclic integral polyoxyethylene ether, fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (AEO), alkylamide, etc.
   • Polyether:It is a commonly used active substance for low-foaming detergents produced in recent years. It is generally a product of copolymerization of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. It is often compounded with anionic surfactants and mainly used as a defoaming agent.
   • Amphoteric surfactants:such as betaine, generally used in low-irritation detergents.
   • Enzyme preparations:Enzymes are biological products obtained by cultivating strains or biologically active substances. They are themselves proteins and have catalytic effects on certain chemical reactions. The enzymes mainly used in detergents are proteases, lipases, cellulases, amylases, etc.
2. Anti-redeposition agents: prevent dirt from redepositing on clothes during the wash cycle.Common anti-redeposition agents include:
   • Phosphates
     • Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP): commonly known as pentasodium, has good chelating ability for metal ions, can not only soften hard water, but also chelate metal components in dirt, and plays a role in disintegrating dirt during washing. The general dosage can reach 20~40%.
     • Potassium pyrophosphate: It is very hygroscopic, has chelating ability for metal ions such as calcium and magnesium, and also has a certain washing effect. It is used in heavy-duty liquid detergents, metal cleaning agents, hard surface cleaning agents and other cleaning products. It is irritating to the skin.
     • Sodium hexametaphosphate: The pH value of the aqueous solution of sodium hexametaphosphate is close to 7, and it has little irritation to the skin. When the concentration is high, it also has the effect of preventing corrosion. It has good chelating ability for calcium and magnesium ions in neutral and weak alkaline solutions, and is generally only used in industrial cleaning agents.
   • Substitutes for sodium tripolyphosphate: mainly organic chelating agents (EDTA, NTA, etc.), high-molecular-weight electrolytes, and molecular sieves.

3. Builders:Builders are used to soften hard water and to enhance the cleaning power of the detergent. Common builders include:
   • Sodium silicate: commonly known as water glass or bubble alkali, has a buffering effect on the pH value of the solution, and the colloid solution produced by hydrolysis has a dispersing effect on solid dirt particles, and has an emulsifying effect on oil dirt. Adding water glass to washing powder can also increase the mechanical strength, fluidity and uniformity of the packaging particles. The disadvantage is that the silica gel solution produced by hydrolysis can be adsorbed by fibers and is not easy to wash away. The clothes will feel rough after drying.
4. Other Addictives
   • Sodium sulfate is a common additive in detergent powder. It is used as a filler to adjust the concentration of the active matter in the detergent and to make the detergent powder flow freely. Without sodium sulfate, the detergent would easily stick together and become one big block 1. Sodium sulfate can also reduce the cost of detergent powder. Its maximum dosage in detergent powder production can be approximately 35%.
   • Sodium carbonate: also known as washing soda, is a common ingredient in laundry detergents. It is used to soften water and help other cleaning ingredients lift soil from the fabrics and suspend the soil in the wash water. Sodium carbonate can also be used to adjust the concentration of the active matter in the detergent and to make the detergent powder flow freely. It is also used to remove stains and whiten clothes.
5. Bleaching agents and whitening agents
6. Antistatic agents and softeners: including cationic surfactants (such as dihardened tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, hardened tallow acid dimethyl heart bromide, etc.) with softening and antistatic effects, and nonionic surfactants (high-carbon alcohol polyoxyethylene ether and long-chain amine oxide) with softening effects.
7. Foam stabilizers and defoamers: commonly used foam stabilizers include betaine amphoteric surfactants, alkylamide lauryl dimethylamine oxide, and cardamom dimethylamine oxide. Commonly used foam inhibitors include polyether and silicone oil.
8. Solvents and solubilizers: widely used in dry cleaning agents and special cleaning agents.

In addition to these ingredients, laundry detergents may also contain enzymes, bleach, optical brighteners, and fabric softeners ¹. Enzymes are proteins that break down stains and soils into smaller pieces, making them easier to remove. Bleach is a strong oxidizing agent that can remove stains and whiten clothes. Optical brighteners are chemicals that absorb ultraviolet light and re-emit it as visible light, making clothes appear brighter. Fabric softeners are used to make clothes feel softer and reduce static cling.