Choosing a good detergent (I)

A detergent is composed basically of active substance and additive elements

The active substance consistis of:

Soap:  we all know what soap is.

Chelating elements for lime: This substance works mainly neutralising the lime in hard water.

Dispersing agents: they prevent the dirty substance already been isolated by the soap to get back into the fabric.

Moisturizing substance: Its function is to facilitate the water to lose “tension” so it can permeate the fabric.

Enzymes: They “metabolise” the organic materia in the dirtiness.

Contribuiting elements: they are degreasers which help to emulsify grease stains successfully.

Oxidants: they are present in persalts and release oxygen which is the active element that actually removes color stains (paint, coffee, te, wine, fruit, etc.)

Surfactant elements: these elements are placed in the textile fibres smoothing the fabric and giving an effect of whiteness.

Scent: they are added to give a specific aroma.

As you can read, a detergent is a mixture very complex, in which price is not the only criteria to decide when buying it.

The active substance (which is what actually removes the dirtiness) should be the 20% or 25% part of a detergent. The rest are “filling” substances, just increasing the volumen.

In the end, what we are buying is “filling soil”…

This is why it is so important to use a good detergent. In order to get bargain prices, manufacturers reduce the active substance which is the actual cost in the production of detergent. They can even lower it down to a 15%. What you might be buying is just neutral powder very little efficient when cleaning. That’s why a detergent might be very cheap but not efficient. You might be dong a bad inversion of money and time.

It might be that enzymes be not necessary… Another very important factor is the type of active component of the detergent, or they percentage in which they are in the detergent. Yet, if your clothe is not stained with organic substances (food, blood, urine…) you might not need a very active detergent.