What are the Raw Materials of Laundry Detergent?
In daily life, laundry detergent is an important tool for us to clean clothes. However, did you know that not all laundry detergents on the market are completely harmless chemical ingredients, and some may even cause harm to our skin and the environment. Therefore, homemade laundry detergent has become the choice of many people. This article will introduce the formula and production method of laundry detergent in detail, so that you can easily make environmentally friendly and safe laundry detergent at home.
Before we make laundry detergent firstly, there is one question: What are the raw materials of laundry detergent?
The common raw materials are as follows:
- 1. Surfactants
- Surfactants are the main components of laundry detergents. They have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. During the washing process, surfactants can effectively separate stains from clothes and form an emulsion that is easy to rinse with water. Commonly used surfactants are:
①Sodium fatty alcohol sulfate: has excellent detergency and is less irritating.
②Cocamidopropyl Betaine: This is an amphoteric surfactant with an excellent cleaning effect and antistatic properties.
③Sodium ethoxylated alkyl sulfate: has good detergency and hard water resistance.
④Non-ionic surfactants: such as alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ether, have excellent washing effect and antistatic properties, and are easily biodegradable.
- 2. Synergist: refers to the ingredient in liquid detergent that enhances the washing effect. Its products include enzyme preparations such as protease, lipase, cellulase, etc.
- 3. Anti-fouling redeposition agents: sodium polyacrylate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, etc.
- 4. pH adjusters: commonly used potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, triethanolamine, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium succinate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium metasilicate, etc.
- 5. Chelating dispersants: sodium citrate, sodium polyacrylate, sodium salt of polyacrylic acid/maleic anhydride copolymer.
- 6. Inorganic salts: Sodium chloride is usually used to adjust the viscosity of laundry detergent; sodium sulfate, calcium chloride, etc. are used to protect enzyme preparations.
- 7. Functional additives: including anti-color transfer agents, active oxygen additives for color bleaching, plant extracts with antibacterial effects, etc. Some are added with softeners to have softening functions.
- 8. Solvent: ethanol, propylene glycol, isopropanol, etc.
- 9. Cosolvent: sodium methane sulfonate, sodium dimethyl sulfonate, urea, etc.
- 10. Defoamer: Defoamers are often used to control the amount of foam in laundry detergent, making it easier to rinse and save water. Common defoamers include silicone, polyether and mineral oil. Among them, silicone defoamers have the best defoaming and anti-foaming effects, but they are often used in the form of emulsions. If the amount added is slightly larger, it will affect the transparency of the laundry detergent; polyether defoamers have a defoaming effect above the cloud point, and this type of defoamer is suitable for the preparation of transparent laundry detergent; mineral oil defoamers are relatively low in price and highly economical.
- 10. Preservatives: Commonly used preservatives for liquid detergents include Kasson, Bropol, etc.
- 11. Fragrances and pigments: give the laundry detergent a pleasant appearance and leave a lasting fragrance on the fabric after use.
The development trend of laundry detergent will be concentrated, low-temperature water-saving, safe, environmentally friendly, green and natural. It will be more functional and meet personalized needs, such as antibacterial, anti-color transfer, anti-pilling, brighter and softer, and longer-lasting fragrance.