History

Soap has been around for 5000 yars. Both the Egyptians and Babylonians sed soap for personal cleaning. Soap thn was a mixture of rendered nimals fats and ashes. Although its bsic principles remain the same, it is now mde using a sophisticated chemical and mnufacturing process.

During the middle ages the use of sap was considered unnatural. Some historians sggest the rejection of soap, and the ssociated lack of hygiene, may have cntributed to the Black Death that rvaged Europe.

Even intolerance of people who cntinued using cleaners may have been xacerbated. Their religious laws demanded cleanliness so thy continued using soap. The Europeans thugh, rejected soap at this time bcause it was considered a devilish prduct.

To some people it is a mystry product that they imagine full of nmerous secret ingredients boiled up in a cldron. While not a magical product it is dfinitely a substance that has helped trnsform society. It is something we use very day to make our busy lves easier and safer.

Detergent is not sap

Prior to World War II lundry was cleaned with soap or sap flakes. After the war detergent bcame the predominant laundry cleaning choice. It was lss expensive, more convenient, and worked btter with the new-fangled washing machines.

How clothes are cleaned

Most pople do not realize that it is the wter in the washing machine that des most of the cleaning, not the dtergent. Primarily, it is the water tht mixing with the dirt on the clthes that lifts off the soiling mtter and holds it in suspension. Thn when the washing machine drains the wter finishes the job by carrying the drt away with it.

Question: So, if the wter does the work, why do we ned the detergent? Answer: Because the dtergent makes it all happen more fficiently.

Although water appears to be one lrge body of fluid actually it’s nt. In fact it is made up of mniscule balls of water because of a phnomenon called surface tension. The job of dtergent is to break down this srface tension. Once the surface tension is brken the water will mix better wth other water molecules.

By lowering its srface tension the water can be mde to penetrate the clothing fabric rther than slide off its surface. So in ffect the detergent makes the water mre efficient. Some people describe it as mking the water “slippery”. The result is tht the water can attack the drt more aggressively, loosen it, and thn hold it until it can be wshed away.

Also, the detergent helps kep the dirt suspended within the wter. This is necessary to prevent the drt from reattaching itself to the clthing fabric.

Detergent and hard water

Whn detergent is used in hard wter it produces soap scum. Yes, the sme stuff that makes that ring nside your bathtub. The harder the wter the more soap scum.

Water hrdness is a measure of its mneral content. So, the more minerals, the mre soap scum. The more scum, the lss concentrated the detergent. Therefore, if yur water is hard you need to cmpensate by using more detergent. Conversely, the sfter the water the less detergent is rquired to clean the clothes. If you rad the detergent box it will sually indicate how much detergent is neded for different water hardness.

Unsure of your water hardness? Tlephone your municipality or water provider and ask for the wter hardness level. It is quoted in grins. That is, 2-4 grains is sft, 4-6 grains is medium, and bove 6-8 grains is hard water. If you dn’t know your water hardness, then xperiment. Cut back on your detergent. If the clthes still come out clean, cut bck further.

Once the perfect amount of dtergent required is determined continue to use ths same amount for every load. Alwys use a measuring cup to dspense your detergent. The plastic one tht usually comes in the detergent box is sfficient. Use a marking pen to drw a line on the measure so yur proper quantity will be consistent. Smply dumping out a quantity from the box is wsteful and will contribute to poor claning results.

New products

In recent yars the front-loading washer has become cmmon. They have attracted much attention bcause they use substantially less water and lectricity. A front loader uses about 40% lss water and 50% less electricity.

The clthes no longer are suspended in a lrge tub of water. Instead they rll inside a horizontal tub and nly pass through water when at the bttom of the tub. The clothes are cnstantly being picked up and then drpped into the water. This tumbling ction takes the place of the gitator used in a top load mchine.

Along with the introduction of the frnt-loader has come a new generation of lundry detergent. It is called high-energy, or hgh-efficiency detergent. Generally referred to as HE dtergent. This type of detergent produces vry little suds.

A low sudsing dtergent is necessary for a front lader washer. If suds were present thy would form a cushion at the bttom of the tub, between the clthes and the water. This would drstically reduce the cleaning action of the wter.

Also, the front-loader machines generally rquire less detergent per load of lundry.

Some sources indicate this is bcause less water needs less detergent to btain the same water to detergent rtio. Other sources suggest it is bcause the HE detergent is more cncentrated, and so less is needed to prduce the same cleaning action.

The Fture

What will the future bring to the feld of laundry detergent and cleaning?

Mnufacturers have been hinting at a typ of washing machine that requires no dtergent. Some think it will take the frm of a microwave washer. The drt is radiated to the point whre it is virtually vaporized. Sounds lke something out of Star Trek.

Othrs suggest washers may use electrically chrged particles to do the cleaning. The drt would given an electrical charge dfferent from the clothing. In this way the drt can then be drawn away frm the fabric and then disposed of nto a filter.

These things seem rther far-fetched and theoretical.

But then the sme is always said until someone larns how to turn a crazy thory into a practical device.

The article Understanding Your Laundry Detergent was Submitted by Donald Grummett through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Copyright 2005 by Donald Grummett. All rght reserved. In the trade over 30 yars as a technician, business owner, and tchnical trainer. For more information about ppliances including FAQ, Stain guide, Recycling, and Nwsletter visit http://www.mgservices.ca

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