The Effectiveness of Detergents

Laundry detergents are found in every household and used for removing stains and oils from clothes so they could be reused. The production of this invention first started in the United States in the 1930s but started becoming very popular only after the Second World War because the military required a chemical to remove the dirt and oil off their military outfits (Clean Living). Laundry detergents have a combination of chemicals which combat different barriers to clean the fabric. They have different substances to break through the water, separate oils from the fabric, break apart larger molecules, whiten the fabric, sanitize the clothing, keep the fabric dry, and preserve the detergent. There are financial barriers to having effective detergents because it is required by every household and has a high demand; the prices need to be low and affordable for the general public. The average price of 100 oz of Tide detergent is $11 (Walmart). The ethical issue is the Tide Company is adding alternatives that have harmful impacts on public health and the environment (Huffington Post). There is no need for detergent manufacturers to add dangerous chemicals because there are better alternatives that could be used, it harms the environment, and detergents are deadly if consumed.
After many experiments and suggestions, laundry detergents are constantly being improved by the manufacturers to combat all issues. The most effective component in detergents is the active surface materials, or the surfactants. They have two sides, a polar hydrophilic side which is attracted to water and the other non-polar hydrophobic side which repels water but attracts oil. It’s very effective because it resolves the issue of oil not mixing with water. This way it can break through the surface of the water using the polar side but break the oils apart using the non-polar side. The anionic surfactants are most common because it reacts well with hard water containing many cations, such as Ca+2 .

Bibliography: 1,4-Dioxane (1,4-Diethyleneoxide). (n.d.). EPA. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/dioxane.html Clean Living. (n.d.). Soaps & Detergent: History 3. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/clean_living/soaps__detergent_history_3.aspx Fryendall, E. (n.d.). How Laundry Detergent Works. HowStuffWorks. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://home.howstuffworks.com/laundry-detergent4.htm Gerken, J. (2012, April 26). Tide Detergent Found To Contain High Levels Of 1,4-Dioxane, Carcinogenic Contaminant. The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/26/tide-detergent-1-4-dioxane_n_1455575.html Key Characteristics of Laundry Detergent Ingredients. (n.d.). EPA. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/laundry/techfact/keychar.htm Lake. (n.d.). HowStuffWorks. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://geography.howstuffworks.com/terms-and-associations/lake2.htm Laundry Detergent Ingredients. (n.d.). washwise.org. Retrieved November 11, 2013, from http://www.washwise.org.au/_documents/Laundry%20detergent%20ingredients%20info%20sheet.pdf Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent, Mountain Spring Scent, 100 fl oz. (n.d.). Walmart.com. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tide-Liquid-Laundry-Detergent-Mountain-Spring-Scent-100-fl-oz/11027545 Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent, Mountain Spring Scent, 100 fl oz. (n.d.). Walmart.com. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tide-Liquid-Laundry-Detergent-Mountain-Spring-Scent-100-fl-oz/11027545 Widiandani, W. (n.d.). Chemicals in Daily Life. wordpress.com. Retrieved October 11, 2013, from http://wietha88.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/chemicals-in-daily-life.pdf