31-486: Wisk was an American brand of laundry detergent manufactured in the United States by Unilever (1956 to 2008) and Sun Products (2008 to 2017). Wisk was introduced as the first liquid laundry detergent in the United States by Lever Brothers Company in 1956. In 2008, Wisk was purchased by Vestar Capital Partners when Lever Brothers' parent company Unilever divested its North American laundry brands, and it
62-470: A 30–35% market share in western Europe. According to Lubrizol , the powdered detergent market is growing by 2 percent annually. Phosphates in detergent became an environmental concern in the 1950s and the subject of bans in later years. Phosphates make laundry cleaner but also cause eutrophication , particularly with poor wastewater treatment . A 2013 academic study of fragranced laundry products found "more than 25 VOCs emitted from dryer vents, with
93-790: A chemical viewpoint, soils can be grouped into: Soils difficult to remove are pigments and dyes , fats , resins , tar , waxes , and denatured protein . Laundry detergents may contain builders (50% by weight, approximately), surfactants (15%), bleach (7%), enzymes (2%), soil antideposition agents, foam regulators, corrosion inhibitors , optical brighteners , dye transfer inhibitors , fragrances , dyes , fillers and formulation aids. Builders (also called chelating or sequestering agents ) are water softeners . Most domestic water supplies contain some dissolved minerals, especially in hard water areas. The metal cations present in these dissolved minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium ions, can react with surfactants to form soap scum which
124-436: A combination of various surfactants to balance their performance. Until the 1950s, soap was the predominant surfactant in laundry detergents. By the end of the 1950s so-called "synthetic detergents" (syndets) like branched alkylbenzene sulfonates had largely replaced soap in developed countries. Due to their poor biodegradability these branched alkylbenzenesulfonates were replaced with linear alkylbenzenesulfonates (LAS) in
155-405: A different type of enzyme: proteases ( savinase ) for proteins, lipases for greases, α-amylases for carbohydrates, and cellulases for cellulose. Many other ingredients are added depending on the expected circumstances of use. Such additives modify the foaming properties of the product by either stabilizing or counteracting foam. Other ingredients increase or decrease the viscosity of
186-507: A wide range of aromas. Animals that are capable of smell detect aroma compounds with their olfactory receptors . Olfactory receptors are cell-membrane receptors on the surface of sensory neurons in the olfactory system that detect airborne aroma compounds. Aroma compounds can then be identified by gas chromatography -olfactometry, which involves a human operator sniffing the GC effluent. In mammals , olfactory receptors are expressed on
217-478: Is insufficiently active as a bleach at temperature below 60 °C (140 °F), which traditionally made hot washes the norm. The development of bleach activators in the 1970s and 1980s allowed for cooler washing temperatures to be effective. These compounds, such as tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED), react with hydrogen peroxide to produce peracetic acid , which is an even more effective bleach, particularly at lower temperatures. The use of enzymes for laundry
248-675: Is more widely used. In 2018, sales of powdered detergent measured 14 million metric tons , double that of liquids. While liquid detergent is widely used in many Western countries, powdered detergent is popular in Africa, India, China, Latin America, and other emerging markets . Powders also hold significant market share in eastern Europe and in some western European countries due to their advantage over liquids in whitening clothes. According to Desmet Ballestra, designer and builder of chemical plants and detergent-making equipment, powdered detergents have
279-499: Is much less effective for cleaning and can precipitate onto both fabric and washing machine components. Builders remove mineral ions responsible for hard water through precipitation , chelation , or ion exchange . In addition, they help remove soil by dispersion . The earliest builders were sodium carbonate (washing soda) and sodium silicate (waterglass). In the 1930s phosphates ( sodium phosphates ) and polyphosphates ( sodium hexametaphosphate ) were introduced, continuing with
310-642: Is required, except for drugs. Fragrances are also generally regulated by the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 that "grandfathered" existing chemicals without further review or testing and put the burden of proof that a new substance is not safe on the EPA . The EPA, however, does not conduct independent safety testing but relies on data provided by the manufacturer. A 2019 study of the top-selling skin moisturizers found 45% of those marketed as "fragrance-free" contained fragrance. In 2010,
341-601: Is usually not disclosed in the label of the products, hiding the actual chemicals of the formula, which raises concerns among some consumers. In the United States, this is because the law regulating cosmetics protects trade secrets . In the United States, fragrances are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration if present in cosmetics or drugs, by the Consumer Products Safety Commission if present in consumer products. No pre-market approval
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#1732800994112372-453: The pH of the wash. Hydrophilic fibers like cotton will naturally have a negative surface charge in water, whereas synthetic fibers are comparatively neutral. The negative charge is further increased by the adsorption of anionic surfactants. With increasing pH, soil and fibers become more negatively charged, resulting in increased mutual repulsion. The optimum pH range for good detergency is 9–10.5. Alkalis may also enhance wash performance via
403-423: The saponification of fats. Builder and surfactant work synergistically to achieve soil removal, and the washing effect of the builder may exceed that of the surfactant. With hydrophilic fibers like cotton , wool , polyamide and polyacrylonitrile , sodium triphosphate removes soil more effectively than a surfactant alone. It is expected that when washing hydrophobic fibers like polyesters and polyolefins ,
434-482: The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Canada, and Japan. Fragrance An aroma compound , also known as an odorant , aroma , fragrance or flavoring , is a chemical compound that has a smell or odor . For an individual chemical or class of chemical compounds to impart a smell or fragrance, it must be sufficiently volatile for transmission via the air to the olfactory system in
465-510: The aroma compounds play a significant role in the production of compounds used in the food service industry to flavor, improve, and generally increase the appeal of their products. An odorizer may add a detectable odor to a dangerous odorless substance, like propane , natural gas , or hydrogen , as a safety measure. Note: Carvone, depending on its chirality, offers two different smells. High concentrations of aldehydes tend to be very pungent and overwhelming, but low concentrations can evoke
496-482: The commercially important German brand FEWA, produced by BASF , and Dreft , the U.S. brand produced by Procter & Gamble . Such detergents were mainly used in industry until after World War II . By then, new developments and the later conversion of aviation fuel plants to produce tetrapropylene , used in household detergents production, caused a fast growth of domestic use in the late 1940s. Washing laundry involves removing mixed soils from fiber surfaces. From
527-740: The effectiveness of the surfactant surpasses that of the builder, however this is not the case. Surfactants are responsible for most of the cleaning performance in laundry detergent. They provide this by absorption and emulsification of soil into the water and also by reducing the water's surface tension to improve wetting . Laundry detergents contain mostly anionic and non-ionic surfactants. Cationic surfactants are normally incompatible with anionic detergents and have poor cleaning efficiency; they are employed only for certain special effects, as fabric softeners , antistatic agents , and biocides . Zwitterionic surfactants are rarely employed in laundry detergents mainly for cost reasons. Most detergents use
558-436: The highest concentrations of acetaldehyde, acetone, and ethanol. Seven of these VOCs are classified as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and two as carcinogenic HAPs (acetaldehyde and benzene)". The EEC Directive 73/404/EEC stipulates an average biodegradability of at least 90% for all types of surfactants used in detergents. The phosphate content of detergents is regulated in many countries, e.g., Austria, Germany, Italy,
589-598: The implication that it was the fault of wives that their husbands left home with dirty collars. Laundry detergent Laundry detergent is a type of detergent (cleaning agent) used for cleaning dirty laundry (clothes). Laundry detergent is manufactured in powder ( washing powder ) and liquid form. While powdered and liquid detergents hold roughly equal share of the worldwide laundry detergent market in terms of value , powdered detergents are sold twice as much compared to liquids in terms of volume . From ancient times, chemical additives were used to facilitate
620-577: The introduction of phosphonates ( HEDP , ATMP , EDTMP ). While these phosphorus-based agents are generally non-toxic they are now known to cause nutrient pollution , which can have serious environmental consequences. As such they have been banned in many countries, leading to the development of phosphorus-free agents, such as polycarboxylates ( EDTA , NTA ), citrates ( trisodium citrate ), silicates ( sodium silicate ), gluconic acid and polyacrylic acid ; or ion exchange agents like zeolites . Alkali builders may also enhance performance by changing
651-594: The mechanical washing of textile fibers with water. The earliest recorded evidence of the production of soap-like materials dates back to around 2800 BC in ancient Babylon . German chemical companies developed an alkyl sulfate surfactant in 1917, in response to shortages of soap ingredients during the Allied Blockade of Germany during World War I . In the 1930s, commercially viable routes to fatty alcohols were developed, and these new materials were converted to their sulfate esters , key ingredients in
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#1732800994112682-904: The mid-1960s. Since the 1980s, alkyl sulfates such as SDS have found increasing application at the expense of LAS. Since the 1970s, nonionic surfactants like alcohol ethoxylates have acquired a higher share in laundry detergents. In the 1990s, glucamides appeared as co-surfactants, and alkyl polyglycosides have been used in specialty detergents for fine fabrics. Despite the name, modern laundry bleaches do not include household bleach ( sodium hypochlorite ). Laundry bleaches are typically stable adducts of hydrogen peroxide , such as sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate ; these are inactive as solids but will release hydrogen peroxide upon exposure to water. The main targets of bleaches are oxidisible organic stains, which are usually of vegetable origin (e.g. chlorophyll , anthocyanin dyes, tannins , humic acids , and carotenoid pigments). Hydrogen peroxide
713-492: The other components and do not affect the color of the cleaned item. The perfumes are typically a mixture of many compounds , common classes include terpene alcohols ( citronellol , geraniol , linalool , nerol ) and their esters ( linalyl acetate ), aromatic aldehydes ( helional , hexyl cinnamaldehyde , lilial ) and synthetic musks ( galaxolide ). Worldwide, while liquid and powdered detergents hold roughly equal market share in terms of value, powdered laundry detergent
744-517: The product being cleaned. Commercial or industrial laundries may make use of a laundry sour during the final rinse cycle to neutralise any remaining alkali surfactants and remove acid-sensitive stains. A number of ingredients affect aesthetic properties of the item to be cleaned or the detergent itself before or during use. These agents include optical brighteners , fabric softeners , and colorants. A variety of perfumes are also components of modern detergents, provided that they are compatible with
775-428: The solution, or solubilize other ingredients. Corrosion inhibitors counteract damage to washing equipment. Dye transfer inhibitors prevent dyes from one article from coloring other items, these are generally polar water-soluble polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone , to which the dyes preferentially bind. Antiredeposition agents such as carboxymethyl cellulose are used to prevent fine soil particles from reattaching to
806-655: The surface of the olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity . In 2005–06, fragrance mix was the third-most-prevalent allergen in patch tests (11.5%). 'Fragrance' was voted Allergen of the Year in 2007 by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. An academic study in the United States published in 2016 has shown that "34.7 % of the population reported health problems, such as migraine headaches and respiratory difficulties, when exposed to fragranced products". The composition of fragrances
837-459: The term fragrances may also apply to synthetic compounds, such as those used in cosmetics . Aroma compounds can naturally be found in various foods , such as fruits and their peels , wine , spices , floral scent , perfumes , fragrance oils , and essential oils . For example, many form biochemically during the ripening of fruits and other crops. Wines have more than 100 aromas that form as byproducts of fermentation . Also, many of
868-461: The upper part of the nose. As examples, various fragrant fruits have diverse aroma compounds, particularly strawberries which are commercially cultivated to have appealing aromas, and contain several hundred aroma compounds. Generally, molecules meeting this specification have molecular weights of less than 310. Flavors affect both the sense of taste and smell , whereas fragrances affect only smell. Flavors tend to be naturally occurring, and
899-682: Was combined with Huish Detergents, Inc. (also owned by Vestar) to form The Sun Products Corporation . In 2010, Wisk was re-launched in a new formulation, with new packaging that declared "Stain Spectrum Technology" and emphasized its ability to fight tough stains. An advertising campaign was launched around the same time, focused on the "science of stain fighting". The brand came in a variety of formulations, including "Deep Clean", "High Efficiency", "Fresh Boost" and "Oxi Complete". In June 2016, Henkel acquired Sun Products and discontinued Wisk in favor of its own Persil brand. The brand
930-600: Was introduced in 1913 by Otto Rohm . The first preparation was a pancreatic extract obtained from slaughtered animals, which was unstable against alkali and bleach. Only in the latter part of the century with the availability of thermally robust bacterial enzymes did this technology become mainstream. Enzymes are required to degrade stubborn stains composed of proteins (e.g., milk, cocoa, blood, egg yolk, grass), fats (e.g., chocolate, fats, oils), starch (e.g., flour and potato stains), and cellulose (damaged cotton fibrils , vegetable and fruit stains). Each type of stain requires
961-417: Was widely known for its successful "Ring Around The Collar" campaign introduced in 1968, spotlighting sometimes-difficult to treat stains that appeared on shirt collars, and the product's ability to help fight them. The campaign was created by BBDO . The nagging sing-song voiceover of "Ring around the collar!" was performed by Bob McFadden . The campaign was criticized decades later for being misogynistic, with