The textiles available on the market are just as diverse as the personal preferences of the individuals wearing them. Their cleaning must perfectly match the specific material because a delicate silk scarf cannot be washed with the same detergent as a robust terry towel.
Laundry detergents need an effective foam control at different temperatures and different water hardness. A certain foam volume protects the fabrics from friction, while too much foam reduces the cleaning power and causes overfoaming of washing machines. The key is a balanced mixture of surfactants and auxiliaries which take care of foam control, stability and cleaning power at the same time.
Hydrotropic surfactants improve the solubility of nonionic surfactants in laundry detergents, especially in concentrated products.
With the right product, perfume oils or hydrophobic solvents can be clearly solubilised.
Depending on product type, dosage system and application, the viscosity of a cleaner must be in the “right” range and therefore needs to be either decreased or increased.
Degreasing means effectively removing hydrophobic dirt (e.g. oils and fats). In laundry detergents, nonionic surfactants are used since they possess a high fat-dissolving power.
Wetting of dirt and fabrics is the first step in the cleaning process, thus surfactants with good wetting power help to clean textiles, especially under challenging conditions, like short wash cycles or low temperatures.
Emulsifiers play an important role not only when greasy soil is to be emulsified in cleaning solutions, but also when cleaning agents contain a high proportion of perfume oil or when a hydrophobic solvent is to be incorporated to enhance the cleaning effect.
Static charges on fabrics can cause electric shocks that may damage electronic devices. Furthermore, static charges may accelerate the re-soiling of textile surfaces after cleaning. Surfactants with antistatic properties help to prevent static charges on surfaces.
