Have you ever thought that you know everything there is to possibly know about the many types of laundry detergents that grace our supermarket shelves today? Or do you search and peck like a chicken when it comes to finding the right one to wear? Here are some facts about laundry soaps and detergents that you might find useful.

The use of laundry soap has been around for centuries. The main raw materials are oils/fats which are tallow or coco and alkali which is sodium or potassium hydroxide. Despite the improvements that have been made over the years in the quality of the soap product and in the manufacturing process, every soap in existence has one major flaw. They combine with minerals that appear to harden the water like bricks so that a soap curd is formed. This can leave a sticky white or yellow residue in the washer and can even stick to fabrics in the washer. Yuck! Can you imagine your clothes coming out of the washing machine full of sticky yellow stains? This has led to limited popularity of the soaps. There are few brands available. Today, however, there are two main types of laundry soaps:

light powders

This is basically straight soap that has perfume and fluorescent whitening agents. These soaps are designed for delicate and slightly soiled garments. Because these soaps are very mild, they are often used to wash diapers and baby clothes.

soap bars

Have you been around long enough to hear about laundry soap bars? I did not think! They were the forerunners of the powder and chip forms. These bars are usually made from tallow or a combination of coconut oil and tallow. Borax and other builders are added to help soften the water and improve performance.

One good thing about a bar of laundry soap is it’s great for pre-treating stains and dirt before washing. Other uses for bar laundry soap are hand washing hosiery and lingerie.

DETERGENTS

Over time, detergents have replaced laundry soap mainly due to the fact that they work across a wide spectrum of water hardness levels. There are many different types of laundry detergents, just as there are so many colors of roses today! They are classified by their general purpose and are available in powder or liquid form.

General purpose

Powder

o They are made for all washable fabrics, from dirty work clothes to lightly soiled lingerie.

o Some powders can be used for household cleaning and dishwashing.
liquids

o These are used for general purpose laundry, but work great on oily floors.

o Since laundry detergent is in liquid form, it is very easy to pre-treat grease stains and stains before washing. They are very convenient and effective to use.

Combined laundry detergents

Laundry detergents were developed that had a bleach alternative that was in the form of color safe bleach and also fabric softeners. This no longer made it necessary to buy two products. Now one product could do two or three jobs in one! Now you can wash your clothes at lower temperatures and still smell fresh and look like new.

This has just been a bit about the laundry detergent dilemma you often find yourself in when shopping for the right detergent!