Laundry Powder

An important role in the washing process is played by high-quality washing powder. In the departments of household chemicals, this product is replete with a huge number of cans, bottles, boxes and sachets from which one's eyes run wide, and advertising does its job. Is it worth believing the advertising, information on the packaging, or where to get the necessary information, because the manufacturer and seller will not tell you anything, except that the products manufactured by the company and sold in the department are the best?

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What is washing powder?

Erasing powder is a mixture of a huge amount of chemical components. The ability of manufacturers to correctly formulate a chemical formula that optimally combines active substances determines the production of high-quality laundry detergents. Consider the main components that make up detergents.

Surfactants

All detergents contain surfactants. These components play the role of soap and form the basis of the product. The main tasks of surfactants:

1. Soaking contaminated tissue with a washing solution.
2. Weakening the bonds of pollution and tissue.
3. Retention of the removed particles of dirt in the washing solution, and thereby preventing their reappearance on the fabric.

Phosphates

Any washing powder includes phosphates. They are intended to eliminate water hardness and enhance the action of surfactants. Phosphates increase the effectiveness of washing powder and, in addition, ensure the softness of the fabric after washing.

Another beneficial effect of phosphates is the protection of the washing machine spiral from scale, for example, Calgon, which is actively advertised, is the same phosphate.

Due to the above functions of phosphates, it can be argued that this component is the most important element of a detergent.

Important! In addition to the advantages, phosphates have one, but a significant drawback - getting into natural water bodies, they harm the environment. An alternative to phosphates is zeolites. These components are environmentally friendly, however, water-insoluble particles of the element can remain after washing on the fabric or clog the sewer pipes, settling in them.

Alkaline components

This group of substances enhances the action of surfactants and helps to increase the pH level (concentration of hydrogen ions) in the washing solution. This increases the efficiency of removing fatty contaminants. The simplest and most well-known alkaline components are soda and water glass, which is designated as silicate on the product packaging.

Optical brighteners

Optical bleach creates the illusion of snow-white washed laundry. Bleach particles are deposited on the fabric during washing. They are luminescent dyes that absorb ultraviolet rays from the incident light spectrum and re-emit them in the form of cyan and blue. This creates the effect of whiteness.

Important! Expecting a crystal clear effect after using detergent powder with the inclusion of optical brighteners, remember, from optical illusion that pleases the eye, the fabric does not become whiter.

Oxygen Bleach

Chemical (oxygen-containing) bleach helps to remove contaminants of plant origin, such as tea, grass, fruits, wine, etc. In addition to removing stains, the oxygen-containing component whitens and refreshes the fabric.

Important! Chemical bleach is effective at temperatures above 60 C, it is from this temperature that the active evolution of oxygen begins.

It is possible to use a powder with an oxygen-containing bleach at a lower temperature, if the powder contains an activator of the TAED chemical bleach.

Enzymes

Enzymes or bioadditives (enzymes) help remove contaminants of organic origin. Biologically active substances break down both protein and fatty contaminants, and cellulose enzymes refresh the color and prevent the appearance of pellets.

Erasing powder, as a rule, includes a combination of all enzymes:

• Alkaline proteases.
• Amylases.
• Lipases
• Keratinases.
• Cellulose enzymes.

Important! All the elements that make up the laundry detergent enhance each other's actions. An enzyme cleaner is a high-quality and expensive laundry detergent. But most enzymes are effective at a temperature of 40-60 C and only some at 80 C. Therefore, it is pointless to use the product with dietary supplements at a very high temperature, for example, when boiling.

Perfumes

Flavors (perfumes) perform 2 functions:

1. They neutralize unpleasant odors that are released when washing dirty laundry.
2. Add freshness to washed laundry.

Important! Flavors do not affect the quality of the wash, and labels like “with lemon flavor” or “alpine freshness” on the powder packaging only indicate that the corresponding flavoring is present.

Defoamers

Foam stabilizers - defoamers, are part of detergents intended for washing in automatic washing machines. Defoamers prevent the formation of abundant excess foam during washing, and thereby protect the washing machine from damage.

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Types of Detergents

In order to ensure the highest quality washing of things and make this process economical, easy, it is worth choosing the form of release of the product correctly.

Laundry Powder

The most common detergent is detergent powder. They are highly effective for washing items and everyday items such as bedding, clothes, etc.

The quality of any wash depends on the right choice of powder. The product packaging says what washing it is suitable for: manual, automatic or in an activator type machine.

Important! When choosing a detergent, pay attention to this inscription, because detergents for hand washing foam well. But the powder for the washing machine contains special defoamers, and you can’t categorically use a detergent for hand washing for an automatic machine. The machine will not only not be able to remove stains, but also will not completely rinse the foam from the laundry. In addition, it threatens to break the washing machine.

In our separate article you will find rating of the best washing powders.

Another important inscription on the product packaging indicates what type of fabric the powder is intended for. Most often, detergents for three main types of fabrics are found:

• Cotton and linen.
• Wool and synthetics.
• Universal.

Important! Many powdered laundry detergents are granulated to reduce dusting and ease of use. For economical consumption, use just such products.

Also, in terms of saving and preventing the result in the form of stains on the tissue, it is advisable to deal with how much powder to pour into the washing machine.

Powders for children and allergy sufferers

All mothers know the truth: children's things must be washed with special means, as “adult” powder can harm the baby’s delicate skin and cause irritation not only to the skin, but also to the mucous membrane.

For children and people prone to allergic reactions, manufacturers recommend selecting powders without soda and bleach. The composition of the powder for washing children's clothes should include natural baby soap, which does not cause allergic reactions in the baby.It will be much easier for you to choose such high-quality products if you look through our baby powder rating.

The detergent should not contain any perfumes, dyes or other synthetic substances.

Important! There is an opinion that it is better to wash children's things with laundry soap, since it does not cause any allergic reactions in the child. But this is not the best option, since laundry soap contains a huge amount of alkali, which is detrimental to the delicate baby skin and can cause irritation.

Liquid detergents

For products from delicate fabrics, including silk and wool, it is better to use liquid detergents. They have a special composition, a lowered pH level and provide a careful attitude to the erasable material, especially painted. One of the most popular in this line is laundry detergent Weasel.

Liquid detergents are equally effective in washing lightly soiled laundry.

Important! It is useless to use liquid detergents for washing heavily soiled items.

Pills

This type of detergent can be single-layer instant or multi-layer, with an adjustable rate of dissolution of the layers.

In the second type of product, the active components are included in the work in turn: first, enzymes (at a temperature of 30-40 C), then oxygen-containing bleaches (at 60 C).

Important! The main advantage of tablets is the convenience and cost-effectiveness of dosing.

See the article on the most popular brands and their product features. "Capsules for washing".

Concentrates

Concentrated detergents are one of the varieties of powdered detergents. They contain the same active substances, but in a higher concentration. Therefore, the consumption of funds is much less than powder.

Concentrated detergents contain 1.5 times more active chemical elements and a minimum of filler (sodium sulfate), which means that the concentrate consumption by weight is 1.5 times less than the powder consumption.

Important! Concentrates are produced as a means for automatic washing machines. They cost more, but, with the right dosage, the cost of washing with concentrate does not exceed the cost, using expensive non-concentrated powder.

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How to choose a washing powder?

In order to choose the right detergent, you must consider:

• Type of fabric.
• Type of washing.
• Type of pollution.

Important! Be sure to read the instructions for use of the product and the composition of the powder. In a good powder, the surfactant content should not exceed 5%, and the phosphate content should not exceed 12%.

Also consider such recommendations so that the result of applying the detergent powder is always excellent:

1. If you want the wash to be of high quality, be sure to buy a special powder for a certain type of fabric: wool, synthetics, cotton.
2. For each individual case, you must use your own detergent:
   • for washing light products - powder for white linen;
   • for color - a product intended for washing colored clothes;
   • for children's things - an appropriate tool;
   • if you need to get rid of impurities, then get a stain remover powder or a product with enzymes.

Important! The quality of the wash depends not only on the quality of the detergent, but also on whether you use the powder correctly: if you use too little, the washing will not be effective, if too much, there will be excess funds on the fabric. It is recommended to use 5 tbsp for 5 kg of linen l washing powder, for 3.5 kg - 3 tbsp. l

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Helpful hints:

• For automatic washing machines, choose low-foaming washing powders that show a front-loading machine or loading door. The word “matic” can be used to indicate a low foaming agent.
• If the automatic washing machine is not fully loaded, reduce the amount of detergent.
• Use liquid detergents for washing at a temperature not exceeding 60 C.
• The use of liquid detergents for prewash is not recommended. They are used directly in the main wash cycle.
• When washing in cold water, reduce the amount of detergent, as it dissolves much worse at low temperatures and some of it will be wasted.
• Pay special attention to the instructions for use of children's washing powder. It is recommended to fill it directly in the drum directly on the linen, and not in the ditch, as usual.
• Dissolve the air conditioner with water, as the washing machine will not be able to use it completely due to its density.

Important! The most important thing when choosing a detergent is its safety, because “chemistry” should not harm the health of the consumer, not only during the washing process, but also with the subsequent wearing of washed items.

The fact that the powder does not pose a health hazard is indicated by the “Mark of Conformity” on its packaging. It is a must. However, nowadays it is easy to run into a fake, for example, buying powder in a plastic bag. Therefore, buy chemicals only in trusted trade departments, and in the process of operation, be sure to adhere to the recommendations of the manufacturers indicated on the packaging of the goods.

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We hope that the information obtained in our article will help you choose the right powder for washing, and he, in turn, will not fail and will please you with an excellent result.