When is soap really soap?

Last week I wrote an article about cleaning out chemical build up in linens. I received numerous calls from area residents wanting me to expound on or support various soap products sold on the open market.

As I explained to those callers, it is difficult for me to support one product over the next because I don't go by the brand name of product; I examine the chemical makeup before I use it to make sure it will do what I want it too. So in this week's article, I thought I would discuss detergents and hopefully give some insight to the reading audience.

Detergent manufactures try to attract buyers with specific laundry problems. There are powders and liquids that ease pretreatment of tough soils. Some detergents come with special ingredients such as color-safe bleach, fabric softeners, or stain-fighting enzymes.

Some are free of perfumes and dyes. Today, practically all are made without phosphates to avoid possible harm to our waterways. Several "green" brands suggest that they will give the user not only a cleaner material but also a healthier planet.

There are only a few remaining regular-strength detergents. Most now come in concentrated strengths. And now there are super concentrated or ultra products, whose containers are as small as an old-fashioned lunch box, but can hold enough detergent to do many loads.

The truth is that all detergents clean lightly soiled clothing. But some are better at it than others in keeping loosened soil from settling back on the clothes in the washing process. This helps in stain removal and brightening. Powders, as a class, outperform most liquids.

National brands generally perform better than store brands. Products that contain bleach or bleach alternatives tend to outperform those that do not. Some mail order and health-food store green brands do not perform as well as some store brands and they generally cost more.

No laundry detergent will completely remove all of the common stains. Most national brands of powders, especially those with bleach or bleach alternatives — can remove most of the common stains better than liquids. Laundry detergents for the most part will not remove motor oil; however, results improve if you add boosters to your wash.

Most detergents contain ingredients that absorb ultraviolet light from the sun or from florescent fixtures and emit it as blue light. Detergents that claim they are free of perfumes and dyes do contain brighteners which produce a brighter blue-white glow when seen by the eye.

If your laundry rarely has stubborn stains, buy by price. You can save the most money by forgetting brand loyalty. Use coupons and stock up on whatever is on sale. If you regularly wash heavily stained clothes, choose powders rather than liquids. Buy the cheapest major brand rather than the higher-price one.

Most detergents contain five key ingredients

1. Surfactants — Which are surface agents designed to remove dirt. They emulsify, suspend and disperse oil, grease and dirt.

2. Builders — They enhance the cleaning efficiency of surfactants by softening water. They have a high alkalinity, which is the booster.

3. Whitening agents — They are fluorescent brighteners which give off the clean glow.

4. Enzymes — Enzymes break down complex soils so they can be removed by the washing process. Two common types are protease and amylase. Protease breaks down proteins such as blood stains and amylase digests carbohydrates; such as syrup.

5. All fabric bleach — Are sodium per carbonate or sodium per borate tetra hydrate. These products are generally safe to use unless the fabric has a warning label that states "no bleach."

Many detergents claim to be biodegradable or contain biodegradable ingredients. The truth is all surfactants (main cleaning agent) in today' cleaning products are biodegradable and are quickly and thoroughly broken down during the waste treatment.

I know some manufacturers claim their ingredients are natural ingredients. They state their ingredients are vegetable-based surfactants. The truth is both petroleum-based oils and vegetable-based oils are used to make surfactants. Both types come from natural sources. In both cases, the oils are chemically processed to make surfactants. They are all, therefore, synthetic.

When cleaning with any product, always were eye protection and rubber gloves to protect your hands. If you would like to share a cleaning product idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NWES, 255-2266, email them to madan@surfl.ws or send them to the Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864, attn. What Would Ed Do? Information: NWEES.com

Ed Madan is the CEO of Northwest Executive & Environmental Services, LLC.