| Contrary to what many global conglomerates would | | | | carbonates. Builders perform many functions within a |
| like you to believe, detergent formulation does not | | | | detergent formulation. |
| require chemistry qualifications -- you don't need a | | | | - Builders act as water softeners, |
| degree in chemical engineering, an expensive | | | | - They also act as an alkaline buffer against acidic |
| laboratory or even high start-up capital to be able to | | | | soils and help maintain the pH balance of the |
| make top quality cleaning products. If you have a | | | | detergent, |
| professionally formulated detergent recipe, and you | | | | - Builders help break down and disperse larger clumps |
| can follow simple instructions, you can easily | | | | of soil, |
| manufacture almost any of the cleaning products | | | | - They increase the negative charge on soil particles |
| commonly used in households, business and industry. | | | | which helps stop soils re-bind together and redeposit |
| These products will be as good as, if not better than, | | | | themselves onto the cleaned surface, |
| any of the leading brands. | | | | - Builders keep soil particles in suspension which aids |
| And you can make them for a fraction of the retail | | | | rinsing. |
| cost -- a bottle of laundry detergent which retails for | | | | It is the combination of surfactants and builders |
| $5 can cost as little as 30 cents to manufacture. It is | | | | which forms the basis of detergent formulation. |
| an extremely profitable industry in which to start a | | | | What else influences how detergents are |
| business. Detergent manufacturers are some of the | | | | compounded? There are three additional factors |
| wealthiest global corporations -- it's a multi-billion dollar | | | | which determine the effectiveness of a detergent |
| industry. You can make household detergents (for | | | | formulation. |
| dishes, tiles, kitchens bathroom, etc), laundry | | | | 1. Agitation |
| detergent, plus a wide range of commercial and | | | | 2. Heat |
| industrial cleaning agents. | | | | 3. Time |
| All detergent formulations are engineered with one | | | | Maximum cleaning effectiveness of most detergents |
| common purpose: To remove dirt from a surface -- | | | | is achieved when the above three factors are |
| whether it be clothing, tiles, dishes, glass, upholstery, | | | | employed. If one factor is missing, the detergent |
| floors, carpet or stainless steel. Because there is such | | | | formulation must compensate for this. For instance, |
| a huge variety of different soils and different | | | | this is the reason for the difference between hand |
| surfaces, there is also a huge variety of detergent | | | | dishwashing liquid and machine dishwasher detergent. |
| formulations which can be manufactured. Detergent | | | | A machine dishwasher uses more agitation and more |
| formulation requires the use of two components: | | | | time than would be used in hand dishwashing - hence |
| Surfactants and builders. | | | | the need for two completely different detergent |
| 1. Surfactants | | | | formulas. If you have ever tried using hand dish liquid |
| Surfactants may be liquid or powdered, comprising | | | | in a dishwashing machine, you will know the outcome |
| organic molecules. Surfactants are "surface active | | | | -- all that extra agitation of the machine will produce |
| agents". They lower the surface tension of a liquid. | | | | an enormous foam-filled dishwasher. |
| What this means is that when added to water they | | | | While a little knowledge of the basic principles of |
| better able to penetrate through to surfaces and | | | | formulating detergents will help you understand the |
| surround soil particles for enhanced cleaning. | | | | processes involved, you don't need to be a |
| Surfactants also reduce the interfacial tension | | | | chemistry graduate in order to start a business in this |
| between two liquids - whereas oil will usually float on | | | | industry. It is easy to follow professionally formulated |
| water, the addition of a small amount of surfactant | | | | compounds and start a highly profitable venture |
| will allow the water and oil to "mix". | | | | manufacturing cleaning products, without any |
| 2. Builders | | | | previous experience in this industry. |
| Builders are inorganic such as silicates, phosphates and | | | | |