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Ever wondered what happens after you've put your clothes within the wash? We all spend time selecting the right laundry detergent whether for fragrance or eco-friendliness - heck, some of us even make our own! But exactly how does laundry detergent get your clothes clean?

Free and Clear Laundry Detergent

There are plenty of different types of dirty that it's hard to imagine one type of product can treat them all. Be it the children playing outside getting mud and dirt caked to their clothes, your gym clothes soaking in sweat from an intense workout or simply a shirt that you make the wash following a day's residing in the world - clothes get dirty in a wide variety of ways and to many varying degrees.

Continue reading to find out more regarding your detergent and learn exactly what is happening whenever you close the lid in your washer.

Laundry soap Reduces the Surface Tension water

This is a little a strange one - are you aware that without laundry detergent, water isn't able to completely penetrate the fabric of the clothes? Laundry soap lowers the surface tension of water, letting it penetrate fabric completely and lift stains. It will help all of the oils and dirt dissolve in water - the initial step to getting your clothes clean.

Laundry Detergent Additives

Enzymes in your detergent help to break up built up protein-based stains that are challenging get out. Light bleach additives also break up these build ups and your laundry detergent bonds with dirt and pulls it away from your fabrics as the machine spins. Too much bleach can harm your fabric, but a small amount will help whiten clothing without causing spotting and discolouration.

Electric Charge

Anionic surfactants inside your detergent affix to both dirt on your fabrics and the fabrics themselves to form a repellent, electrical charge. As you may remember from senior high school science classes, two of the same charges cannot attract, so instead the dirt is 'forced' from your washing. These anionic surfactants also prevent dirt and soil from finding their long ago for your fabrics after the washing machine has finished its cycle.

So there you have it! There are some different facets to how your laundry soap gets soils, dirt and make ups out of your clothes. From simple enzymes that break down grime to electric charges that repel developed dirt, it really is nifty the way your clothes get clean.