Detergent is one of the most important aspects of washing clothes. Without a detergent powder, our clothes won’t look fresh or give off a mild fragrance. Detergents are necessary to release the stains from the clothes. So, which is the best detergent powder in India? Well, there are a lot of things to consider while buying a detergent. One has to see how well the detergent works in terms of cleaning clothes.
Nowadays, there are a lot of detergent powders available in the market that claim that they are capable of washing out all the stains. But in the process of cleaning, sometimes, our clothes are ruined. For instance, the bright color gets washed off due to the harsh detergent or residue is left on the clothes, thereby making it smell bad. There are a lot of instances like this. While buying a detergent, it is essential to check the ingredients. Ingredients make a detergent powder good or bad. Look for ingredients that are color-safe and can wash delicate and sensitive clothes with ease. These are some key points that you should remember. Now, there is a list of ingredients that you should look for before buying a detergent. So, here it goes!
Top ingredients in a Good Detergent Powder
First made in the form of bar soap and now they are in various different forms – laundry detergents have come a long way! Laundry detergents are made up of certain ingredients and enzymes that wash clothes effectively without damaging them. Well, every detergent has a secret ingredient that makes it different from the others. All the ingredients depend upon their cleaning ability. So, let us have a look at the ingredients that a detergent powder must contain.
- Alkalies
Alkali is one of the major ingredients used in detergent powders. Alkalies are soluble salt and base that react with an acid, thereby neutralizing it. They are very effective in removing all kinds of stains from the fabrics. Without excessive rubbing, the most stubborn stains also come off with ease. Alkali can be used to wash greasy clothes as well. Sodium hydroxide, caustic soda, and potassium hydroxide are some of the most commonly used alkalies. They are also present in various soaps. One thing that you need to remember here is that alkali can cause a burning sensation. Therefore, it must be used with discretion.
- Surfactants
Surfactants are the cleaning agents present in laundry detergents that break up the stains and suspend them in water. This helps in the re-disposition of dirt. Surfactants disperse the dirt from the clothes that might dissolve in the water, later. Surfactants do not mix unless they are shaken in the bottle. Thus, it is advised to shake the bottle of the detergent you are using so that the surfactants are mixed well. Thus, surfactants are used to complement and boost the cleaning process. They clean clothes without fuss and chaos. Thus, they are used in detergents for releasing tough stains.
- Catalytic Enzymes
Catalytic enzymes can be processed chemically or are natural in nature. They target specific soil stains and break them into smaller molecules, thereby washing them away effectively. Well, there are six types of enzymes. Any one of them or all can be present in a detergent powder. Have a look!
- Protease – removes protein-based soil
- Cellulose – breaks down the cloth fibers to remove stains.
- Lipase – helps in removing fat oils.
- Mannanase – removes food stains from clothes.
- Amylase – remove starch or carbohydrate stains.
- Pectinase – helps in removing fruit stains.
Enzymes occur naturally. They decrease the amount of detergent that we take and help in cleaning our clothes with ease. Thus, enzymes help in removing stains from all kinds of clothes without damaging them.
- Fragrance
If a detergent has a mild fragrance and leaves the same in your clothes after washing, then it is a laundry detergent that you can use. Laundry detergents that have fresh floral fragrances can make your clothes smell fresh and fragrant. You can have a better impression on others with your tidy and natural smelling clothes.
- Color-safe Detergents
In order to keep your clothes lively and full of color, it is best to use a color-safe detergent. Such detergent powders are made with ingredients that protect the color of your clothes from fading. Such ingredients are not harsh and can clean your clothes without damaging their color or appearance.
So, these are the top five ingredients that you must look for in a detergent powder. One important point that you must keep in mind is that if you have sensitive skin, then you must opt for detergent with no harmful chemicals. Many dermatologists claim that detergents that have harmful chemicals in them can cause skin irritation, rashes, inflammation, etc. Thus, to avoid such a situation, it is best that you opt for mild laundry detergents. Any detergent that has these top five ingredients is the best detergent powder in India. Look for these ingredients and then buy the detergent powder.
FAQs
- How to know that the detergent powder is of good quality?
The best way to determine the quality of a laundry detergent is by looking at the residue it leaves on the fabric. If the detergent powder leaves a lot of residues, then it isn’t of good quality. But if it doesn’t leave any residue, you can use it for washing. It is safe and will protect your clothes from color discharge.
- Which is the best detergent powder?
There are a lot of detergent powders available in the market with a number of ingredients. Some ingredients are harsh on the clothes. Thus, look for the ingredients present in the list mentioned above. The ingredients mentioned above clean the clothes without damaging them. Thus, look for them before buying a laundry detergent!
- What should be the pH of a good detergent powder?
A mild detergent powder’s pH must range from 6.5 to 8. If you are using powder detergents, then look for a pH above 10.
- Can I make a homemade laundry detergent?
Yes, you can make one but the results aren’t guaranteed. Add two cups of washing soda to two cups of baking soda. Further, add two cups of borax powder to it along with 25 drops of essential oil. Mix all the ingredients and shake them well. Your homemade detergent is ready.
Well, one cannot say if this will clean your clothes effectively or not. Instead, you can look for a good detergent powder that has the ingredients mentioned above to remove the stains effectively.
