MAKING HIGH QUALITY LIQUID MULTI PURPOSE DETERGENT

The liquid detergent, commonly referred to as Multi-purpose Detergent is used in more than one area of cleaning, i.e. Laundry, Surface Cleaning and Utensil Washing, therefore the word multi-purpose denotes the various cleaning roles it performs. It is profoundly a good investment earner for low and middle income market. Those who produce high commercial volumes can supply schools, hotels and institutions. Their return is 100-fold.

For it to be effective in all the areas it is applied in, it must have all the chemical and functional characteristics of a good detergent. These characteristics are Foaming, Degreasing, Super cleansing (detergency) and disinfection.
Active Surface Matter (ASM) matters greatly and must be calculated well when formulating with surfactants with different concentration percentages.

Other qualities of a good multi-purpose liquid soap are Rheology (thickness), Clarity and user-friendliness. Let us discuss each of the above qualities in brief.

Foaming
This is the ability to form surds. It is of great aesthetical value because it cajoles the consumers into believing that it has high ability to clean. Good foaming is achieved by careful balancing of coco diethanolamide and hydrotropic components like SLES and NOT STTP as many are made to believe. STTP is used in powder detergents formulation.

Degreasing
Because liquid detergent is used in cleaning greasy utensils and surfaces soiled with oils, the grease cutting power is essential here. It is achieved by incorporation of sodium hydroxide which also acts as pH buffer. PH also affects grease cutting ability of a detergent.

Detergency
This is the ability if the liquid soap to wet and emulsify oil droplets and loosen dirt so as to keep them suspended in the wash solution. This is achieved by incorporating appropriate percentages of detergent activators such as Gelcid™ and isotopic components such as Gelsoap™. Good detergency defines the cleaning power of the multi-purpose liquid detergent.

Clarity
A good multi-purpose soap should be clear even when dyed with colors of your choice. The detergent should not appear hazy, misty or opaque. This is the aesthetic value that draws your customers to your product. Many home crafted liquid multi-purpose detergents lack this property, often leading to products of low value.

Rheology
This is the hallmark of a high-value liquid detergent. Thickness of 400-800cP is good and promises durability and handling of the soap during cleaning. It is often achieved by incorporating the standard amounts of thickeners such as sodium chloride, CDE and their correct usage rates.

White deposits
These deposit-like calcifications that settle on the bottom of the liquid soap are usually caused by poor preparation methods. They also affect detergency and durability (long shelf life) of the soap

Disinfection
This is the ability of the liquid soap to kill germs and inhibit their germicidal action. Most home-made liquid multi-purpose detergents do not have the active ingredient with (TTAB).

According to Herman of Cosmetics and Detergents Kenya, a training and consultancy firm based in Nairobi, good manufacturing practice is achieved through proper training and careful choice of certified raw materials to ensure a top quality product with a high competitive edge.

Article By Muthoni Thuranira (Mrs.)
Email: cosmeticsteacher@gmail.com

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