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The molecule that makes up soap or detergent has a polar head and a nonpolar tail. In chemistry, compounds that are polar like to mix with other polar compounds and compounds that are nonpolar like to mix with other nonpolar compounds. This is why oil and water don't mix. Water is polar and oil is nonpolar. Oil and grease are a nonpolar compounds. When in water the soap molecules will arrange themselves in such a way that the nonpolar tails surround the grease creating a spherical droplet. On the face of this sphere is the polar heads of the soap molecule. This allows it to interact with the polar water. This is how soap and laundry detergent are able to remove oil and grease and wash it down the drain.

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2008-06-09 21:19:01
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Q: How does laundry detergent work on a molecular level?
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Related questions

Which laundry detergent work best?

tide


At what pH does laundry detergent work best?

tide is the best detergent and cheap at wal-mart


How does powdered laundry detergent work in a washing machine?

yes


What if laundry detergent freezes?

Yes and the detergent won't work well when it thaws; its composition changes. (Personal experience and I emailed the company for info)


Can you use dish detergent instead of laundry detergent when yopu make homemade silly putty?

You can try I don't think it'll work though.


What is the difference between HE laundry detergents and regular laundry detergent?

HE laundry detergents are High Efficiency detergents. They are designed to make fewer suds than regular detergents and to work in clothes washers that use less water. Regular laundry detergents create a higher amount of soap suds and need more water to rinse the detergent out of the clothes being washed. The cleaning power of the two types of laundry detergent is about the same. However, you need to use the proper detergent for the type of washer you are using so that the washer can clean the clothes to the best of its ability.


Will American laundry detergent work at 60 degree Celsius?

Yes, many American laundry detergents will work at 60 degrees Celsius. Some of these brands include Tide, Cain, Purex and Arm and Hammer.


Money Saving Tips On Laundry Detergent?

How to Save on Laundry DetergentNever pay full price for laundry detergent again! There are so many ways to save money on laundry detergent, and in this economy, you need every dollar you can get. Use the following tips the next time you are dealing with laundry detergent and you can save some real money.CouponsUsing laundry detergent coupons is one of the biggest ways you can save money and never pay full retail price for detergent. You can find many of these coupons in the Sunday newspaper, download and print them from online or subscribe to the various companies to get their coupons in the mail. Use your coupons to the fullest by purchasing your laundry detergent from grocery stores that offer double and triple coupons. Also look for times when laundry detergent is on sale and combine the coupons for an even bigger savings.Less is MorePeople use too much laundry detergent during laundry time. More detergent will not get your laundry any cleaner, and it's actually the washing machine that does most of the work getting your clothes clean. The best thing to do is to follow the manufacture's recommended fill line on the bottle. Most bottles have 2-3 fill lines depending on how large of a load you need to wash. You could even do better and fill the detergent just a bit below the line. High efficiency machines use even less detergent, so make sure you buy high efficiency laundry detergent for your high efficiency machine.Buy In BulkThe larger the bottle, the more you can save. Pay attention to the price you pay to the number of ounces of detergent you get. You will see that the larger sized bottles will get you the best price per ounce. Combine the larger sizes with coupons and you will be washing clothes for less in no time.By using coupons, less detergent per load and by buying your detergent in bulk, you will soon save a lot of money on your laundry detergent. This will help any family on a budget, and your clothes will come out just as clean too.


How much trisodium phosphate should you mix with laundry detergent?

I've researched it. American brands have .5% mix of phosphate, while brands in Mexico have 5-7% mix. For a mix of 1%, half a teaspoon to a cup of detergent would work. If your locality bans the sale of detergents with phospates, you can add that much to laundry detergent. A small amount should be added to dishwasher detergent.


Is it necessary to use detergent for your laundry?

It is not necessary, but it would work better if you did. Laundry detergent is a substance that kills and dissolves bacteria. I did an experiment for which laundry detergent worked best on stains and tide works best. I also put in one other shirt in but with NO SOAP and it did not take off any of the stains ( i used chocolate sauce, mustard, soya sauce, and red wine). So if you want the best cleanliness for your clothes i would suggest Tide Laundry soap . A grade 7 project


Can you use regular laundry detergent in a high efficiency front load washer?

You can, but you would have to use it very sparingly - perhaps 1/2 of normal amount. HE washers work best with HE detergent - conventional detergent sudses much too heavily.


How much did laundry detergent cost in 1910?

There WAS no laundry detergent in 1910. To wash your clothes, you used flakes of soap (and you probably made the flakes by grating a hard bar of soap). This did a poor job. In 1933, Dreft detergent was marketed for the first time (a detergent, not a soap) but it did not work well on heavy stains. In 1943, Tide detergent entered the market- and is still around- improved a reported 21 times since then. But in 1910, drag out the soap and the grater.

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