Clean clothes are not only a matter of impression and reputation, but primarily a matter of health. To ensure high-quality cleaning of linen, it is important to choose the right tool for removing dirt. Finding out which powder cleans well is difficult in today's variety. It is necessary to understand the composition of the products offered, the properties of their main active components and the level of safety for humans. We will discuss these issues in more detail in this article.
Types of Washing Powders
The main mistake of the housewives is that many tend to use the same tool for any type of laundry when they figure out which powder washes well. It should be ideal for a certain type of tissue. So, if the product that is intended for hand washing was effective, do not try to use it for automatic. Used for other purposes, the powder will not show its properties to the full, and the laundry will not clean properly. Such products contain a large number of substances that form a lush foam that is not needed in this case.
What types of washing powders exist today? As a rule, classification is carried out according to the types of fabrics for which this or that product is intended. According to this criterion, powders are divided into universal (intended for all types of fabric), for synthetics, wool, as well as linen and cotton materials. Moreover, the price is not critical.
So, if you are planning a large-scale washing, and all things are made of the same material (say, cotton), it is better to use a cheaper product, but it is highly specialized.
Powder composition
Before you decide on an effective product, you need to understand the purpose of the individual components that make up a particular product. Particular care should be taken if there are children or people in the house who are allergic.
The main active ingredient, which invariably is part of any washing powder, are surfactants, or so-called surfactants, designed to effectively separate dirt from the surface of any texture. Their classification contains three types, namely: cationic, anionic and non-inogenic.
The danger is the anionic type, which is indicated in the composition as A-surfactant. Such substances cause a variety of allergic reactions, manifested, for example, by a rash on the skin of a person, and also sharply reduce the effectiveness of the immune system.
Any surfactants extremely negatively affect both the environment and the human body. Therefore, rinsing the laundry is such an important process, because it is during it that all dangerous components are removed from the surface of the fabric. Do not save, it is better to rinse things again by running the appropriate program.
According to experts, a truly high-quality washing powder cannot contain more than five percent of surfactants.
Why do we need enzymes?
Enzymes are often positioned in commercials as a panacea, substances that are essential for a successful wash. Ostensibly their presence or absence determines which powder washes well. And, in a way, it is. Enzymes are biologically active substances that are used to effectively remove stains, especially fatty stains, which are considered the most complex.
However, these components are also capable of harming some delicate tissues, so the powders that contain them should be used with caution.
What are phosphates?
Phosphates are an effective mix of metals and acids, which noticeably softens water during washing, prevents the formation of scale, which contributes to a more successful process of removing dirt.
What is characteristic: all cleaning products manufactured in Western countries do not contain the mentioned components, since these substances actively provoke the occurrence of allergic reactions associated with both the skin and the respiratory tract. In many states, their use is prohibited at the legislative level.
These substances are replaced by zeolites, which do not cause any harm to the outside world or human health. Powders of this kind are usually denoted by the phrase "phosphate-free."
Determine the type of whitening
Sometimes it becomes extremely difficult to choose a washing powder for white linen. It is important to know that there are two types of bleaching fabrics. To understand which of them is a specific washing powder, you can carefully read the composition of the latter. So, if it contains any kind of peroxide salts, it means that the product is an ordinary chemical bleach, and if the substances in the composition have a formula starting with "C" - optical. What this means in practice, we consider further.
Can ordinary powder bleach linen
In order to ensure a high-quality result, it would be preferable to use the detergent "2 in 1". Such powders are either of the first or second type of bleach, as described above. Next, let's talk more about each of them.
So, chemical bleach is a tool based on bleach or peroxide. Such a powder actively destroys the color of the fabric and is not suitable for delicate materials. But oxygen bleach spares the fabric. It can be used for any clothes, including color.
Optical bleach does not destroy the fabric and its overall color, but effectively masks any stains. This is due to the unique reflective particles that make up its composition.
Which powder cleans well - chemical or optical brightener? As a rule, both of them can become effective, and their main difference is the cost of packaging.
The choice of powder that is designed for baby clothes
The presence of a child’s home requires the use of suitable cleaning products and detergents. And this is not just the intrigues of marketers! The composition of funds intended for children is really different from that for adults. The components of baby powders have a much more gentle effect on the young body. Their use is also recommended for allergy sufferers.
The most undesirable components are all sorts of bleaches and soda. To verify this, it is important to carefully study the composition of the product.
It is appropriate to recall that the laundry soap familiar to many housewives is not safe for babies. A huge amount of alkali, which is part of it, has a negative effect on the skin of a child. And it is far from capable of removing spots.
How to choose a quality powder?
In order to choose a truly effective and safe tool, when buying a powder, it is important to pay attention to the following nuances. Mention of the absence of toxins is usually true, so they should be noted. It is also necessary to control the percentage of substances that make up the product (not more than five percent for surfactants and not more than twelve for phosphates). It would be more profitable to purchase not one universal powder for all types of tissues, but several specialized ones. It is also desirable to have different products for colored and white things, a baby (for families with babies) and a product with enzymes to remove stains. It is important to use specially designed products for both manual and automatic washing.
It is necessary to remember the proportion of the product used. For every kilogram of laundry intended for washing, there should be about one tablespoon of powder. Its deficiency will lead to poor-quality cleaning, and excess will lead to a persistent pungent odor and the presence of chemical particles on the fabric.
Powder Persil
One of the most popular detergents is Persil. Liquid powder is positioned as an effective substance for cleaning both white and colored items (depending on the purpose of a particular product, however, there are universal substances in the product line). It contains enzymes, which means it is able to remove a variety of stains, including traces of berries and any drinks (even red wine). However, these components remain active only during the shelf life of the powder, which is three years. After it expires, the properties of the product as a stain remover are lost, however, it remains suitable for washing in general. Also, in order for the product to retain its properties, it is important to store it at a temperature not exceeding thirty-five degrees Celsius.
Persil powders, as well as products of any other brand, cannot be stored together with any food products or in a place accessible to children. If the product enters the mucous membranes, they must be washed with plenty of clean water.
Tide Powder
Tide powders are produced by the well-known American manufacturer of chemicals Procter & Gamble, which in itself is a guarantee of quality. The product has established itself as the undisputed leader in the field of laundry. The components of the product do not damage the structure of the tissue and at the same time effectively eliminate stains of any complexity. A popular representative of the line - Tide Color - helps maintain color intensity. In addition, this powder also acts as a flavoring agent for linen.
Important: Tide powder (automatic) does not contain phosphates, instead of them safe zeolites are included. Also, the active components of the product are enzymes that effectively fight stains. At the same time, the content of anionic surfactants slightly exceeds the allowed five percent.
Powder Eared Nannies
This product is specifically designed for washing baby clothes. It can be used even if we are talking about things a newborn. "Eared nannies" is positioned as a hypoallergenic agent. There are products in the line designed for both manual and automatic washing. According to the manufacturer, the structure of the product is such that it is easily rinsed from the tissues, so its particles do not linger in the fibers and do not irritate the baby's skin.
In order for the powder not to lose its properties, it should be properly stored (in a dark, cool place).
Despite the fact that the product is intended specifically for children's things, it contains phosphates and a significant amount of A-surfactants (from five to fifteen percent), which can have a negative effect on the skin.
Ariel Powder
Another famous brand is Ariel. The powder of this brand contains enzymes, an effective combination system of surfactants. The structure of the product is such that it is able to effectively clean tissues even at low temperatures (forty degrees). Ariel Mountain Spring powder implements oxygen-containing whitening, and also creates the effect of optical whitening. This provides an amazing result.
Summary
After analyzing all the above information about detergents and considering the compositions of popular powders, we can draw the following conclusions. If you want to buy a product that would protect your child from the negative effects of chemicals, you should not spend money on a product called Eared Nannies. This powder is effective in itself, but its composition is no different from other, "adult" substances. So, for example, Tide, by and large, is much safer, because, unlike the Eared Nanny, it does not contain harmful phosphates, which can contribute to the appearance of allergic reactions. Powdered by Procter & Gamble, they are replaced by safe zeolites that will not damage the baby’s delicate skin. "Persil" is extremely effective for removing various kinds of spots due to the significant content of enzymes in it. It is useful to have this tool at home in order to cope with serious pollution in time. However, it is not the most effective if the hostess is faced with the task of bleaching the laundry. In this regard, Ariel is the leader - a powder that provides high-quality cleansing of tissues. Moreover, during the bleaching process, “Ariel” does not damage the fibers of the fabric, does not destroy their structure, and acts only directly on the stain.
Cleanliness largely determines your health. Always make your choice wisely!