النسخة العربية
Detergent History

Historical Review of the Evolution of Detergents:
The symbol used by the ancient Egyptians to represent a launder was a pair of legs immersed in water. This choice was logical, because at this time the standard way to launder clothes was to tread on them. But simple laundry was subjected to purely mechanical treatment.

It has long been known, however, that the washing power can be increased in various ways:

Rain water, for example, was found to be more suitable for washing than well water.
Hot water also was found to have more washing power than cold water.
The Egyptians even used soda as a wash additive; this was later supplemented with nasilicate.

Soap is the oldest surfactant; it was known to the Sumerians as early as 2500 BC.
Soap was regarded as a remedy and a cosmetic especially in hair pomade.
Only in the last 1000 years has it come to be used as a general purpose washing and laundering agent.

Notorious for its sensitivity to water hardness, water was gradually replaced by synthetic surfactants with more favorable characteristics.
Following World War II other ingredients for improving detergency performance were introduced.

Chief among these are the following:

  • Complexion agents (STTP)

  • Ion exchanging (ZEOLITHE)

  • Soil anti-redepsition agents

  • EnzymesFluorescent whitening agents (FWA)

  • Foam regulators

  • Bleaching activators

  • Complex agents

  • Polymers


Table 1 shows the historical evolution of surfactants with the concurrent development in washing machines:
History dates about washing

Year

 

Washing Equipment

2500 A.C

Soap cosmetics (Sumerians)

By hands

2000 A.C

Soap (Egypt)

By hands

1000 P.C

Soap (Cleaning agent)

By hands

1876

Soap- soda- Na silicate

Boiler

1907

Soap- soda- Na silicate- per borate

Wooden Vat

1913

Protease pancreatic enzymes

Machine

1920

Metal tube agitator

1932

Synthetic surfactants (F.alchohol sulfate)

Washing Machines

1940

Anti-red position agents (C.M.C)

Automatic agitator, Washing machine (USA)

1950

Perfumes- foam regulators- optical brightener

1954

Cationic- anionic- non ionic surfactants

Semi automatic machine frontal door

1957

Semi automatic drum machine, spinning separately (Europe)

1962

Semi automatic drum machine, spinning separately (Europe)

1963

Protease (microbe based enzymes)

Fully automatic drum type washing machine

1965

Wash dryer

1970

STTP

1972

Bleach activates (T A G U)

1976

Zeolithe 4A- silicon oils

1984

Polymers

1988

Concentrated detergents

1990

Phosphate free products

1994/1999

Ultra compact- megaperls tablets