Detergent Ingredients Demystified

Overwhelmed with choosing detergents that are right for your cloth diapers?  We are too!  Here's a list of commonly found detergent ingredients and what their purpose is in your favorite detergent.  This page is always changing as we find more information and as new detergents are added to the marketplace.  If you have information not listed here, feel free to share your knowledge!  Together we can "sort" through all the "muddy waters"!
NOTE:  Please be aware that companies are NOT required to disclose the ingredients in their laundry detergents and cleaning supplies.  Even if yours lists some ingredients on the package, it may not be all of the ingredients. 

{detergency for cloth diapers = get ickies off the cloth without changing absorbency}

de-ter-gen-cy (noun): Ability of a detergent to lift soil, dirt and grease from a surface by displacing it with chemicals called surfactants which adhere more readily to the surface being cleaned than to the soil.

Ingredients
Essential Oils & Abstracts
Terms & Definitions

Laundry Detergent Ingredients:

#'s
1,4- dioxane - a possible human carcinogen

A
alkylphenols - have not been evaluated by the U.S. Environmental Protection (EPA), the International Agency for Research on Cancer or the National Toxicology Program, therefore, cannot be classified as a carcinogen; some may mimic the estrogen hormone
alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs) -
amylase - non-animal derived enzyme/protein & starch stain remover
aqua - water

C
calcium chloride - cleaning enhancer; viscosity reducer (improves product dispersion & prevents clogging of product)
cellulase - non-animal derived enzyme/protein & starch stain remover
cellulose collides - cotton & wood-derived
citric acid - cornstarch-derived water softener; balances pH; provides stability; inhalation can cause nose & throat irritation
carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) - water softener; anti-redeposition agent
carboxymethyl inulin - water softener; anti-redeposition agent
coceth-7 - plant-derived cleaning agent (surfactant; emulsifying agent)
coco-betaine - coconut oil-derived cleaning & foaming agent; can counteract irritations of SLS; does not usually cause irritations itself, however, it can be an allergen; biodegradable
coconut alcohol ethoxylate - plant-derived cleaning agent

D-H
decyl glycoside - natural surfactant synthesized from glucose (simple sugar); foaming agent
ethylene oxide - a petrochemical that allows plant-based oils to work as surfactants through modification to (changing the structure of ) the oils or ethoxylation; may react to form 1,4- dioxane
ethoxylates - ethoxylated surfactants can be identified by the suffix “-oxynol”
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) - chelating agent; bonds to calcium & magnesium to soften water
glycerin - plant-derived (from vegetable oil) cleaning agent
glycine - natural amino acid
hexahydro-1,3,5-Tris (2-hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine - preservative

L
lauryl alcohol - (same as dodecanol & dodecyl alcohol) a fatty alcohol derived from palm kernel oil or coconut oil fatty acids
lauryl glucoside - a surfactant made from glucose (simple sugar - usually derived from corn for detergents) & lauryl alcohol; used especially to remove oil & grease; biodegradable

M-N
magnesium sulfate - helps cleaning agents (surfactants) work better; viscosity builder (makes liquid detergents appear richer)
natural oxygen bleach - hydrogen peroxide; chlorine free bleach

O-P
oleic acid - plant-derived anti-foaming agent
pareth-7 - plant-derived cleaning agent
PEG-150 distearate - surfactant; emulsifying agent
polyglucose - plant-derived cleaning agent
protease - non-animal derived enzyme/soil remover

S
soda ash - (same as sodium carbonate & washing soda) mineral-derived water softener; alkalinity builder (which helps remove stubborn stains); highly caustic & can cause sever skin damage
sodium bicarbonate - water softener
sodium borate - soil dispersant; alkalinity builder
sodium carbonate - (same as soda ash & washing soda) mineral-derived water softener; alkalinity builder (which helps remove stubborn stains); highly caustic & can cause sever skin damage
sodium chloride - salt; cleaning enhancer; thickener
sodium citrate - salt of citric acid; water softener
sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS or NaDS) - (same as sodium lauryl sulfate & sodium laurilsulfate) known irritant; anionic surfactant used especially to remove oils; thickener
sodium gluconate - anti-redeposition agent
sodium hydroxide - pH adjuster; alkalinity builder
sodium hydroxymethylglycinate - preservative; glycine-derived; skin & eye irritant; may be contaminated with formaldehyde
sodium laureth sulfate - (same as sodium lauryl ether sulfate) plant-derived cleaning agent; foaming agent; inexpensive
sodium laurilsulfate - (same as sodium lauryl sulfate & sodium dodecyl sulfate) known irritant; anionic surfactant used especially to remove oils; thickener
sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) - (same as sodium laureth sulfate) plant-derived cleaning agent; foaming agent; inexpensive
sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) - (same as sodium laurilsulfate & sodium dodecyl sulfate) anionic surfactant used especially to remove oil & grease; thickener; biodegradable; known irritant
sodium metasilicate - strong base; water softener
sodium percarbonate - water softener; stain remover; non-chlorine bleach
sodium silicate - alkalinity builder
sodium sulfate - water softener
sorbitol - anti-redeposition agent

T-W
tallow oil - animal-derived oil
washing soda - (same as soda ash & sodium carbonate) mineral-derived water softener; alkalinity builder (which helps remove stubborn stains); highly caustic & can cause sever skin damage

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Essential Oils & Botanical Extracts:

citrus aurantium amara - petitgrain bigarade sur fleurs
citrus aurantium bergamia - bergamot
citrus aurantium dulcis - blood orange
lauric acid - main acid in coconut oil
myristica fragrans - nutmeg
olive oil -
sweet orange -  expressed from the peel of the variety dulcis of the Citrus aurantium fruit; d-limonene is major component in this essential oil


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Laundry Detergent Terms & Definitions:

anti-redeposition agent - soil dispersant; keeps dirt & grime suspended in the wash water until it can go down the drain, thus keeping it from re-attaching to the now clean fabrics
chelating agent - a substance that can form a bond to metal ions; useful in softening water
emulsifiers - oil dispersers
enzymes - break down protein-based and starch-based stains and dirts
foaming agent - a foam producing agent
polymers - anti-redeposition agents
solvents - used in liquid detergents; prevents separation and deterioration of ingredients within the liquid detergent
surfactant - SURFace ACTive AgeNT; natural or synthetic cleaning agent that reduces surface tension in water to disperse and suspend dirts and oils;  usually mixed with pH builders (i.e. carbonates, phosphates, silicates) and solvents (i.e. alcohols, hydrocarbons)
viscosity reducer - improves product dispersion & prevents clogging of product

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CREDITS:
http://www.pqcorp.com/marketsserved/Detergentsicg.asp
http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/SSLI16/SalSudsLiquidCleaner.htm
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/ingredients#ingredients-for-nid-162
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/CHEMWEEK/Chelates/Chelates.html
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
http://www.naturecleanliving.com/laundry_liquid
http://www.truthinskincare.com/2008/01/ingredient-watch-sodium.html
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/detergency.html
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=706077
http://www.healthfoodemporium.com/index_natural-ingredients.php
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/surfactant.html
The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) - http://www.cleaning101.com
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauric_acid
http://healthychild.org/issues/chemical-pop/alkylphenols_and_alkylphenol_ethoxylates/
Agner T. Susceptibility of atopic dermatitis patients to irritant dermatitis caused by sodium lauryl sulphate. Acta Derm Venereol. 1991;71(4):296-300.
A. Nassif, S. C. Chan, F. J. Storrs and J. M. Hanifin. Abstract: Abnormal skin irritancy in atopic dermatitis and in atopy without dermatitis. Arch Dermatol. November 1994;130(11):1402.
Magnusson B, Gilje O. Allergic contact dermatitis from a dish-washing liquid containing lauryl ether sulphate. Acta Derm Venereol. 1973;53(2):136-40.
Van Haute N, Dooms-Goossens A. Shampoo dermatitis due to cocobetaine and sodium lauryl ether sulphate. Contact Dermatitis. 1983 Mar;9(2):169.

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