If samples of various stains (tomato, oil, ink and foundation) are tested using three different detergents; warm water detergent, cold water detergent and eco-friendly (natural) detergent then the hot water (regular) detergent will perform the best because of its use of petroleum-based surfactants and its high water temperature being able to wash more types of stubborn stains and how it works well with cotton fibres. These attributes together will make it perform the best among the detergents.

Materials:

Detergent:

• Cold water detergent (Tide Cold Water)
• Eco-friendly detergent (Ecomax Liquid Detergent)
• Hot water detergent  (Tide Free and Gentle)

Stains:

• Foundation
• Oil
• Tomato
• Ink

White cloth:

• 68 10cmx10cm cut fabrics

Other:

• Thermometer 
• Plastic container
• Measuring cup
• Timer (phone)
• Towel
• Sharpie (or other permanent marker)
• Ruler

 

Detergents in depth:

Hot (regular) water detergent:

• Used: Tide Free and Gentle
• Notable Ingredients: Amylase, Mannanase, Alcohol ethoxylates (C12-C16), C12-C18 fatty acids + more
• Price: $14.99 (2.04L) Canadian Tire

Cold water detergent: 

• Used: Tide Cold Water
• Notable Ingredients: Alcohol ethoxylates (C12-C16) 25EO, Alcohol ethoxylates (C10-C16) sodium salt, Amylase, Mannanase, Sulfuric acid (C10-C16) + more
• Price: $14.99 (2.04L) Canadian Tire

Eco-friendly (natural) detergent:

• Used: Ecomax Liquid Detergent 
• Notable Ingredients: Hydroxyethlcelluose, Potassium sorbate, Decyl glucoside*, Cellulose, Xanthan gum, Sodium citrate, Critic acid + more.

*Decyl glucoside is a surfactant based on glucose

• Price $13.99 (3L) Canadian Tire

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Ingredients in laundry detergent:

Laundry detergent comes in various types, like power and liquid. Detergents come in various formulas curated to the specific brand that manufactures the detergent. The basic detergent ingredients are either natural like plant-based or petroleum-based. 

Alkalis are soluble salts and a base that reacts with an acid to neutralize the acid. They can remove dirt, grease and other stains from a clothing item without having to be rubbed extensively. They help suspend oils, and particles for them to be washed away. Alkalies also react with fats in detergent to make it soapy. Common alkalis used in detergents are sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and (KOH). 

Surfactants are also very important in a detergent, as they are the main ingredient that lifts dirt, oil, grease and other clothing items when washing. There are 2 major types of surfactants in detergents: anionic and non-ionic. Anionic surfactants have a negatively charged head, which can help get off oily dirt and can be useful in high-mineral water. A non-ionic surfactant can be useful for a hard water environment, as these surfactants have no charge at all and work well with anionic surfactants to help give your clothes a good clean. Types of surfactants include Alkyl sulfates (anionic), Alkyl ethoxylate sulfates (anionic) and Ethers of fatty alcohol (non-ionic).

Enzymes also play a role in detergent. Enzymes can be natural or chemically synthesized. Enzymes target soils and break them down into smaller particles that can be washed away by water. There are 6 types of enzymes commonly found in detergents; Protease (protein) which decays protein soils, Amylase (carbs) which degrades starch and carbohydrate soils, Cellulase (fibres) which breaks down cotton fibres so that they release soils impounded in them, Lipase (fats) which breaks down fat soils, Mannanase (food) which break down food-based soils, and Pectinase (fruit) which degrade fruit soils. The introduction of enzymes helped decrease the temperature at which we could wash our clothes, by chemically breaking down the stains.

Some detergents also contain stabilizers that inhibit chemical reactions, making the performance of a detergent washing clothes consistent. An example of this would be acyl acid ethanolamides.

Other ingredients can include dye, fragrance, PH modifiers, Sud control, Preservatives (to stop bacterial growth), and many others. The basic structure of laundry detergent has changed over the years dramatically. 

 

How does laundry detergent work?:

Laundry detergent works by containing little chemicals called surfactants. These surfactants (supermolecules) contain a head and tail. The head of a surfactant is hydrophilic (attracted to water) and the tail is a hydrophobic hydrocarbon (attracted to other things but water like grease, stains, etc). When a surfactant molecule meets a stain, its tail attracts it, while the head is attracted to water added to the detergent. The surfactant molecules form a micelle or a circle around a stain. The tension between the head of a surfactant and water molecules is so high that it causes the stain to be ripped apart into smaller pieces. These stain pieces get lifted away from the surface of the cloth and will get washed away by water.  
 

Image of surfactant molecules in micelle around a stain

 

Differences between laundry detergents:

Laundry detergents are different in terms of their ingredients. Some contain fragrances, amount of stain lifters, cold water formulated, and physical substances (powder, liquid, sheet, pod). Some inexpensive detergents contain fewer ingredients for cleaning, while the high-end ones have the ingredients you're looking for. It's all up to the consumer in the end. What you need you should get. Some detergents are better for food stains and gym/sweat stains, and some are for more heavy-duty applications. 

Image of different laundry detergents

 

Differences between hot and cold detergents:

The majority of detergents are the same, they all contain surfactants and enzymes that help clean our clothes. The main difference is how these detergents are formulated compared to their regular counterparts. Many contain more surfactants that help lift stains off clothes more gracefully and efficiently. The actual water affects your clothes as well. As warm water shrinks fabrics and causes fabrics to fade. But cold water detergents also contain different surfactants that can be activated in lower temperatures. Cold water surfactants are usually 10 carbon atoms, as opposed to 12-14 carbon atom traditional surfactants. This difference in surfactant length can add a 3-5 times boost to cleaning performance. These shorter surfactants with a combination of more enzymes, can help cold water-formulated detergents work better in cold water.  

To see a difference in performance like keeping colours and keeping clothes at their original size, the temperature for washing should be 26.6C- 15.6C (80F-60F). Any lower and you won't see your clothes get clean.

Image of cold and hot water

 

Is cold water better:

It's all up to the type of stain and how it responds to the water temperature. If the tag on the piece of clothing says to wash it in cold, you should wash it in cold.  Washing in cold water also helps reduce the amount of energy your washing machine will use. This results in an estimated 75-90% reduction in the amount of heat used, helping you save on your energy bills. Fabric types might also not work well with cold water like nylon, polyester, and more. If your looking to retain clothing for a long time and keep the colours, size, and life of the clothing item, old will be best, since hot water would shrink the fibres and suck the colour out of clothes. 

The lasting impact cold water has on the environment is better too. By saving 75-90% of the energy your washing machine uses. Keeping clothes in their original shapes and colours longer. Cold water helps keep the environment healthier by reducing clothing waste and saving energy, washing in cold water helps the environment.

 

Costs of washing in cold water:

According to the Cleaning Institute of America, the average hot water load costs $0.95, the average warm water load costs $0.76, and the average cold water wash costs $0.61. From a top load electric washing machine per load. The savings in washing in cold water are exclusively from the washing machine heating up the water. 

Image of Cleaning Institute of America's breakdown of the costs of washing. 

 

What makes some laundry detergents eco-friendly:

Eco-friendly and natural detergents are made without petroleum-based ingredients and are instead made with natural ingredients. An eco-friendly detergent also does not have any added dyes, fragrances and other items. Instead of using typical chemical petroleum-based surfactants, natural detergents use surfactants extracted from plants. Some examples of natural surfactants include coconut oil, palm oil and olive oil. A natural eco-friendly detergent should clean the same, with the substituted surfactants. Natural detergents should also be less harsh on your clothes and body. To have a full impact, natural laundry detergents should work in cold water, with its cost-saving benefits. To prolong our environment. 

Image of eco-friendly detergents

 

Stains in the wash:

Different types of stains require different types of removal, some do better in cold while others work better in warm/hot water applications. Protein stains are best washed in cold water, as warm water will permanently set the stain into the fabric. For oil-based stains, washing in warm/hot water will be best but any detergent will work. For dyes like pen ink, juices, grass, and sauces warm water will do best. Warm water can permanently set some stains like blood, protein and others. The foundation is made up of oils, pigments and water. It is recommended to wash with hot water. All of these ingredients make it hard to come out of clothes. For optimal results, you must take into account what type of stain your clothes are dealing with the most.  

 

Fabrics in the wash

Fabric types also have a say on what happens to your clothing in the wash. Hot water can permanently shrink and discolour many types of fabrics. To wash wool, you should do it in cold water, using hot water can shrink and discolour your woolly clothes. To wash linen, you can use either warm or cold water, to minimize fading you can use cold. To wash cotton you can use any settings at any temperature. To wash silk, you should hand wash in cold water. To wash polyester, you should wash in warm water. Fleece should be washed in cold water and should avoid heat at all costs. These are only some of the fabrics that make up our clothes. It is always best to read the labels to see what the manufacturer recommends to wash in cold or hot.  

 

What is the preferred way of washing clothes:

The majority of people in the world use a hot water detergent to wash their clothes. It's a commonality that laundry detergents work best in hotter environments. This is true back then when detergents were made specifically for hot water. Majority of today's consumers also still use hot water to clean their clothes. But more and more people are switching to cold water detergent for its added benefits like environmental protection and keeping the longevity of clothes. But consumers still buy into hot water benefits like sanitizing clothes, killing germs and effective stain removal.  

 

How do washing machines clean clothes:

There are steps to how a washing machine cleans clothes. The first step after selecting the cycle and temperature which are specified for whatever you're washing, is the spin cycle. This cycle along with an agitator or tumbling action loosens fibres in your clothes to help get the soils and dirt out of the clothes to get rid of the stain. An agitator rubs against the fabric of our clothes while the actual washing machine is spinning back and forth. The second cycle is rinse and durian, this is where the water used for agitation is drained and spins to remove excess dirty water, it then refills with clean water to rinse the clothes thoroughly. The last step is the durian and spin cycle where the water from the rinsing is drained and the washing machine spins fast to remove most of the water from your clothes. You will then dry your clothes after this cycle ends. A washing machine can spin at a speed of up to 1600 rotations per minute. This speed allows soils to loosen more and dries your clothes much quicker and efficiently. The cycles of a washing machine along with the speed and specialized settings for different situations make a washing machine the most ideal to wash your clothes well and thoroughly. 

 

Why do soaps foam up:

When the hydrophobic and hydrophilic sides of a soap molecule are attracted to their respective molecules, the other ends of the molecule create a water surface that encompasses air in it this is a bubble. Surfactants are a common foaming agent found in soaps and detergents. As surfactants reduce surface tension, bubbles form as one side is attracted to the dirt and stain and the other is attracted to water. So bubbles or foam means that the detergent’s surfactants are working away at cleaning the stain.  The production of foam is also called foaming action, which helps more stubborn stains get removed form clothing. 

 

Manipulated Variable:

1. A manipulated variable of my experiment is the laundry detergent, I am testing  3 different ones. Hot water laundry detergent (regular), cold water laundry detergent and eco-friendly (natural) laundry detergent.
2.  The temperature of the water will also be a manipulated variable as it changes depending on the type of laundry detergent being tested (40℃-50℃ for hot (regular) detergent and 20℃-25℃ for cold and eco-friendly (natural) detergent).

Responding Variable:

1. The responding variable of my experiment is the stain left on the samples of cloth after conducting the simulation of washing them. This is what I am testing to answer, which type of laundry detergent is best at washing. 

Controlled Variable(s):

1. The type of cloth being used is one of my controlled variables, it stays the same throughout the experiment. As I bought pre-cut cloth the sizes and shape of the samples will be constant throughout the experiment. 
2. 4 samples of unwashed stains will also be a controlled variable to compare the washed stains too, 1-4 samples that are untouched by stains will also be used to compare the washed samples (negative and positive control). 
3. The stains will also be one of my controlled variables, the type of foundation will stay the same, the type of oil will stay the same, the type of ink being used will stay the same, and the type of tomato sauce used will stay the same. The amount of each stain on each sample will also stay constant. 
4. The time each sample will endure being washed and rinsed will also be constant at a washing time of 5 minutes and a rinsing time of 2 minutes (7 minutes total)

Procedure:

 

1. Gather all appropriate materials for the experiment. 
   1. MATERIALS NEEDED: Cloth (cut or precut), 1 regular detergent, 1 eco-friendly/natural detergent, 1 cold water detergent, 2-4 containers that can hold 3-4 cups of water, a thermometer to measure the temperature of the water and a towel to lay your samples on, a foundation and foundation brush or spoon or equivalent, oil (canola, olive, etc) and spoon to spread it with, a pen with a good amount of ink (might need multiple) and a type of tomato sauce and spoon to spread it with.
   2. IF BOUGHT BULK CLOTH- Cut your piece of cloth into 10cmx10cm squares. You will need 4 per trial and will do 3 trials for the 3 detergents. Cut 4 squares not to be washed for comparison and cut 1 more square for no stain (controls). You will cut an estimated 41-50 squares.

 

2. Prepare your stains. We will test makeup foundation, oil, ink and a tomato stain. 
   1. When needed (before washing), prepare your foundation sample(s), add 2 pumps of foundation to the middle of the cloth, and with a spoon or brush spread it in a circular motion until it is about 6cm in diameter
   2. When needed (before washing), prepare your oil sample(s), and add a teaspoon of oil to the middle of your sample. Spread the oil with a spoon until it is about 6cm in diameter
   3. When needed (before washing), prepare your ink sample(s), measure 6 cm and mark it with your pen, draw a preliminary circle and fill it in with ink by making random movements with the pen. 
   4. When needed (before washing), prepare your tomato sauce sample(s), and add a teaspoon of tomato sauce in the middle of the sample. Spread it with a spoon until it's about 6 cm in diameter. 

 

3. Test the hot water (regular) detergent. 
   1. Follow steps 2a-2d for your samples of trial 1. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T1 HW”. 
      1. Measure out 3 cups of warm water. Use the thermometer to check the temperature of the water, it should be around 40℃-50℃. Add the water to your container(s) (record temperature) (if doing multiple samples at the same time make sure each container of water is around sample temperature and has 3 cups of water in it)
      2. Add your cloth sample to the water, add a teaspoon of regular detergent and swirl lightly to add it to the water. Cover the container.
      3. Set a timer for 5 minutes and shake the container side to side and up and down.
      4. Once the 5 minutes are up, drain the container and add 3 more cups of water at about 40℃-50℃ to the container(s) (record temperature), (if doing multiple samples at the same time make sure each container water is around the sample temperature and has 3 cups of water in it). 
      5. Add the cloth to the water again
      6. Set a timer for 2 minutes and shake the container up and down and side to side to rinse the cloth. 
      7. Remove the cloth and squeeze the cloth to dry it, set it on your towel for drying. 
   2. Follow steps 2a-2d to create samples of trial 2. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T2 HW”, and follow steps 3a(i)-3a(vii) to test the detergent again.
   3. Follow steps 2a-2d to create samples of trial 3. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T3 HW”, and follow steps 3a(i)-3a(vii) to test the detergent for the last time.
   4. Take a picture of all the trials laid out with the negative control samples on top and each trial below the control samples on the drying towel. 

 

4. Test the cold water detergent.
   1. Follow steps 2a-2d for your samples of trial 1. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T1 CW”. 
      1. Measure out 3 cups of cold water. Use the thermometer to check the temperature of the water, it should be around 20℃-25℃ (record temperature). Add the water to your container(s) (if doing multiple samples at the same time make sure each container water is around sample temperature and has 3 cups of water in it)
      2. Add your cloth sample to the water, add a teaspoon of cold water detergent and swirl lightly to add it into the water. Cover the container.
      3. Set a timer for 5 minutes and shake the container side to side and up and down.
      4. Once the 5 minutes are up, drain the container and add 3 more cups of water at about 20℃-25℃ to the container(s) (record temperature), (if doing multiple samples at the same time make sure each container water is around the sample temperature and has 3 cups of water in it). 
      5. Add the cloth to the water again
      6. Set a timer for 2 minutes and shake the container up and down and side to side to rinse the cloth. 
      7. Remove the cloth and squeeze the cloth to dry it, set it on your towel for drying. 
   2. Follow steps 2a-2d to create samples of trial 2. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T2 CW”, and follow steps 3a(i)-3a(vii) to test the detergent again.
   3. Follow steps 2a-2d to create samples of trial 3. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T3 CW”, and follow steps 3a(i)-3a(vii) to test the detergent for the last time.
   4. Take a picture of all the trials laid out with the negative control on top and each trial proceeding beneath them on the drying towel. 

 

5. Test the eco-friendly (natural) detergent.
   1. Follow steps 2a-2d for your samples of trial 1. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T1 NW”.
      1. Follow steps 4a(i)-4a(vii) to wash your eco-friendly (natural) detergent samples for trial 1. Instead of using cold detergent use your eco-friendly (natural) detergent 
   2. Follow steps 2a-2d for your samples of trial 2. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T2 NW”. Follow step 5a(i) to wash your cloth. 
   3. Follow steps 2a-2d for your samples of trial 3. With a permanent marker label each sample with their respective stain (foundation, oil, ink, tomato) and “T3 NW”. Follow step 5a(i) to wash your cloth. 
   4. Take a picture of all the trials laid out with the negative control on top and each trial proceeding beneath them on the drying towel.

 

6. Clean up any spills and messes with the appropriate mechanisms (paper towel, mop).

 

7. Create observation tables.
   1. Create 3 tables each with 7 columns. 
      1. Table one will be for regular detergent
         1. In the first column put the trial number
         2. In the second column put the tomato stain data of each trial, with your picture qualitatively rank how much the stain has disappeared on a scale of 1-5 while comparing to the controls (1 is still there, 5 is completely gone)
         3. In the third column put the oil stain data of each trial, with your picture qualitatively rank how much the stain has disappeared on a scale of 1-5 while comparing to the controls (1 is still there, 5 is completely gone)
         4. In the fourth column put the ink stain data of each trial, with your picture, and qualitatively rank how much the stain has disappeared on a scale of 1-5 while comparing to the controls (1 is still there, 5 is completely gone)
         5. In the fifth column put the foundation stain data of each trial, with your picture, and qualitatively rank how much the stain has disappeared on a scale of 1-5 while comparing to the controls (1 is still there, 5 is completely gone)
         6. In the sixth column add the average wash temperature of each sample for each trial.
         7. In the seventh column add the average rinse temperature of each sample for each trial
      2. Make the 2nd table for the cold detergent
         1. Follow steps 6a(i.1)- 6a(i.7) to develop your table
      3. Make the 3rd table for the eco-friendly (natural) detergent
         1. Follow steps 6a(i.1)- 6a(i.7) to develop your table

 

8. Which one did best?
   1. Add up the rankings of each detergent and divide it by 12 to get the average detergent rating (1-poor, 5-awesome) for a quantitative preliminary conclusion of each detergent, look at the samples and analyze them carefully for a good qualitative preliminary conclusion.

Observations:

Hot water detergent experiment:

What I saw:

• Tomato trials water turned red, and the ingredients of tomato sauce came off instantly
• The ink did not come off
• The water turned brown after the foundation samples were washed

Sources of error:

• Spillage while shaking
• Timer problems
• Amount of water added (too much, too less)
• Temperature inaccuracies

Table:

Hot Detergent RANKINGS: (Assume stained (negative control) is a 1)

AVE Detergent Ranking: 3.25

 

Cold water detergent experiment:

What I saw:

• Ink trials became foamy
• Tomato stain is much more prominent in 3rd trial
• The water turned brown after the foundation samples were washed
• Tomato trials water turned red

Sources of error:

• Spillage while shaking
• Timer problems
• Amount of water added (too much, too less)
• Temperature inaccuracies

Table:

Cold Detergent RANKINGS: (Assume stained (negative control) is a 1)

AVE Detergent Ranking: 3.42

 

Eco-Friendly (Natural) detergent experiment:

What I saw:

• Trials 3 and 2 of tomato stain are still very prominent 
• The detergent is not very thick
• The water turned brown after the foundation samples were washed
• Tomato trials water turned red

Sources of error:

• Spillage while shaking
• Timer problems
• Amount of stain added to each sample
• The pressure put while applying stain
• Amount of water added (too much, too less)
• Temperature inaccuracies

Table:

Cold Detergent RANKINGS: (Assume stained (negative control) is a 1)

AVE Detergent Ranking: 2.92

*all temperatures are rounded.

 

Graphs (WAS NOT ABLE TO UPLOAD GRAPHS):

Hot (regular) water detergent:

*Access in log book/zip file

Cold water Detergent:

*Access in log book/zip file

Eco-friendly (natural) detergent:

*Access in log book/zip file

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Analysis:

From the table and graphs, each showing how each trial for each stain for each detergent did and including the overall detergent’s rating, some trends can be seen. 

Oil was the only stain to come off completely in each trial for each detergent, scoring a 5 for every detergent. Oil is one of the most common stains we see today. Oil is recommended to be washed in warm water, but from the results of the experiment, it is seen that any detergent type and water temperature will remove the stain. 

The tomato stain was also fairly constant throughout the experiment, it scored 4-5 with hot (regular) detergent, 3-4 with cold detergent and 2-4 with eco-friendly detergent. Tomato stains are fruit stains, with the presence of the enzymes Mannanase or Pectinase the stains should come out. Tide Free and Gentle and Tide Cold Water had Mannanase in the ingredients, while the Ecomax natural detergent only had Cellulose, which can only break apart the fibres of the fabric and not the actual stain. This proves why the hot and cold detergents did slightly better than the natural detergents. 

The foundation stain was also consistent, with some detergents only doing a little bit better than the others. All of the samples had foundation still on the fabric, so none of the detergents worked well. The foundation is mostly made up of oils and pigments, making it hard for it to come out of clothes. This is why we saw similar results across every detergent and trial. Many experts recommend using a stain remover or spot treatment first and then washing with detergent. 

The ink stains were surprising, from the original research it was recommended to use hot water to remove dyes like grass, ink and coffee. However, from the results seen from the experiment, the Tide Cold Water (cold water) did the best at removing the ink stains. This is most likely due to the foaming action observed during the cold water ink trials. The more foaming action the more a stain will get removed. This is most likely why we saw the cold perform the best with the ink stain, while the natural and hot detergents performed similarly.

 

Conclusion:

The cold water detergent Tide Cold Water performed the best among the three detergents Tide Free and Gentle, Tide Cold Water and Ecomax. The cold water detergent showed significant cleaning abilities with tomato stains, oil stains and ink stains. It also obtained the highest average score of 3.42. The cold water detergent is, therefore, the best way to wash clothes. The cold water detergent features a strong cleaning potential with it being one of the best in cleaning the ink and tomato stains. It features amazing cost-saving measures with it being able to save $0.15 each load and it being fairly priced in our current market. It also protects our environment reducing washing machine energy consumption and creating the opportunity for consumers to keep their clothes longer reducing waste. This disproves the hypothesis that hot water detergent would accomplish the best cleaning of the stains (tomato, oil, ink, and foundation) among the 3 detergents. Washing with a cold water detergent has been proven to be better for our clothes by maintaining them and it includes amazing benefits for consumers, our pockets and our environment.

Application:

I believe that my results and the purpose of my experiment will be beneficial to people who want to know about what type of detergent to use. We live in a time where companies and people are telling us to wash with cold or to switch to an eco-friendly detergent to save the environment. My experiment tested the detergent and its ability to clean common stains. This information is incredibly useful when needing to wash your clothes and make an informed decision about what detergent is best for you. An incredible amount of factors play a role in what detergent you should use to wash your clothes. From fabric type, stain type, laundry machine, affordability, garment recommendation and many more. In this case, I advise consumers to use cold water detergent as much as possible, to save their own pockets and their environment. Using cold water can see a genuine difference in billing and environmental impact, a saving of $0.15 for each load can be saved and a 75% reduction in the amount of energy your washing machine uses. This can help consumers save money and help protect the environment. Cold water also keeps our clothes looking new longer, cold water doesn’t fade and shrink clothes like hot water. Hot water does remove stains more effectively and disinfects clothes better than cold water. All of these reasons along with the results from my experiment can help consumers make the right choice for their clothes and lives. 

 

Next time I would involve more detergents. I would include different types of hot/warm detergents from more companies, as well as different types of cold water detergents. I would also let the stains sit for some time, to make the scenarios more realistic, this would give results that better suit consumers. More realistic stain types would be beneficial as well, as this would provide more useful data for me and others to use. Approaching the chemical compositions of detergents more thoroughly to understand how detergents work on different stains individually and how each detergent works on fabric types to get a grasp of what is the best detergent while taking in all of these conditions. This experiment was intriguing but time-consuming and the outcome I got from this experiment surprised me as I am a firm believer that hot is the best way to wash (generally).

 

Sources of Error:

• Cleaning the samples right away after the stain was applied isn’t a realistic scenario and stains are easier to come off after application.
• The amount of each stain added to the pieces of cloth for each sample and the pressure applied.
• Spillage, so water levels might have varied.
• Time errors; amount of time shaken for washing, amount of time shaken for rinsing, 
• The foundation and ink stains are not realistic. The amount I put on the samples and tested is not really what typically gets on clothes after regular use. 
• Shaking error, some trials might have been more agitated while some weren’t as agitated as they needed to be, also I cannot shake at speeds of 1600rpm like a washing machine so results are skewed to what actually will happen. 
• Temperature inaccuracies, miswriting the right temperature, it being too cold or hot compared to other trials and such.
• Rating the washed stains may not been consistent with other trials/detergents.

 

Citations:

6 reasons to cold-water wash-and 3 not to. 6 Reasons to Cold-Water Wash -- And 3 Not To | GE Appliances. (n.d.). https://www.geappliances.com/ge/lifestyles/6-reasons-to-cold-water-wash.htm

Agency, X. (2024, February 15). What are the advantages of using a foaming cleaner?. PathoSans Direct Cleaning & Disinfecting Solutions. https://pathosansdirect.com/what-are-the-advantages-of-using-a-foaming-cleaner/#:~:text=The%20foaming%20action%20helps%20the,areas%20with%20built%2Dup%20grime.

Allen, N. (2023, April 7). You’re probably washing your laundry at the wrong temperature-here’s why. Real Simple. https://www.realsimple.com/laundry-washer-water-temperature-7369343

Benefits of using cold water for everyday laundry in the ... (n.d.-a). https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/sites/default/files/assets/1/Page/Cold-Water-Wash-Technical-Brief.pdf

Bettenhausen, C. (2024, January 24). The chemistry of cold-water washing. Chemical & Engineering News. https://cen.acs.org/business/consumer-products/chemistry-cold-water-washing/102/i3

Betts, J. (2023, May 3). Common laundry detergent ingredients and what they do. LoveToKnow. https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/slideshowlaundry-detergent-ingredients

Chapman2024-02-02T06:24:00+00:00, K. (2024, February 2). How does washing detergent work?. RSC Education. https://edu.rsc.org/everyday-chemistry/how-does-washing-detergent-work/4018846.article

The Cold Wash Challenge: Testing how well enzymes work in laundry detergents: Science project. Science Buddies. (n.d.). https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/GreenChem_p009/green-chemistry/laundy-detergent-enzymes

Going green: Eco-friendly laundry products. Green America. (n.d.). https://www.greenamerica.org/green-living/going-green-your-laundry#:~:text=The%20best%20eco%2Dfriendly%20detergents,%2C%20dyes%2C%20or%20artificial%20fragrances.

Guide for how to wash different fabrics: Arm & hammer. Guide for How to Wash Different Fabrics | Arm & Hammer. (n.d.). https://www.armandhammer.com/en/articles/fabric-guide-for-how-to-wash-different-fabrics

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Acknowledgement:

I would like to acknowledge all the sources I used for this project. Including the original idea, the sources used for my research, the images I used, and everything else that made me successful in this project.