Dishwashing liquid (BrE: washing-up liquid), known as dishwashing soap and dish soap, is a detergent used to assist in dishwashing. It is usually a highly-foaming mixture of surfactants with low skin irritation, and is primarily used for hand washing of glasses, plates, cutlery, and cooking utensils in a sink or bowl. In addition to its primary use, dishwashing liquid also has various informal applications, such as for creating bubbles, clothes washing and cleaning oil-affected birds.
History
Washing soda (sodium carbonate) is used for dishwashing,[1] and may be used in areas with hard water.[2] It was used for dishwashing before detergents were invented in Germany during World War I.[3] Liquid detergent used for dishwashing was first manufactured in the middle of the 20th century. Dishwashing detergent started production in the United States in the 1930–1940s.[3][4] Teepol, the first such in Europe commenced production in 1941.[5]
In 2005, dishwashing detergent retail sales totaled nearly USD $10 billion worldwide.[4]
Types
Dishwashing detergents for dishwashers are manufactured and marketed variously as cartridges, gel, liquids, pacs, powder, and tablets.[6] Any dishwashing liquid may contain bleach, enzymes, or rinsing aids.[6] Some dishwashing detergents may be homemade, using ingredients such as borax, essential oil, eucalyptus oil and grated bar soap, among others.[7]
Brands
Notable brands of dishwashing liquid include Fairy Liquid, which was the best selling brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland,[8] Dawn, which was the leading brand as of 2009 in the United States,[9] and Joy. The New York Times notes that Dawn's advertising has focused on its power while Palmolive's advertising has focused on its mildness.[9] A notable South Korean brand is Aekyung Trio,[10] and a notable Indian brand is Vim.[11]
Primary uses
Dishwashing liquid is used primarily for removing food from used dishes and tableware.[6][4] Heavy soil (large food particles) is generally scraped from the dishes before using.[6] Detergent formula can vary based on use (hand or automatic).[4]
Hand dishwashing
Hand dishwashing is generally performed in the absence of a dishwashing machine, when large "hard-to-clean" items are present, or through preference.[4] Some dishwashing liquids can harm household silver, fine glassware, anything with gold leaf, disposable plastics, and any objects made of brass, bronze, cast iron, pewter, tin, or wood, especially when combined with hot water and the action of a dishwasher.[6] When dishwashing liquid is used on such objects it is intended that they be washed by hand.[6]
Hand dishwashing detergents utilize surfactants to play the primary role in cleaning.[4] The reduced surface tension of dishwashing water, and increasing solubility of modern surfactant mixtures, allows the water to run off the dishes in a dish rack very quickly. However, most people also rinse the dishes with pure water to make sure to get rid of any soap residue that could affect the taste of the food.[12]
Dishwashing liquid can be a skin irritant and cause hand eczema. Those with "sensitive skin" are advised amongst other things to persuade someone else to do the washing up.[13]
Automatic dishwashing
Automatic dishwashing involves the use of a dishwashing machine or other apparatus.[4] It is generally chosen through convenience, sanitation, or personal preference.[4] The cleaning is less reliant on the detergent's surfactants but more reliant on machine's hot water as well as the detergent's builders, bleach, and enzymes.[4] Automatic dishwashing detergents' surfactants generally have less foam to avoid disrupting the machine.[4]
Informal uses
Reader's Digest notes its use as an ant killer, weed killer, to help spread water-borne fertilizer, and to wash human hair.[14] Good Housekeeping says it can be used mixed with vinegar to attract and drown fruit flies.[15] Dishwashing detergent has been used to clean mirrors as well as windows.[16]
Bubbles
Dishwashing liquid can be mixed with water and additional ingredients such as glycerin and sugar to produce a bubble-blowing solution.[17]
Clothes washing
Dishwashing liquid may be used for cleaning delicate clothing fabrics such as hosiery and lingerie.[18]
Decal application
Dishwashing liquid is frequently recommended in a dilute solution to make decals and vinyl graphics easier to position when applying.[19][20]
Leak detection
In industry, dishwashing liquid is also used to inspect pressurized equipment for leaks, such as propane fittings.[21][22] It is used to inspect pneumatic tires for flats, as well as for quality assurance during the installation process, and as a mounting bead lubricant.[23][24][25]
Mortar mix
It can be used to mix mortar when there is no plasticizer available on the building sites.[26]
Pest deterrent
Dishwashing liquid has uses as an ingredient in making homemade garden pest deterrents. Oregon State University's Cooperative Extension Service notes the use of dishwashing liquid to get rid of spidermites.[27] Dish soap has also been used to deter aphids.[27][28] In some instances, the dish soap may be toxic to plant leaves and cause them to "burn".[27] Use of soap or dish detergent to help spread pesticide on plants is noted by University of Georgia extension service, but not recommended.[29]
Stain remover
A solution of dishwashing liquid and water may be used to remove coffee, tea, soda and fruit juice stains from fabrics.[30][31] One dishwashing liquid brand has been used to remove stains from white or lightly-colored cloth napkins.[32]
Treatment for oil-affected birds and other wildlife
Dishwashing liquid has been used to treat birds affected by oil spills.[33][34] After the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, the International Bird Rescue Research Center received hundreds of cases of dishwashing liquid that were used to clean up birds and other animals contaminated with spilled oil.[35][36][9] More dishwashing liquid was donated during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the International Bird Rescue Research Center and the Marine Mammal Center.[37] Some dishwashing soap brands donated to support oiled birds during the Deepwater Horizon spill have received criticism for being petroleum-based.[33]
Dish soap has been tested as an oil-removing agent on polar bear fur in a study by the Alaska Zoo should a spill occur in the Arctic.[38]
Common ingredients
The main ingredient is water, whilst the main active ingredients are detergents. There are other thickening and stabilizing agents.[39] Other ingredients may include surfactants, hydrotrope, salts, preservatives, fragrances, and dyes.[4]
Surfactants remove grease and stuck food particles.[4] They may also provide foam.[4]
Some dishwashing detergents may contain phosphorus, an ingredient which at least two states within the United States have limited use in dishwashing detergent.[40][41] According to the Washington Post, phosphorus keeps "minerals from interfering with the cleaning process and prevent food particles from depositing again on dishes."[41] According to Time magazine, "One reason detergent makers have been using large amounts of phosphorus is that it binds with dirt and keeps it suspended in water, allowing the other cleaning agents to do their best work. Phosphorus is especially important in regions with hard water because the presence of lots of minerals can interfere with cleaning agents."[42] Phosphorus that runs into freshwater lakes and rivers can cause algal blooms.[41][42] Phosphate-free detergent reduces the amount of phosphate wastewater treatment plants must clean up.[41] In the 21st century phosphates began to be reduced in percentage terms as an ingredient, leading to a New York Times report that said "low- or phosphate-free dishwasher detergents it tested, including those from environmentally friendly product lines that have been on the market for years, none matched the performance of products with phosphates".[43]
In 2010, the United States FDA raised health concerns over triclosan, an antibacterial substance used in some dish liquids.[44] Elsewhere, triclosan has been found to create problems at wastewater treatment plants, whereby it can "sabotage some sludge-processing microbes and promote drug resistance in others."[45] The United States FDA has found that triclosan provides no health benefits over soap and water.[46] As of 2014, at least one state within the United States has banned triclosan in dishwashing liquids.[46]
Many dishwashing liquids contain perfume which can cause irritant or allergic contact dermatitis.[47]
See also
References
- ^ Pubchem. "Sodium carbonate - CNa2O3". Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Balderston, Lydia Ray (1921). Housewifery: A Manual and Text Book of Practical Housekeeping. J.B. Lippincott. p. 23.
- ^ a b "Soaps & Detergent: History 3 - Clean Living - American Cleaning Institute". Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Uri Zoller (29 October 2008). Handbook of Detergents, Part E: Applications. CRC Press. pp. 39–65. ISBN 978-1-57444-757-6.
- ^ "Our history". Shell.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Consumer Reports (December 2014). "Dishwasher detergent buying guide". consumerreports.org. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Masters, Grace (2014). Essential Oils Guide. RAM Internet Media.
- ^ "For hands that do dishes". Daily Mail. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
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(help) - ^ a b c Newman, Andrew Adam (24 September 2009). "Tough on Crude Oil, Soft on Ducklings". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) Cite error: The named reference "Newman 2009" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page). - ^ "10 Consumer Hits 1950-2007". The Korea Times. 16 October 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Gurtoo, Himani Chandna (July 8, 2013). "A war for your kitchen". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
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(help) - ^ Petzall, Guy. "Industry: Sainsbury's". A Collection of Letters. Retrieved 6 April 2006.
- ^ "Protection for hand eczema" (PDF). Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals. October 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ "Six extraordinary uses for dishwashing soap", Reader's Digest, c. 2012, retrieved 2015-01-09
- ^ Lauren Piro (September 2014), Ten Genius New Uses for Dish Soap, Good Housekeeping, retrieved 2015-01-09
- ^ Ngyuen, Diana (23 February 2012). "Signs You're Cleaning Your Windows Wrong". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Blow the Biggest Bubbles". Scientific American. Sep 11, 2014. Retrieved Jan 9, 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Mendelson, Cheryl (2009). Laundry: The Home Comforts Book of Caring for Clothes and Linens. Simon and Schuster. p. 79. ISBN 1439188564.
- ^ Decal instructions for model rocketry (PDF), Aerotech Consumer Aerospace, retrieved 2015-01-09
- ^ General Application FAQ, ORAFOL Graphic Products, retrieved 2015-01-09
- ^ "Propane Safety". PopUp Times. 2012-07-07.
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(help) - ^ Blakesley, Kim. "How to Leak Test a Copper Supply Pipe". Demand Media. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
- ^ Zinn, Lennard (2011-12-15). "Tech FAQ: Zinn on Leaking Valve Stems, Chain Length". VeloNews. Competitor Group, Inc. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
- ^ Schwartz, Lance (August 2012). "How to Mount an ATV Tire". Field & Stream. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
- ^ Lewis, Alvin C.; Lewis, Ernest; Law Enforcement Standards Laboratory; National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice (1979). "Guide to high speed patrol car tires". Law Enforcement Equipment Technology. 33 (480): 15.
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(help) - ^ "Educational Guide to Admixtures, Additives and Water" (PDF). Cemex Mortars. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ a b c Get rid of garden pests with home remedies, Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon State University Cooperative Extension Service, September 3, 2009
- ^ Henry, Wes (3 January 2015). "Cold weather gardening: Kale". The State Journal. Frankfort, KY, USA. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Mark Czarnota; Paul Thomas, Using Surfactants, Wetting Agents, and Adjuvants in the Greenhouse (B 1319) – So Why Not Just Use Common Kitchen Soaps and Detergents?, University of Georgia Extension, retrieved 2015-01-09
- ^ Reader's Digest (1999). Householder's Survival Manual. Readers Digest. p. 186. ISBN 0762101350. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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(help) - ^ Taylor, Susan. "Stain Solutions: Fruit Juice (Apple, Grape, Orange)". University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Extension. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Dias, Brie (21 November 2014). "The Grown-Up's Guide To Keeping Table Linens Nice And Clean". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b Bell, Melissa (June 17, 2010). "Dawn dishwashing detergent saves wildlife". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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(help) - ^ "Rescued oil birds set to be released". BBC News. 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2015-01-11.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Halcomb, Jay (2011). "DAWN comes to the rescue – again". International Bird Rescue Research Center. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ "IBRRC: Save-a-Duck campaign at Crissy Field". International Bird Rescue Research Center. Retrieved 2008-07-16. [dead link]
- ^ Sewell, Dan (3 May 2010). "Procter & Gamble Ships Dawn Dishwasing Liquid To Clean Gulf Animals". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ DeMarban, Alex (28 October 2012). "Study: Dish soap may be liquid magic for oil-coated polar bears". Alaska Dispatch. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Dishwashing Detergent, Household Floor & Bleach Cleaner - Colgate-Palmolive, Murphy & Ajax Home Care Products". Retrieved 10 January 2015.
- ^ Dills, Isabelle (17 June 2008). "Washington State Begins Ban On Dishwashing Detergents". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b c d Rein, Lisa (March 23, 2007). "Maryland Takes Step To Clean Up Detergent". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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(help) - ^ a b Walsh, Bryan (13 November 2010). "Greener Dishwashing: A Farewell to Phosphates". TIME.com. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Navarro, Mireya (September 18, 2010). "Cleaner for the Environment, Not for the Dishes". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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(help) - ^ Layton, Lyndsey (8 April 2010). "FDA says studies on triclosan, used in sanitizers and soaps, raise concerns". Washington Post. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Another Reason To Avoid Triclosan And Anti-Bacterial Soaps – It's Messing Up Sewage Treatment Systems". The Inquisitr News. 2015-01-10. Retrieved 2015-01-10.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b Boone, Lisa (21 May 2014). "Minnesota bans triclosan, an ingredient in antibacterial soaps". latimes.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Contact Dermatitis". Patient.co.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
Further reading
- "Liquid Dish Soap". Cook's Illustrated. April 1, 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
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: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - Gurtoo, Himani Chandna (July 8, 2013). "A war for your kitchen". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - Rein, Lisa (March 23, 2007). "Maryland Takes Step To Clean Up Detergent". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)