The most important ingredients in detergents are surfactants—
act chemically as surface active
agents, which are compounds that lower the surface tension (or
interfacial tension) between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid.
Surfactants may have many functions in today’s
detergents, which may act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming
agents, and dispersants. Composition and structure
of surfactants generally contain both hydrophobic groups (their tails) and hydrophilic groups (their heads).
Chemistry in daily life - detergents
Detergents are liquid soaps containing a surfactant
or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties" in dilute
solutions. But they're really different to the traditional
soaps. which were originally made from natural products like vegetable oils, animal
fats and wood ash. Detergents today are more likely a mixture made of synthetic
chemicals and additives, which are used in many everything from hair shampoo and
clothes washing liquid to shaving foam and stain removers.