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Green Detergents Las Vegas
The manufacturing of green detergents is not a simple task since there are many factors that have to be considered. The world is going green and that means using less water and conserving energy. This in turn means that we have to develop technology that can produce more concentrated detergents that work with less water. Additionally, these detergents need to work at lower temperatures.
Green detergents need to be biodegradable and free of phosphates and chlorine chemicals. Their ingredients need to be from renewable sources and not petroleum based products. Some of those renewable sources are from plants like coconut or palm.
I read an extremely detailed article by van Zeeland, Michiel’van Deurzen, and Marion de Nobel at the Entrepreneur website; their findings on green detergent innovation were very informative. I’ll try to simplify what the scientists are saying. Maybe, my degree in Chemistry will come in handy after all!
Water temperature and energy conservation:
Washing your laundry at 86 degrees F rather than 104 degrees F can save up to 40% in energy usage.
Conserving water
Photo courtesy of the City of Santa Barbara and EPRI.
The typical washing machine in the U.S. with a vertical axis uses about 16 gallons of water per wash. I have experienced the use of European washing machines that use a horizontal axis and the amount of water used is considerably less. These washers use only 4 gallons and some are now down to 2.6 -3.1 gallons. That is true innovation and something that we need to appreciate.
Detergent Innovation:
Most detergents don’t perform as well in a low temperature environment. Bleach activators don’t work below 104 degrees F. The problem for manufacturers; when the temperature is lower the soil removal is less efficient.
High performance enzymes are being used to compensate for this lower temperature issue. Enzymes are more efficient but they also perform less well in a lower temperature environment. They can be engineered to work; sounds like genetic engineering. The right enzyme selection can enable washing at lower temperatures and shorter washing cycles. Enzymes created by bacteria may be the answer to helping the nvironment.
The bigger challenge may be in the developing world where most washing is done with bar soap. Affordability then becomes a major issue, along with very low temperatures and high hard water conditions.
Okay, now that we have the technical side; let’s consider some product ideas. These will be directed toward cleaning products and not washing machines; maybe another post on that later?
The links that I’m providing you will cover:
Laundry detergents, bleach alternatives, serious stain busters, dishwashing liquids and all purpose cleaners all with an eye toward going green.
