Which neutral detergents are most suitable for which situations? How they differ from other detergents and how to distinguish them.

Many of you have probably heard of neutral detergents. However, not many of you may know the exact characteristics of neutral detergents and the scenarios in which they are best suited for use.

This article begins with a definition of neutral detergents and recommended use scenarios.

What is a “neutral detergent”?

Detergents can be divided into three categories: acidic, neutral, and alkaline. They are distinguished by their pH (hydrogen ion concentration), which is expressed as a value between 0 and 14. The middle value of 7 is neutral; the smaller the number, the more acidic it is, and the larger the number, the more alkaline it is.

Detergent products sold are classified according to the Household Products Quality Labeling Act.

Why do they remove stains?

The mechanism by which neutral detergents remove stains is due to three actions of surfactants.

Emulsification.

Normally, when oil is mixed with water, it separates, but surfactants have both hydrophilic and lipophilic properties, allowing water and oil to mix together.

Penetrating action.

When a fiber such as wool is immersed in water, the surface tension prevents water from penetrating it, making it difficult to mix.

Dispersing action

Powders such as soot in water do not mix and float on the surface, but when a surfactant is added, the powder is surrounded by surfactant molecules, making it easier to disperse in the water.

These three actions combine, the surfactant molecules adsorb to the dirt and fibers, the surface tension of the water weakens, and the dirt is pulled toward the water by the surrounding dirt, causing the dirt to be pulled away from the fibers.

Difference from other detergents

Due to the nature of the pH value, alkaline detergents are usually used for acidic stains, and acidic detergents are for alkaline stains. This means that stains can be easily removed by neutralizing them with their opposite properties.

Neutral detergents have an intermediate pH between 6.0 and 8.0, so they do not have a strong cleaning power for opposite properties. So, are neutral detergents unnecessary? This is not the case.

Neutral detergents have a lower cleaning power than weak alkaline detergents, but they are less irritating and less likely to damage your skin and materials. For this reason, neutral detergents are easy to use in everyday life and are often used in dishwashing detergents, bath preparations, laundry detergents for everyday clothes, and fashion clothes (DAILY SOAP / Clothes Detergent), which are often used with bare hands.

How to identify neutral detergents

Neutral detergents are labeled as “liquid/neutral”. Detergents have a characteristic called liquidity, which can be divided into three main categories: acidic, neutral, and alkaline. These characteristics are stated on the product packaging and are the key to identifying whether a detergent is neutral or not.

What stains can it remove? How to use neutral detergents

Neutral detergents are non-irritating and gentle on your skin and materials, but you may be wondering what kind of stains they can remove. Basically, they are used to remove small grease stains from the house.

There are many situations where you can use skin- and material-friendly neutral detergents, and they are versatile detergents that can be used to clean all over your home. Let’s take a look at some of the scenarios where you can use neutral detergents and how to use them.

Floor cleaning

Even if you don’t have a dedicated detergent, you can use dish detergent to clean your floors instead. Neutral detergents for dishwashers do not damage materials and can be safely used to clean wooden floors, such as living room floors.

The cleaning procedure is as follows.

1. Fill a bucket with water and add a few drops of mild dishwashing detergent.
2. Agitate the inside of the bucket to create a lather.
3. Dip the rag into the sudsy water, wring it out tightly and wipe as usual.
4. Then wipe again with the water-washed rag.
5. Finally, wipe dry.

The surfactants in neutral detergents lift sebum stains off the surface of the floor, making it easier to remove sticky residues from the floor and the floor. However, be aware that the ingredients in neutral detergents can cause stains and discoloration if left on the floor. Make sure to wipe thoroughly with water and dry so that no ingredients remain.

Kitchen Cleaning

Stains of concern in the kitchen are walls that have become sticky from cooking spills and steam-containing oil, as well as a slime in the sink. Neutral detergents can be used to clean walls and sinks.

The procedure for cleaning walls is as follows.

1. Fill a spray bottle with water and mix only one drop of neutral kitchen detergent.
2. Spray the kitchen walls and put a piece of kitchen paper on the wall.
3. Leave it for five minutes, then scrub the wall with the taped kitchen paper.
4. Finally, wipe down with nearby water to remove any remaining detergent.

Use a neutral detergent to clean the sink, even if children have touched it here and there with dirty hands.

The procedure for cleaning the sink is as follows.

1. Apply undiluted kitchen detergent to the sponge and agitate.
2. Scrub the sink in a circular motion.
3. Rinse the detergent off. Be careful not to leave any residual components of neutral detergent as they may cause stains.
4. Finally, dry and wipe off any moisture.

Toilet Cleaning

In fact, neutral detergents can also be used to clean toilets. Acidic detergents are suitable if there are stubborn alkaline stains, such as yellowing or urinary stones, but have the disadvantage of tending to damage the toilet material. Neutral detergents are less powerful than acid detergents, but will not damage the toilet material.

The cleaning procedure is as follows.

1. Apply a few drops of neutral detergent directly to the contaminated area.
2. After the dirt and neutral detergent are mixed, scrub the area with a sponge.
3. Finally, rinse off with water.

Neutral detergent can be used to remove light stains, so it is recommended to wash the toilet bowl frequently with a neutral detergent.

Clothes (delicate fabrics)

In addition to cleaning, neutral detergent can be used as a detergent for clothes. While detergents with high cleaning power and weak alkalinity are suitable for spills and sebum stains, they are not suitable for cleaning delicate fabrics because they may damage the material.

For delicate fabrics that you don’t want to damage the material, such as fabrics that you are concerned about stretching or shrinking, or fabrics that may fade or form hairballs, a low-burden neutral detergent will work well.

For fashionable clothes, a weak acid detergent is also recommended, which is less damaging than a neutral detergent.

What scenarios are not suitable for neutral detergents?

Neutral detergents are gentle on skin and materials and work well in a variety of situations, but unfortunately, there are some stains that are not suitable for use. In such cases, it is recommended to use a detergent suitable for the stain, such as an acidic or alkaline detergent. Here are some examples of situations in which neutral detergents are not suitable

Stubborn stains on cookware, etc.

Neutral detergents are not suitable for stubborn stains.

Neutral detergents use surfactants to lift dirt, so they cannot remove stubborn stains such as burn marks on pots and pans, long-standing oil stains, urine stone adhesions, and blood stains on clothes.

Also, be aware that forcible scrubbing can damage the material.

For these stubborn stains, it is recommended to use an acidic or alkaline detergent that matches the type of stain.

The following products are recommended for washing clothes with difficult-to-remove sebum stains

Summary.

Neutral detergents are gentle on skin and materials and can be used safely in a variety of situations, including laundry, washing, and cleaning bathrooms. In addition, neutral detergents can be used to clean floors and toilets in addition to kitchens, without having to have different detergents for different scenarios.

While they don’t clean as well as acidic or alkaline detergents, they can be used for most household stains as long as you try to clean them regularly and keep the dirt from building up. If you’re confused about the many different types of detergents you can buy, try a neutral detergent first.