Detergents are well-known in the art. The detergent compositions that are currently available are suitable for their intended purposes, i.e., effectively cleaning, and leaving previously soiled fabrics, clothing, dishes, or utensils in a generally spot-free, clean condition.
Detergents can include dishwashing detergents, carpet cleaning detergents, and others. These and other detergents contain some combination of one or more of three ingredients, including bleach, caustic soda, and phosphates. These substances can be deleterious, for various reasons.
For example, phosphates are minerals that act as water softeners, and are considered by some to be among the worst pollutants found in detergents. Phosphates are a nutrient, and act as a fertilizer for algae. Thus, when phosphates enter waterways, they promote the growth of algae and other plants. In the presence of large amounts of phosphates and other similar nutrients, excessive algae growth occurs. This causes odors and creates hypoxic conditions.
Some states have banned the use of phosphates in all detergents, other than automatic dishwasher detergents. Thus, phosphate-free general purpose detergents and clothing detergents are readily available.
Caustic soda is also considered to be a contaminant of groundwater. For example, alumina plants use and discharge caustic soda into the groundwater adjacent their plants, and such groundwater contamination is considered to be a significant environmental problem. Moreover, the caustic soda can impart to an automatic dishwashing detergent a noticeable odor, which can be described as a “choking-type” odor. Moreover, an etched film can be irreversibly formed on the surface of glassware that has been repeatedly washed with automatic dishwashing detergents which contain caustic soda.
Bleach provides dishwashing detergents with some disinfecting capabilities. While bleach in groundwater is not generally deemed to be deleterious, the removal of bleach from an automatic dishwashing detergent would lower the cost of that dishwashing detergent. Bleach, especially when combined with caustic soda, can contribute to the choking-type odor that may be perceived in some other automatic dishwashing detergent products.
Dishwashing detergents are not the only kinds of detergents that exhibit certain distinctive deficiencies. Conventional carpet cleaning detergents can also exhibit certain deficiencies. In particular, conventional carpet cleaning detergents can have certain deleterious effects, and can have relatively high foaming characteristics.
First among these deficiencies, some conventional carpet cleaning detergents can have an alkaline pH. Such alkaline pH detergents can damage the mechanical parts of automatic carpet cleaning machines. In contrast, a carpet cleaning detergent with a neutral pH (7.0) would not damage the mechanical parts of such machines.
High foaming in a carpet cleaning detergent is relatively disadvantageous, as well. A “foamy” detergent will sit atop the surface of the carpet, and will thus have a tendency to not enter the sub-surface fibers of the carpet. As a result, a larger amount of such a high-foaming detergent would be necessary, in order to obtain the same results as one could obtain by using a smaller amount of a low-foaming detergent.
It would be desirable to provide detergents that are free of phosphates. It would further be desirable to provide a detergent which is free of caustic soda. Finally, it would be desirable to provide a detergent which is free of bleach.