Laundry chemistry: enzymes, phosphates, and oxi, oh my!

last year

I don't know why I'm obsessed with all the laundry detergent posts, but I am, and I would like some opinions and facts about the chemistry. I suppose, in the end, I would like to thoughtfully amend detergents when my laundry seems to need a boost. I have various detergents, STPP, Oxiclean White Revive, and Borax (moderately hard water, old LG FL). Clothing is rarely super dirty, towels and sheets are all white and get dull, and white terry cleaning cloths are used daily for the kitchen and get dingy. I prefer to rarely use chlorine bleach as it seems pretty harsh on fabric.

My understanding is that STPP binds hardness and helps prevent redeposit of dirt on fabric, and that Oxiclean White Revive is a good oxygen bleach and will help whiten whites. Please add to this and correct me if I've misunderstood. What is the role of enzymes, and how do I know if my various detergents have 'enough'? Is there any product to add enzymes to the laundry process if it's not in the detergent? Biz?

Ultimately, if I use any generic detergent, and add STPP, Oxi, Biz, and/or something you suggest, is it comparable to using a highly rated brand name detergent?

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Comments (3)

kpyeatt
last year
I'd like to know too.
dadoes
last year
STPP basically is the phosphates that were removed from detergents years ago. Softens hard water (like Calgon powdered water softener of yore) and helps energize detergent. Borax also has function to soften water, boost detergent, and freshen clothing.

Oxygen bleach is a less-harsh alternative to chlorine bleach. Often said to be safe on colors but it can fade non-fast dyes. Peroxide is a type of oxygen bleach, sometimes is used to lighten hair color.

Enzymes function to break-up various types of stains and soils. Better detergents have multiple types of enzymes in the formula to target specific soils -- fat, starch, protein, etc. Biz and other additive products include enzymes and usually also oxygen bleach to boost detergents that don't have any or enough, or can be used as a basin presoak on specific clothing items instead of treating the entire load.

Drive detergent with En-Zolve (enzymes)
TBL from CT thanked dadoes
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Enzymes are not stable in laundry liquid products that contain bleach (oxgyen or chlorine), powdered laundry products are fine as chemical & detergent makers have found ways to keep one from affecting the other the shelf. Long as the product is kept in a cool and dry storage location things should be fine. Liquid laundry products by and large do contain enzymes but not bleach for this reason. The only exception are the various "pod" type products where ways have been found to seal off the bleach from enzymes to keep each from affecting the other. As for oxygen bleach and water temperature in general yes the hotter the water equals better results. However that mainly pertains to sodium perborate and liquid hydrogen peroxide. Sodium percarbonate OTOH is known as the "cold water" oxygen bleach because it can and will start working in cooler water. Personally have used either sodium percarbonate containing detergents or added it as a powder (Ecover) to laundry washed at temps of either 85F or 100F and the results are same; stains are soils are removed with textiles whitened and brightened. Ecover makes two versions of oxygen bleach by the way. One comes in plastic jugs and is liquid oxygen bleach (hydrogen peroxide) the other is a power (sodium percarbonate). Compared to "OxiClean" type products the latter is a better buy because it contains pure oxygen bleach. The others are usually 10% or more of washing soda.
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Dorian Crouse
last year
dadoes hit the nail on the head.

The only thing I will add is temperature! Your LG FL will not use very hot water unless you use the sanitize or allergiene cycle! I highly recommend washing a load of your towels, rags, and sheets separately using either one of these cycles with OxiClean and STPP. You will be amazed.

Try OxiClean Laundry Sanitizer powder. It has an activator to make the main ingredient in OxiClean work at lower temperatures.

In a FL, I wouldn't worry as much about the amount of enzymes in the detergent since the wash solution will be concentrated anyways! As long as you are using a TOL detergent, you will be just fine!
TBL from CT thanked Dorian Crouse

Laundry chemistry: enzymes, phosphates, and oxi, oh my!

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kpyeatt

dadoes

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