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Dirt: the secret of a good wash

Nature (1999)Cite this article

Any commercial for washing powder will tell you that dirt needs a good detergent. But chemists at Unilever in New Jersey, USA, have discovered that there are detergents that also need dirt. Without dirt to stick to, it seems, some detergents are destroyed in the wash.

The detergents in question contain enzymes. Enzymes are protein molecules found inside living organisms, which assist in the vast range of chemical processes needed to sustain life. Some, for instance, oversee the construction of important biological molecules from smaller components; others help to break down food in the gut. Many detergents contain enzymes that have been chemically modified to break down the organic matter such as dirt or food that sullies clothes and dishes.

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References

  1. Zhou,Y., Bae-Lee, M., Meyers, D. P, & Carnali, J. O. Soil Protection of Amylase from Peroxygen Bleach. Langmuir 15,7224 - 7231 1999.

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  1. Philip Ball
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Ball, P. Dirt: the secret of a good wash. Nature (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/news991021-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/news991021-9

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