cleansing action

Introduction

The cleansing action is essentially the result of a sequence of physicochemical reactions. These reactions cause soil or dirt particles to be removed from fibres or any other substance subjected to them. The action of hemi colloids particles causes the cleansing action. Hydrosols and other organic compounds make up the majority of these Hemi colloids. 

Such solutions are formed due to the activity of soaps, synthetic detergents, or any other naturally occurring substance. Soaking, peptization, emulsification, and solid soil particle stability are all part of the cleansing action. These processes occur in a highly dispersed solution of small solid particles distributed uniformly throughout the cleaning solution.

The cleansing action can be divided into several distinct steps or phases. These are as follows:

• Wetting

Because it is the most obvious and perceptible, the wetting process is the first and most crucial phase in the cleansing action. Surface tension is only necessary for a small soil particle wetting in most circumstances. The surface tension required for the wetting phase is close to the maximum value of 30 millinewtons per metre. The solid is coated by the oil agents included inside the cleansing agents while performing the cleansing action. This cover is dissolved onto the solids, eventually reacting with the soil particles. This process involves the adsorption of the cleansing chemical onto the soil particles.

• Emulsification

To the best of our understanding, Surfactants contain both a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic component. Specific reactions occur when the surfactant or soap is added to the water along with the contaminated substance. The hydrophobic component binds to dirt and adheres to it. The hydrophilic component, on the other hand, is outwardly facing. 

This leads to forming a circular molecular structure made up of dirt and cleaning chemicals. The molecule formed due to this process is known as a Micelle. The micelles are negatively charged because the polar component dissolves in water and the nonpolar part dissolves in soil, resulting in negatively charged micelles. The formation of micelles in the solution results in a stable emulsion, which is a suspended stable emulsion.Acacia,glycerine and carboxymethyl cellulose are examples of emulgents that increase the viscosity of medium. Example of emulsion are oil in water,water in oil,aerosol etc.,

• Peptization

The emulsification and peptization processes are linked and complementary in the cleansing action. One of the essential parts of the emulsification process is the formation of micelles. On the other hand, the peptization process is simply forming a stable emulsion solution throughout the cleaning process. This is known as the peptization stage. 

The fact that the micelles are negatively charged particles boosts the chances of stable emulsion formation in the first place. Furthermore, in their normal condition, the micelles are hydrophobic. As a result, peptization refers to the process of infusing new ingredients, primarily appetising agents, into an existing solution to make an emulsion more stable.

Example of peptization is addition of HCl (small amount ) in stannic oxide precipitate provides stable sol of stannic oxide

• Stabilisation

It is essentially a technique for stabilising micelle emulsions by adding peptizing chemicals to stabilise the fluid.Examples of stabilised emulsions are milk,mayonnaise and dressings

• Soap and Detergent Cleansing Action

Most natural filth is oily, and oil does not dissolve in water. Soap molecules contain salts of long-chain carboxylic acids, such as sodium or potassium salts. Soap dissolves because the carbon chain disintegrates in oil and the ionic end disintegrates in water. As a result, the molecules of soap condense into micelle-like structures. One end of a micelle is oriented towards the oil droplet, while the other end, the ionic end, is directed away from the oil droplet. As a result, when it comes into touch with water, it forms an emulsion and aids in filth dissolving during the washing process.

Soap is a molecule in which the ends of the molecule differ in their properties.

• The hydrophilic end
• The hydrophobic end

The hydrophilic end dissolves and attracts water, whereas the hydrophobic end dissolves in hydrocarbons and repels water in nature. There is a chance that soap will be present on the water’s surface, causing the hydrophobic tail, which is insoluble in water, to align itself along the water’s surface. Various kinds of bathing soaps such as lux,dettol etc are used to remove dirt and oil from our skin. Detergents such as tide ,surf excel etc work well in hard water so they are used to remove dirt and oil from clothes .

• Micelles

The soap molecule in water is oriented precisely, which keeps the hydrocarbon portion of the soap molecule outside of the water. Micelles are formed when molecules cluster together. The cluster’s hydrophobic tail emerges from within the cluster, while the ionic end emerges from its exterior; this structure is described in scientific terminology as a micelle. 

When the soap is in the form of micelles, it can remove the greasy dirt that has accumulated in the reservoir of the soap dispenser. These micelles can be found in colloidal fluids. As a result, water easily removes the dirt from the cloth. The creation of a colloidal solution, which scatters light, is responsible for the hazy look of the soap solution.

Soaps have the following characteristics

• Generally hard in nature: Soaps are generally hard in nature; they are solid.
• Cleansing Action: Soaps are good at removing dirt and grime from various surfaces. In the cleaning process, soaps have two parts: a hydrophobic tail and a hydrophilic head. Both parts are equally vital.
• Formation of lather: Soaps lather up when they contact soft water.
• Conditioners: Emollients, found in many soaps, are responsible for moisturising our skin after washing our hands with soap.
• Soaps are usually scented with a distinct smell that is added to them. These smells help relax us, quiet our minds, and eliminate the odours from our bodies.

Advantages of soaps

• Soaps are easily available and also cheaper
• They are eco friendly
• They are non toxic to aquatic life
• They work well with soft water for cleaning purposes
• They are biodegradable

Disadvantages of soaps

• They don’t work well with hard water as they don’t form  lather with hard water
• They are not a good choice for washing woollen clothes because woollen clothes have acidic dyes .
• They are also less effective in saline water and acidic water
• They have weaker cleansing action as compared to detergents
• Soap rect with metal ions present in water and can form scum(insoluble precipitates)

Detergents are preferred over soaps as they get along well with hard water. 

Conclusion

The cleansing action is essentially the result of a sequence of physicochemical reactions. These reactions cause soil or dirt particles to be removed from fibres or any other substance subjected to them. The cleansing action is caused by the action of hemi colloids particles. The cleansing action can be divided into several distinct steps. The wetting process is the first and most crucial phase in cleansing. The surface tension required for the wetting phase is close to the maximum value of 30 millinewtons per metre. The formation of micelles in the solution results in the formation of a stable emulsion, which is a suspended stable emulsion. The emulsification and peptization processes are linked and complementary in the cleansing action. 

Stabilisation is essentially a technique for stabilising micelle emulsions by adding peptizing chemicals to the stabilised fluid. Most natural filth is oily, and oil does not dissolve in water. Soap molecules contain salts of long-chain carboxylic acids, such as sodium or potassium salts. Soap dissolves because the carbon chain disintegrates in oil and the ionic end disintegrates in water. Micelles are formed when molecules cluster together. The cluster’s hydrophobic tail emerges from within the cluster while the ionic end emerges from its exterior; this structure is described in scientific terminology as a micelle.