Organic Chemistry with Cleaning Agents

Grace Freeman

Soil

To begin, all cleaning agents start with soil. Soil is nothing more than matter in the wrong place. For

instance, grease belongs in a frying pan, but not on the stove top or counter. Dirt belongs outside, not on carpet or clothes. Cleaning agents exist to get

rid of such “soil”. (1)

There are many kinds of soil:

Organic soils:Organic soil is matter that once "lived" ,and, as a

result, does contain carbon.

Examples of Organic soils are:• Body oils and animal fat.

• Carbohydrates and proteins.c. Mold and yeast.

• Bacteria and animal waste. (1)

Inorganic soil:Inorganic soil is matter that was never "alive",

therefore does not contain carbon.

Examples of Inorganic soils are:• Scale and lime deposits (such as water spots)• Rust and corrosion as a result of oxidation.

• Minerals and rock formation. (1)

Petroleum soils:Petroleum soil is product made from petroleum. Soils like these contain no water, they actually repel water, and as a result do not have a pH.

Petroleum soils most often require another petroleum based solvent to remove them. (1)

Combination soils:Combination soil is a soil that contains either two

inorganic soils and/or an inorganic soils plus a petroleum soil.

Combination soils are hard to remove because they are hard to recognize. Once recognized, they

usually require a combination type cleaner such as alkalines and solvents or acids and solvents. (1)

The Chemistry of CleaningCleaning agents typically contain a combination of ingredients to help them do their job, which

is to remove dirt and unwanted soils.

The following ingredients all have a specific job to do in a cleaner’s formula: solvents,

surfactants (detergents or soap), penetrating and wetting agents, chelators, saponifiers, and

builders. (1)

Solvents:All cleaning agents require some sort of liquid

solvent. The solvent not only "dissolves" the dirt or soil, but also provides a medium in which the soil

can be suspended and carried away from the surface being cleaned. What liquid would be better suited for this job than water, otherwise know as

the universal solvent. (1)

“Think about what would happen if you were to add a cup of detergent to your washer and wash a load of clothes with no other water added. Your clothes

certainly would not come out clean. Water is necessary for the laundry detergents to work

properly.” (2)

Surfactants (detergents or soaps)

“The word surfactant is short for "surface active agent". Surfactants work at the boundary layer

between the soil and the solvent.” (1)

Penetrating and wetting agents:

Penetrating and wetting agents simply allow water to surround soil particles that would otherwise repel

the water, like oils. (1)

Chelating agents:Dissolved minerals in water are the cause of

hardness. Rain and distilled water are pure and soft, but as the water becomes loaded with dissolved minerals, it becomes hard. Hardness in water will

hinder the cleaning ability of an agent. This is because the detergents and other active

ingredients in the cleaners see the hardness of the minerals as soil. “Chelating agents "tie up" the

hardness in water.” (1)

Saponifiers:“Saponifiers are strong alkaline chemicals that convert animal fats and oilsinto natural soaps. Once the fats and oils are converted to soap, they are soluble in water and can be easily washed away.” (1)

This is how organic soaps, such as soap from goat’s milk, is made.

Builders:Builders simply give the cleaning solution the

strength that enables it to withstand heavy soil loads.

A Common Household Cleaner:Ammonia

• http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/chemistrynow/chem_cleaners.jsp

Based on the Video, Ammonia is Especially Good for

Removing What Type of Soil?

A. Organic and Inorganic soilsB. Just Organic soilC. Just Inorganic soilD. Petroleum and Combination soil

A Common Form Of Organic Soil Is:

A. BacteriaB. Rust or CorrosionC. Lime DepositsD. None of the Above

A Common form of Inorganic Soil Is:

A. Body oilsB. Animal fatsC. Rust or CorrosionD. Mold

What Is Known As The Universal Solvent?

A. AmmoniaB. WaterC. SaponifiersD. Soil

What do Chelating agents do?

A. They convert animal fats and oils into soap

B. They allow water to surround the soil particles

C. They help the cleaning solution withstand heavy soil loads

D. They “tie up” or remove the hardness of water

Works Cited

1. http://dwb.unl.edu/Teacher/NSF/C01/C01Links/www.riponcomputer.com/riponcomputer/dawnchemical/chemistryofcleaning.htm

2. http://www.essind.com/general-cleaners/the-chemistry-of-cleaning/