Did you know that laundry detergents contain enzymes?
When clothes get dirty, you put them in the washing machine. But what actually happens to the stains caused by tomato sauce or felt-tip pens? It’s not just the water and the mechanical action of the drum that make clothes sparkling clean. Laundry detergents contain various enzymes that perform different tasks. The stains on clothes consist of very different substances and are specifically removed with the help of enzymes.
Here are some examples of enzymes and their function in laundry detergents:
Lipases
For removing fat residues. Not only is fat contained in many foods, but many lubricants are also based on fats. Even every human’s skin is covered by a layer of fat, and this fat also accumulates on the fibers of clothing.
Proteases
For removing protein-based stains such as blood, milk, or egg. All products of animal origin, as well as urine and vomit, contain proteins. At temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, the protein coagulates and the stains are difficult to remove. Therefore, enzymes that also work at low temperatures are a good remedy against proteins.
Amylases
Sauces, blood, grass, ice cream, cocoa, and tomato sauce all contain starch. Amylases break down these long-chain carbohydrates into short-chain ones. The long starch chains are stubborn, but the short sugar chains are easier to remove.
Pectinases
Many fruits such as apples, blueberries, blackberries, red currants, gooseberries, and citrus fruits contain pectin. This consists mainly of polygalacturonic acid, which is broken down by pectinases. Pectinases can also be used to remove stubborn stains from jam or fruit.
Cellulases
These enzymes are particularly contained in colored laundry detergents or those specifically developed for dark laundry. They are intended to break down small protruding fibers to give the impression that the colors have been refreshed. In reality, it is only the reflection of light in the protruding fibers that makes the garment appear somewhat faded.