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Although invented in the early 20th century by Otto Rohm, detergents gained popularity in the 1950s due to the development of modern technology and washing machines which started replacing scrub boards. The liquid detergent manufacturing process involves three key stages: soap premix manufacture, ingredient mixing and enzyme addition.

Which liquid detergents equipment do you need?

Liquid detergent filling machine

Filling of liquid detergents requires specialised equipment because of the foaming nature o...

Combined wraparound and shrink-wrap packer

With a combined system you can help free up valuable real-estate, optimize your...

Robot palletizer for liquid containers

With ever shorter product life-cycles, varying packing sizes, batch manufacturing an...

Versatile bottle sorting system

Quality bottle sorting machine and inspection system which can be put to use not only after ...

Residual liquid inspection system

Inspection system that eliminates the risk of residual liquid, water or left over drink i...

Advanced residual liquid inspection system

Advanced and easy to use inspection system that eliminates the risk of residual...

High-frequency fill level controller

In terms of high-frequency technology, the fill level detection is considered a standa...

Optical fill level controller

Accurate fill level inspection for transparent, opaque and foaming liquids, that makes sure th...

X-ray fill level controller

For containers that are difficult to see through, such as cans or cartons lined with aluminium, ...

Compact shrink sleeve applicator

Adding tamper prevention to product packaging can be expensive and difficult to set up. Thi...
process heating

Electric shrink tunnel solution

Adapting shrink sleeve heating tunnels for different applications can be a lengthy and expen...

Low speed can sleeve applicator

Flexible automatic low speed application of shrink sleeving to cans is used in various indus...

Low speed shrink sleeve applicator

A variety of industries require flexible addition of shrink sleeves to containers on the...

Shrink sleeve applicator - 400 per minute

Flexible medium to high speed application of shrink sleeveing to containers is u...

Shrink sleeve applicator - 600 per minute

Several industries require the flexible addition of shrink sleeves to containers...

In-line tamper evident applicator head

Integrating tamper protection equipment into an existing production line means addit...

Shrink sleeve applicator - 800 per minute

High speed, in-line shrink sleeving systems require dual head capability with hi...

Laboratory size auto-steam shrink system

When managing sleeving projects, fast prototyping and testing can gain massive com...

Advanced auto-steam shrink system

Design and development of shrink sleeves could be made much easier if small batches of sa...

Premium steam tunnel for sleeve application

Maximum flexibility in terms of pressure, temperature and ramp setting and adj...

Tamper-evident sleeve applicator for caps

Reliability, continuity and changeover time are key success factors for tamper-e...

Energy efficient tunnel for sleeve application

Hot air application of shrink sleeves is much more efficient than tradition...

High-speed unscrambler for large bottles

Large volume plastic bottling plants need high-speed unscramblers suitable for lar...

High-speed unscrambler for small bottles

Large-scale production of smaller volume bottled product needs a gentle, accurate ...

Low-speed unscrambler

Smaller plastic bottling lines need a lower cost, lower volume unscrambling machine that maintains gent...

Acid filling machine

Traditional filling solutions are not appropriate for corrosive substances as they make extensive use of...

Automatic bottle capping machine

Traditional bottle capping systems are inflexible, limiting the scope of your packaging and...

Semi-automatic trigger capping machine

Trigger spray bottle are the ideal capping solution for many chemical and household ...

Self-adhesive linear labeling machine for bottles

It is vital to have precise and long-lasting labels on bottles to avoid...

Low speed Filler for large-volume parenterals

Large-volume parenteral bottles are usually manufactured with a resin that c...

Wrap-around case packer for cans or bottles

When it comes to beer packaging, most of the manufacturers use plain box carto...

Shrink wrapping machine for PET bottles

During a shrink-wrapping process, a change of reel can slow down the production cyc...

Multifunction case packer for bottles and jars

New ways of packaging products are popping up all the time on the market. T...

Select your liquid detergents process

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The essential steps in the liquid detergent manufacturing process

In addition to liquid laundry and dish-washing liquid detergents, household cleaners such as floor cleaning liquids or glass cleaners are also classified as liquid detergents. All these detergents can be produced in the same plant. Substantially, liquid detergents are powders mixed with water and chemical solutions called solubilizers, making detergents dissolvable in water. The first stage of the liquid detergent manufacturing process consists of neutralizing fatty acids with either caustic soda or potassium hydroxide.

After the chemical reaction and the premix step, ingredients such as thickeners and pH adjusters are added to a homogeneous mixer. These balancing ingredients are essential to achieve desirable viscosity, stability, and pH value. In the enzyme addition stage, powdered enzymes are added to the cooled mixture due to their delicate nature.

Their role is to break down tough stains and soils. Enzymes like lipase are good for removing grease and oil while amylase, for instance, can remove starch-based or carbohydrate soils. Lastly, liquidized detergents are pumped into bottles by a filling system, weighted on weighing devices and sealed by a capping machine.

What’s the difference between liquid dishwashing detergent and liquid laundry detergent?

The formula of the two liquid detergents is almost very similar even though, if you think about it, they are designed for totally different applications.

Since dishwashing detergents are designed for frequent contact with human skin they contain mildness additives and antibacterial agents. Moisturizing agents, oils and protein compounds are added to protect the skin and prevent tears. They also contain chelating agents and preservatives due to oxidation. Furthermore, dishwashing detergents use sodium Laureth sulfate as a surfactant which acts as a foaming agent.

On the contrary, surfactants used in liquid laundry detergents are alkyl or aryl sulphonates, which restrict suds. The use of enzymes in laundry detergents is essential since they exterminate stains that grip the fabric. Moreover, laundry detergents use ingredients specified for protecting fabric and washing machine parts. Builders improve the effectiveness of the surfactant, polymers help capture soils and prevent dye from coming off and transferring to textile, bleach preserves color while softeners reduce fabric friction. Finally, corrosion inhibitors protect the parts of washing machines from corrosion.

The environmental impact of liquid detergents

In recent years, the detergent industry has faced various environmental challenges, since detergents contain several harmful chemicals. Surfactants damage the protective layers of fish, leaving them vulnerable to parasites, bacteria and other pollutants. Another problem caused by a standard surfactant was foam creation in the nation’s waterways. It was discovered that the problem was caused by ABS (alkyl-benzene sulfonate). Nowadays, manufacturers replaced ABS with LAS (linear alkylate sulfonate), which biodegrades faster than ABS.

Although phosphates were banned for causing eutrophication by inducing algae population explosions, environmental damage is still driven by its alternatives. Chemicals such as nonylphenol ethoxylated, acetaldehyde and benzene further contribute to water and air pollution.

Additionally, liquid detergents are sold in plastic bottles, which end up in oceans, waterways and landfills. However, manufacturers of liquid detergents are looking for solutions to avoid harming the marine environment. Eco-friendly solutions are being developed such as detergents made with plant-based ingredients and biodegradable packaging.

Processing steps involved in liquid-detergents making

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