The Five Factors of Clean: Chemistry, Part 2

In the previous article, Chemistry Part 1, we covered alkalinity and acidic chemistry as well as pH and how foam is created. In part 2, we will cover surfactants and how to deal with ever changing road film.

For more information, please visit Sancolo.

Surfactants

Surfactants make water “wetter”by reducing the surface tension for better penetration. Detergents lift or loosen soil particles from surfaces, creating a foam for a nice visual effect and emulsifying oils.

Surfactants are molecules that are bipolar, with one end of the molecule being Hydrophilic or “water loving”and the other end being hydrophobic or “water fearing”. The “water fearing”end could also be described as “oil loving”. This “oil loving”end can work its way into oily soils and working as a team with other surfactant molecules form a sphere around a drop of oil with all of their “water loving”ends facing out into the water.

Today surfactants are made from a wide variety of substances with many different characteristics. Some are great foamers, others good oil emulsifiers, some are extreme wetting agents; many are developed for functions that are totally unrelated to cleaning.

As manufacturers of car wash detergents, it is our goal to find the best surfactants used in the right combination and with the proper amount and mix of builders to create superior products for all car wash applications.

The builders are fairly inexpensive and favored by low cost providers who rely on the reactivity of the builders to burn away the soils. These ingredients can, however, also react with the surface of the vehicle and, depending upon the soil, they may actually “set”the soil on the surface rather than remove it.

Surfactants range in price from the moderately priced commodity products to very expensive specialty surfactants. It is important to focus on the performance of the surfactants and how they function in combination with other surfactants and the builders to provide the most effective cleaners with the least chance of damage.

Foam

Foaming is a critical component of consumer satisfaction. Customers tend to directly equate “clean”to the level of foam they see during the wash process. In general, a wet, thin foam is optimal for cleaning. For triple foam and brush type applications a thick, shaving cream type foam is ideal. Foam can become a negative when it cannot be fully rinsed off the vehicle.

Foam needs to have the proper flow per application. Factors that need to be considered when preparing the right foam per the application are: proper dilution ratio, proper solution and airflow, clean application equipment, rinse capabilities, and the operators expectations.

These are the key principles to consider. Foam is a combination of liquids and gases. Both are fluid. The flow of the fluid is dictated by the application equipment that is used to apply it.

A common issue in many car washes is poor foam level or show. This is often caused by misadjusted fluid and air volumes. If the system is not properly balanced, irregular results will occur. This is because liquid does not compress but gases do. If you exceed the volume of total fluid (liquid and gas) the orifices can realistically pass, you will thin out the foam and/or cause a spurting action. Proper flow and chemical ratios equal fantastic foam.

Surfactant Categories

There are four surfactant categories: anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric.

Anionic is a hydrophilic group with negative charge that tends to repel particles and help detergency. These may be very good foamers.

Cationic is a hydrophobic group with a positive charge that adheres to particles and surfaces and are used in sealants and drying agents.

Nonionic is a hydrophilic group that has no charge and makes a good oil emulsifier.

Amphoteric are cationic in low pH solutions and anionic in high pH solutions.

In general, detergents are formulated with surfactants that make the cleaning solutions hydrophilic. They make the solution better at wetting soils to help lift them into the water for easier removal.

Drying agents and sealants are designed to make the surface of the vehicle very hydrophobic. The water on the hydrophobic surface dislikes the surface so much that it pulls itself away from the surface wherever possible. A drop of water will pull away from the surface in an effort to decrease its footprint forming a bead that wants to roll off of the surface and thus dries the car. In order for these products to work at their optimum, the surface must first be clean as residual dirt can be hydrophilic and hold the water to it resulting in a wetter car.

To produce a fantastic product, you need to have the proper combination of builders and surfactants to get the clean that you desire.

As we advance in technology, we need to consider surfactant based chemistry compared to reactive chemistry. Reactive chemistry is created to react with everything and is unsafe. Surfactant based chemistry looks at safety, how fast it works and the better net value.

Road Film

In trying to clean road film, the vehicle’s surface and the environment are both factors in the cleaning process.

Vehicle surfaces include metal, plastic, glass, chrome, rubber, vinyl, and new softer paint surfaces.

With the environment, you deal with things such as weather: heat, cold, dry, rain or snow; the road surface: concrete, asphalt, road de-icing chemicals; and organic matter: bugs, sap, etc.

The vehicle’s surface is negatively charged and attracts positively charged soils. The oily soils settle on the top creating a nasty but shiny road film. The small particles have a strong attraction to the vehicle’s surface and are the hardest to clean. Think of a magnet and powdered lead.

To demonstrate how the small particles create a stronger attraction we took a magnet and stuck some different size pieces onto it. The large bolt can easily be removed. As you remove the items from largest to smallest you could see how removing the smaller items gets harder and harder to remove depending on how small the object is.

Another demonstration is the particulate demonstration. There are times when a car wash operator will claim, “The cars are coming out dirtier than when they entered the wash.”Although this is not technically true, appearances can give that impression.

A microscope slide can provide a good demonstration of how this can happen. If the frosted end of this slide represents small particulates that are stuck to the vehicle in a very tough ‘Road Film’including a lot of oils. The oils can even out the surface hiding the small particulates and although the car doesn’t look clean, if the majority of the oil is removed, then the uneven surface of small particles can actually look worse than before it was washed.

This concludes our 5 factors of clean series. In the series we covered water quality, mechanical action, time, temperature and chemistry. All these factors need to work together to be sure to achieve the clean, shiny, dry car that is desired. You can view the video of the 5 factors of clean including the demonstrations on YouTube: http://youtu.be/ke7-JVYJHRs.

Ryan Cook is the assistant vice president of Lustra™Professional Car Care Products.

Updated: 18.02.25

At Formula Botanica, we often get asked about surfactants – those fascinating functional ingredients that make cleansing magic. So I thought, why not dedicate a post to them?

In this article, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at surfactants. While there are different kinds, we’ll focus exclusively on the ones used in cleansing and foaming products, as they’re the ones you’re most likely to use in your formulations, whether that’s in your facial cleansers, shower gels, body washes, or shampoos.

And while this is a more advanced topic, there’s no need to feel worried! In this post, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about surfactants, from what they are, why they’re so important, and how they work in water-based formulations. I’ll even share five of my favourite natural surfactants that you can experiment with and which will take your formulation skills to the next level. Ready to get started? Let’s dive in!

What are surfactants?

First, let’s discuss what surfactants are and how they work in formulations.

Surfactants, or surface active agents, are a versatile group of ingredients found across multiple industries, from food and construction to pharmaceuticals and personal care. In skincare and haircare, they act as functional ingredients and are mostly responsible for the cleansing and, in some cases, foaming properties of your favourite shower products.

But here’s a surprising fact: cleansing and foaming aren’t always connected. While some surfactants create the rich, bubbly lather that people typically associate with cleanliness, others are specifically designed to reduce or completely stop the foam. And while it can enhance the sensory appeal of a product, foam isn’t a true measure of how well it cleans.

Additional reading:
Potassium diformate can replace antibiotic supplementary feed to ...

For more information, please visit Nonionic Surfactants.

Surfactants also include emulsifiers, solubilisers, dispersers, wetting agents and detergents. If you’re curious to learn about the difference between solubilisers and emulsifiers, check out this post:

Solubiliser vs. emulsifier: Which one do you need?

The chemical structure of surfactants

Now that you know what surfactants are, let’s discuss their chemical structure. Don’t worry: it’s very straightforward!

Surfactants have a water-loving (hydrophilic) head and a water-hating (hydrophobic) tail. As you can see from the chart below, the kind of charge contained within the water-loving head will determine the kind of surfactant you’re working with:

For more on the chemical structure of surfactants, check our Advanced Diploma in Organic Cosmetic Science.

How surfactants work

Surfactants are present in many cleansing products, and their effectiveness lies in their unique molecular structure and ability to interact with both oil and water. Let’s break down how these ingredients work to remove dirt and grime:

1. Introducing surfactants to the solution

When a surfactant is added to water, its molecules arrange themselves in a specific way. Each surfactant molecule has two key parts:

• A hydrophilic head that is water-loving and interacts easily with water
• A hydrophobic tail that is oil-loving and avoids water

2. Attachment to dirt and oils

Once introduced, the hydrophobic tails of the surfactant molecules seek out and attach themselves to dirt and oils. This happens because dirt is often oil-soluble, making the hydrophobic (lipophilic) tail the perfect match to bond with it.

3. Lifting and encapsulating dirt

The surfactant molecules then surround the dirt or oil particles, forming structures called micelles. The hydrophobic tails stay attached to the dirt, while the hydrophilic heads remain oriented toward the water. This action detaches the dirt or oil from the surface (be it skin, hair, or textiles) and suspends it in the solution.

4. Washing away dirt

The final step involves rinsing. The hydrophilic heads keep the encapsulated dirt suspended in water, allowing it to be washed away effortlessly. This process ensures that dirt is removed from the surface and carried out of the solution, leaving behind a clean and refreshed surface.

If you’d like to learn even more about the different types of surfactants and how they work, check out our Advanced Diploma in Organic Cosmetic Science.

How to formulate with natural surfactants

Definition of “green” surfactants

At this point, you’re probably curious about how to formulate natural surfactants.

The term “natural” or “green” surfactant doesn’t have a universally accepted definition, so it can mean different things to different people. You can learn more about the different shades of natural in our first-ever podcast episode:

Episode 1: What does natural skincare mean?

Ultimately, the choice of surfactants is entirely up to you. When selecting your surfactants, consider the following factors:

• Biodegradability: Does the surfactant break down easily in the environment?
• Source: Is it derived from natural, renewable sources like plants? Is it animal-based?
• Irritation potential: Is it gentle on the skin and eyes?
• Environmental impact: What’s the carbon footprint?
• Ethical sourcing: Is it sustainably and ethically sourced?

Where to start

If you haven’t worked with surfactants before, I recommend you start with non-ionic surfactants. Here’s why:

• Compatibility: Non-ionic surfactants work harmoniously with other types of surfactants, making them versatile and easy to incorporate into formulations.
• Ease of use: They are beginner-friendly and straightforward to formulate with, making them ideal if you’re just starting to work with surfactants.
• Gentleness: These surfactants are mild on the skin and hair, which is especially important when creating products for sensitive skin or everyday use.
• Foaming capacity: While their foaming capacity varies, many non-ionic surfactants provide a pleasant sensory experience.

If you’re interested in learning more about non-ionic surfactants and how to use them in your skincare or haircare formulations, we cover them in our foundation Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation and our Diploma in Organic Haircare Formulation. 

Examples of non-ionic surfactants

While non-ionic surfactants are generally interchangeable in theory, as a formulator, it’s important to be prepared for slight variations in how each one behaves within a formulation.

To help guide your formulation process, I’ve compared five of the most popular plant-derived non-ionic surfactants that you can experiment with:

• Coco Glucoside
• Decyl Glucoside
• Lauryl Glucoside
• Sucrose Cocoate
• Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Natural surfactants comparison table

Here’s a detailed comparison table to help you choose the best non-ionic surfactant for your formulations:

Surfactant Trade name Certification* Properties pH Active matter Coco Glucoside Sucranov™ 818 UP -BergaSoft CG 50 / MB EcoSense™ 919 Ecocert Very mild, good foam stabilising quality,  good hydrating properties, biodegradable ∼11.5 – 12.5 ≥ 50 % Decyl Glucoside BergaSoft DG 50 / MB -ORAMIX™ NS10 / Plantacare® UP -EcoSense™ Ecocert COSMOS Natrue Biodegradable, excellent and stable foam, works very well with Cocamidopropyl betaine ∼11.5 – 12.5 ≥ 50 % Lauryl Glucoside BergaSoft LG 50 / MB -EcoSense™ / Plantacare® UP Ecocert COSMOS Natrue Very mild, moderate foaming, excellent viscosity builder, good in baby cleansing products, biodegradable ∼11.5 – 12.5 ≥ 50 % Sucrose Cocoate TEGOSOFT® LSE 65 K Soft N/A Mild, increases foam density & viscosity, adds creaminess, has good re-fatting qualities, moisturising and anti-static, biodegradable ∼6.5-7.5 ∼65% Caprylyl/Capryl glucoside BergaSoft CCG 70 / MB -ORAMIX™ CG110 Ecocert COSMOS Natrue Creates fine and stable foam, mild, good solubiliser for essential oils, biodegradable ∼11.5 – 12.5 ≥ 50% (There are various versions)

*Certification – Whether the natural surfactant is available as a certified ingredient will depend on your supplier, but these ingredients are generally accepted by the listed certification bodies. You can find out more about green certifications here.

What is Active Surfactant Matter (ASM)?

The ASM is a percentage that represents the concentration of the surfactant. When you buy a surfactant, it won’t be delivered to you as a “pure” ingredient as such, but it will be diluted in water. If the ASM is 60%, this means the ingredient you’ve just purchased contains 60% surfactant and 40% water.

Knowing the ASM of your natural surfactant is important when deciding how much of your ingredient should be used in a cosmetic formulation. For example, you would use less natural surfactant in a facial cleanser than in a body cleanser, so your formulation is not so ‘harsh’ on the skin.

Which surfactant to use?

I conducted a simple foam test to see how well these natural surfactants perform when it comes to creating foam. While you now know that a product doesn’t need to foam to effectively clean your skin or hair, most people still expect their cleansers and shampoos to foam when they use them. That’s why many formulators aim to create a rich, dense lather to enhance the user experience.

For this test, I mixed five solutions, each containing 10% surfactant and 90% distilled water, and transferred them into foamer bottles (essential to create the foaming effect!). I then compared the foam produced by each solution, which you can see in the image below:

As you can see, all five natural surfactants produced foam, though some were more effective than others. Here are my observations:

• Decyl Glucoside stood out as the best performer, creating a rich, dense foam that really impressed me.
• Coco and Caprylyl/Capryl glucosides performed well, producing a decent amount of foam.
• Sucrose Cocoate and Lauryl Glucoside didn’t fare as well in the foaming test. The foam they produced collapsed pretty quickly, making them less ideal for this type of product/bottle. Sucrose Cocoate and Lauryl Glucoside are also both pastes, which means they need to be heated to properly dissolve. When mixed with water, Sucrose Cocoate produced a milky solution, which might not be suitable for clear formulations.
• Lauryl Glucoside created a clear solution but thickened slightly, suggesting it might not work well in the foamer bottle I’ve used. However, it could be an excellent option for formulations that benefit from a bit of extra thickness.

Which surfactant will you try first? Let me know in the comments below!

Join our free training course today

I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful!

If you’re ready to dive deeper into the fascinating world of skincare formulation, our free training course is the perfect starting point. You’ll learn how to make your own natural skincare products – even if you’ve ever done it before – and become a confident formulator instead of a simple recipe follower. Sign up now to start your free formulation journey!

And if you’ve already completed our free mini course, why not take the next step with our award-winning Diploma in Organic Skincare Formulation?

FAQ

• What is the best natural surfactant to start with?

Non-ionic surfactants are a fantastic way to start your journey into foaming products. They’re gentle and mild and can create a nice, rich foam. Plus, they’re highly versatile and work well with all other surfactants. 

• Can I mix different surfactants together?

Absolutely! In fact, mixing surfactants can help improve performance. Try blending surfactants from different charge groups, or even within the same group to see how they perform together.

• Do all natural surfactants foam the same?

No, not all natural surfactants foam the same way. Some may produce more foam, while others may create a lighter lather (or not at all!). It depends on the type of surfactant and the formulation you’re using.

• How do I know which surfactant is right for my product?

The right surfactant depends on your formulation goals. Consider the cleansing power, foaming ability, and overall gentleness you need. Testing and observation will guide you in finding the best fit for your product.

For more Castor Oil Ethoxylatesinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Leave us a comment