What is a surfactant? Why are surfactants used in cleaners?
A surfactant (surface active agent) is a molecule that, when added to a liquid (water) at low concentration, changes the properties of that liquid at a surface or interface. Surfactants are used in cleaners to: (Basically it makes water wetter). Basically when you take surfactants (some examples of which are corn, soy, palm kernel oil), which is what our chemistry is made from, then mix it with water, it makes water wetter, thereby letting it penetrate faster and deeper, but very gentle, into the coat of an animal. Surfactants, when combined with water, lift hydrocarbons or (FOPS=fats, oils proteins & sugars or as we know it=DIRT) to the surface and we use the water to rinse it away. Another analogy: If you imagine taking oil and pouring it into a glass, then adding water to that same glass it would separate and the oil would come to the top. We are doing just that; when we foam on our surfactants with water, they go to the surface and lift the dirt; we then use the water to rinse the
