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What’s the science behind how cleaning products remove dirt and bacteria?Cleaning products work by leveraging chemistry and biology to break down, lift, and eliminate unwanted substances from surfaces. Most cleaning agents contain active ingredients—such as surfactants, enzymes, or disinfectants—that target specific types of dirt and microorganisms.Surfactants are molecules that reduce surface tension, allowing water to spread and penetrate…
Make your own mini-book: The Art of Sciences & Bubbles is now available in a downloadable PDF format.
Combine water and detergent.
Stir well, but do not shake.
For stronger bubbles, add ½ cup corn syrup or glycerin, or more detergent.
Experiment with different brands of dishwashing detergent until you find one that works best for you.
HINT: Playing with bubbles can be messy and slippery! Try blowing bubbles outdoors, near…
Q. Are there anything other than intentionally added ingredients in cleaning products?A. Yes. Cleaning products primarily contain intentionally added ingredients that help them clean effectively, such as surfactants, builders, solvents, enzymes, preservatives, fragrances, and other functional ingredients. In some cases, cleaning products may also contain extremely small amounts of substances that are not intentionally added for a cleaning function. These are often called trace…
Whether you have an infant, toddler or preschooler at home, it’s important to understand cleaning priorities and practices as kids crawl, toddle and run. Focus cleaning efforts on key places for health and wellbeing and stay ahead of cleaning safety precautions.
Cleaning for Health
Parents with infants do, on average, a load of laundry a day. Parents with toddlers know anything within reach will be put in their mouths eventually. And as children get older, there are different…
A STEM classroom activity with an online resource.
Have you ever thought about what soap is? This slippery, sudsy stuff we use every day does its job without us thinking much about it. We know it makes the world cleaner but do you know what makes soap soap? If you want to explore these questions, we invite you to check out "Exploration Clean". Exploration Clean is an Interactive Online Resource to help students (and adults) understand the science…
Q: Because they can be uncomfortable and not always safe, last year I convinced my kids to forgo masks in favor of face paint and other makeup to create their Halloween "personas." It was a great success and we're doing it again this year. The only problem is the makeup stains on their outfits. Some stain-removal help, please!
A: Stains from face paint, makeup, hair gel and lipstick can all be treated with a prewash stain remover, and then laundered in the hottest water that…
Fabric softeners and enhancers are popular for a reason; they help keep your clothes looking and feeling their best.
What Is It and Why Use It?Fabric softeners (also called fabric conditioners) are a popular type of fabric enhancer, used in laundry to make fabrics feel softer and fluffier, reduce static and wrinkles, and often also add a pleasant scent. They protect fabric, preventing fading, pilling, fuzzing, and…
Think about all the "public" surfaces you touch on your way to work – railings, door handles, coins and tokens, cash machines, elevator buttons and more. Then, when you get to your destination, washing your hands probably isn't the first thing you do. Instead, you probably grab a cup of coffee and turn on your computer. If you power up before you clean up, all the germs and bacteria that commuted with you are transferred from your hands to your workstation. Ugh! And then, if…
Did you know that there are different levels of laundry? There’s routine everyday cleaning and then there are the extra steps and enhanced precautions you should be taking when a family member is sick or has a weakened immune system. We relied on laundry safety experts to determine what precautions were recommended when and created a three-level laundry guide for best laundry practices for better health. Know the Levels of Laundry and how to step up your laundry routine, when needed, to help…
What is 1,4-dioxane?1,4-dioxane is a byproduct of manufacturing processes for some surfactants (the workhorse ingredients) contained in cleaning products and detergents. It is not an intentionally added ingredient, present at very low, trace levels.Why is 1,4-dioxane in cleaning products? 1,4-dioxane is an unintended byproduct of manufacturing. It is not an ingredient and not intentionally added.Is 1,4-dioxane in cleaning products harmful?No. According to a 2020…