Expert: George Maxwell - 12/29/2007

Question
How do you produce a no-suds and non-slippery dishwashing fluid?

I need a no-suds or at least low-suds and non-slippery dishwashing fluid so that I don't have to waste a lot of water to rinse off the suds from the dishes and the slipperiness of my hands and the dishes.


Answer
Thank you for your question.

The bubbles in washing-up liquid don't actually take part in the cleaning - manufacturers add foaming agents to the detergent so that people can "see" the product working, but it's the rest of the formula that actually does the cleaning. Therefore, it's farly easy to design a non-bubbly detergent (see last paragraph).

A modern detergent contains compounds called surfactants: these are molecues that have a hydrophobic (water-repellent) end and a hydrophilic (water-attracting) end. The hydrophobic end of the molecule binds to grease and oil, and the hydrophilic end bids to water. This process allows the wash-water to combine with and remove oily residues from plates and pans. Normally, oil and water don't mix, so water by itself doesn't clean greasy pots very effectively. It's these surfactants that give detergent its soapy feel.

Whilst it's technically possible for manufacturers to produce non-foamy, non-soapy detergents, few of them do because it's expensive, and there isn't much demand - people like the familiar type of cleaning agents.

It's possible to achieve a similar result to dishwashig liquid with non-soapy household materials. I don't use detergents because of the damage that repeated contact with detergent solutions can cause to the skin. I use baking soda (Sodum Bicarbonate) in place of detergent in my sink - it's mildly alkaline, which means it reacts with and breaks down greasy materials. This process produces  soap-like residue, but doesn't create any bubbles. Washing soda (Sodum Carbonate) produces similar results, but is a bit harsher on the skin.

Just a note in case you don't fancy the baking soda option - most people instinctively add a fairly large squirt of detergent to the bowl when they do the washing-up - this is a waste, and just generates lots of pretty-but-useless foam. You only need to add about a tablespoonful to a large bowl to get a good cleaning effect.

Hope this helps.