Defining relevant concepts

An acid is classified as a compound with

distinctive properties. An
acidic substance is sour-tasting; reacts with
litmus paper, bases and metals;
conducts electricity; and has a pH of less than 7.
An acid can be classified as
strong or weak based on its reactivity,
conductivity, and pH.
Defining relevant concepts

pH Scale – is used as a measure of

how acidic or basic a substance is.
This scale ranges from 0 to 14; a pH of
7 means the substance is neutral. An
acidic substance measures lower on
the pH scale. A substance with a pH
value less than 7, is acidic.
Defining relevant concepts

Litmus paper strips are used as

a general indicator to determine
acidity. When dipped in or rubbed on an acidic
substance, blue litmus paper
turns red.
Defining relevant concepts

An Alkali or chemical base is

a caustic substance. It is a substance
that accepts hydrogen ions. It dissociates in
water and is a good conductor of
electricity. An alkali turns litmus paper blue.
Defining relevant concepts

Acids and bases are generally chemically active

and can react in many
other substances. Because of this characteristic,
they are commonly found in
household applications, especially as cleaners
and as ingredients in cooking.
Defining relevant concepts
 Active ingredients in
household products

1. Sodium hypochlorite appears as

colorless or slightly yellow watery
liquid with an odor of household bleach. It mixes with
water. It is used as a bleaching agent, laundry bleaching
agent,disinfectant for glass, ceramics, and tiles.
 Active ingredients in
household products
2. Sodium bicarbonate appears as
odorless white crystalline powder or
lumps with slightly alkaline (bitter) taste.
It is used to make many
chemicals, as an ingredient in baking powder,
effervescent salts and
beverages, in fire extinguishers, cleaning compounds, and
in human and veterinary pharmaceuticals.
 Active ingredients in
household products

3. Sodium hydroxide room temperature

is a white crystalline odorless solid
that absorbs moisture from the air. It is a manufactured
substance. Whendissolved in water or neutralized with
acid it liberates substantial heat,which may be
sufficient to ignite combustible materials.
 Active ingredients in
household products

3. Sodium hydroxide room temperature

is a white crystalline odorless solid
that absorbs moisture from the air. It is a manufactured
substance. When dissolved in water or neutralized with
acid it liberates substantial heat,which may be
sufficient to ignite combustible materials.
 Active ingredients in
household products

3. Sodium hydroxide Sodium

hydroxide is very corrosive. It is
generally used as a solid or a 50%
solution. Other common names include caustic soda
and lye. It is used to manufacture soaps, rayon, paper,
explosives, dyestuffs, and petroleum products.
 Active ingredients in
household products

4. Ammonia
Ammonia fumes are powerful irritant, potentially
harming your skin, eyes, nose, lungs and throat. When
found in oven cleaners and window cleaning
formulations, it is an irritant to the mucous
membranes.
 Active ingredients in
household products

5. Sodium hypochlorite
Sodium hypochlorite also known as bleach is another
alkali disinfectant. Bleach works by oxidizing or
breaking down the molecular bonds of stains and
germs. Another useful but dangerous cleaner it also
has strong corrosive properties that may do serious
damage to the human body.
 Active ingredients in
household products

5. Sodium hypochlorite
Bleach in the bottle is generally a five percent solution.
Toxic chlorine gas can be formed if bleach is mixed with
acids, such as bowl cleaners.
 Active ingredients in
household products

6. Ethanol is a natural by
product of plant fermentation and can
be produced through the hydration of ethylene. It
mixes easily with water and many organic compounds,
and makes an effective solvent for use in paints,
lacquers and varnish, as well as personal care and
household cleaning products
 Active ingredients in
household products

7. Phenol
Phenol is also known as benzenol,
or carbolic acid. Phenols are widely used in household
products and as intermediates for industrial synthesis.
Phenol may have been the first surgical antiseptic. In
1865 the British surgeon Joseph Lister used phenol as
an antiseptic to sterilize his operating field
 Active ingredients in
household products

8. Quaternary ammonium
These compounds are a family of
low-level disinfectants. Quats are generally used to
disinfect countertops, toilets and other high touch
environmental surfaces and floors. Quaternary
ammonium compounds are cationic disinfectants.
 Active ingredients in
household products

9. Sodium percarbonate
Sodium percarbonate is a powder
that releases hydrogen peroxide, and very
concentrated. It is a granulated powder which can be
nice for scrubbing stains and stuck-on-gunk off dishes.
Scouring powder is made from hydrogen peroxide.
Use of other ingredients
in household products

1.Builders
Builders are one of the important group of
ingredients that help make cleaning products
better. Builders give the surfactants a helping
hand. Builders help make the surfactant more
powerful by reacting with stuff found in tap water
2. Solvents
Solvents are chemicals that help ingredients
stay mixed and gives cleaning products the right
thickness, so they are easy to use. In addition,
solvents can help to prevent liquid products from
freezing in cold climates.
2. Solvents
Without solvents, a product will be very
thick. But for other products, we want the liquid
to pour out of the bottle.
3. Enzymes
Enzymes are powerful stain removing
ingredients. Their power is to break down stains
just like the enzymes in our digestive system help
break down the food we eat. Enzymes are not
living organisms but are created by naturally
occurring microorganisms, like bacteria and
fungi.
4. Fragrances
Fragrances are a group of ingredients that
provide the cleaning product with a pleasant smell.
They are not found in every product, and typically a
very small amount can make a large difference in
smell. In many cases, the fragrance is the driving
factor for why someone decided to buy a specific
product.
5.Preservatives
Just like it is important to prevent food from
spoiling, cleaning products need to be preserved
as well. Adding a small amount of a preservative
protects the product from microorganism
5.Preservatives
A preservative is a substance that is added to a
cleaning product in order to make it stable and
safe for a longer period. Without a preservative,
it is possible for bacteria or fungi to grow in the
product.
6. pH Adjusters
Every cleaning product needs to be “balanced” to
work well and to be safe for your skin. In order to
do this, chemists use pH adjusters to make sure
the product is balanced and safe for you to use.
The amount used depends on the other
ingredients in the formula.
6. pH Adjusters
pH is a measure of how acidic
(like lemon juice) or basic
(like baking soda) a solution
is. One way to measure this is
by using the pH scale. The pH
scale is read from 0 to 14 and
tells us if a solution is acidic
or basic. Pure water has a pH
of 7, which means it’s neutral
7.Dye
There are several other ingredients used in cleaning
products that help create a unique experience. For
example, dye can be used to give a product color.
8. Thickener
Thickeners give soap the
proper viscosity
(thickness), making sure
it can still flow out of a
bottle. Can you imagine
trying to wash your
hands with a soap that
feels like water? It would
run right off your skin!
9. Foam Enhancer
Foam Enhancers help create suds or bubbles.
While not necessary for effective cleaning, many
people feel bubbles show that a product is working.
10. Antibacterial or Disinfecting Ingredients Cleaning
washes away germs with any dirt and soil that is
removed, but a further reduction of germs can be
achieved by using additional ingredients that will kill
germs
Learning Task: I Know It!
Directions: Look for 5 cleaning products used at home
and answer the following questions.
1. Identify common active ingredients in household
cleaning products used at home.
2. Give the use of the other ingredients in cleaning
agents.
3. Analyze the environmental and health impacts of
different active ingredients in household cleaning
products.