What are detergents made of?
Answer: Sodium salts of sulphonic acids
Notes:
A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." These substances are usually alkyl benzene sulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are more soluble in hard water because the polar sulfonate (of detergents) is less likely than the polar carboxyl (of soap) to bind to calcium and other ions found in hard water. In most household contexts, the term detergent by itself refers specifically to laundry detergent or dish detergent, as opposed to hand soap or other types of cleaning agents.
