Detergent Cleaning
- Dry detergents flakes were the first commercial product that found favor with the majority of American homes. Soap powder, as it was called, was the successor to bar soaps that people used to wash clothes. Women scrubbed clothes with a bar of soap usually made from harsh lye on a washboard. Detergent in a box ended the need to handle the harsh cleaning chemicals, protecting the hands of hard-working housewives.
Procter & Gamble is the country's premier manufacturer of detergents and is the parent company of big brands like Tide and Cheer. Tide is at the upper echelon price tier for detergents; in 2009 it has a price averaging $16.50 for 100 oz. of liquid Tide. Lesser priced and satisfactory options do exist if you're not willing to pay for a Tide clean. - Both dry and liquid detergents can be found in the bathtub. Detergents make tons of soft bubbles, and for some people, bath time isn't bath time without bubbles. Depending on the brand, a detergent might prove drying on the skin, but many detergents contain softening agents that make for a very nice bathing experience. Do not use foaming or soaping agents like detergents in a whirlpool-type Jacuzzi tub or you'll create bubbles that will take days to clean away.
- Liquid or dry detergents work perfectly well when added to water to use for general cleaning. Dry detergent would need to be agitated in hot water to dissolve, but liquid detergent can be used right away. This would be considered a mild cleaning solution to which you might want to add bleach to increase its disinfecting power if desired.
Alone, it would work well when cleaning grease from a stove or washing windowsills. Use detergent in warm water to clean old dishes on display or when giving the front steps outdoors a good scrub. Combine with bleach to use all over the kitchen and bathroom or anywhere you more to do more than just water clean.