Sodium Carbonate as an eco-cleaning product

Is Sodium Carbonate an eco-cleaning product?

Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), also known as calcined soda (washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals), is a salt of carbonic acid and sodium. It is found naturally in soda lakes, ash of sea plants, and as a component of minerals. Historically, it was obtained by burning seaweed and sea plants and leaching the material from ashes, but this method resulted in a polluted product. In the 18th century, a process was discovered to produce calcined soda from salt, sulphuric acid, coal, and lime, but it was not until the Solvay process was developed in the early 1860s by Belgian brothers Ernest and Alfred Solvay that synthetic calcined soda could be produced efficiently and on a large scale.

The Solvay process involves a reaction of sodium chloride with ammonia and carbon dioxide, resulting in the formation of sodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate) which is then heated to form sodium carbonate. Sodium carbonate is a white or slightly brownish powder with alkalising properties and is used in various industries such as glass making, soap making, laundry detergents, leather tanning, and food production as a leavening agent, stabiliser, and pH adjuster. It is also considered environmentally friendly as it does not accumulate in living organisms and is not adsorbed in soil.

It is also considered an eco-friendly substance as it occurs in nature in a dissociated form and does not accumulate in living organisms or soil. It can be produced using the Solvay method, which involves a reaction of sodium chloride with ammonia and carbon dioxide.

In the laundry detergent industry, it has water-softening properties and is used as a base for detergents. It also has other benefits such as being cost-effective, efficient and eco-friendly. Other ingredients that are often used in eco-friendly laundry detergents include borax, which is a versatile cleaning agent with a biocidal effect, and soap flakes which provide cleaning properties.

Sodium carbonate, also known as soda ash or washing soda, is a chemical compound that is abundant in the upper layers of Earth's crust. It is solid with a silvery shine and plastic properties and belongs to the alkaline metal group. It has a variety of uses in different industries, such as glass manufacturing, paper production, detergents, and as a chemical reagent in laboratories. It is also used in food products as a leavening agent, stabiliser, and to keep the right pH levels.

In the laundry detergent industry, it is used as a water-softening agent and generates foam. Sodium carbonate is also eco-friendly and cost-effective. It is non-irritating to the skin and can be used in all types of textiles. It can be used in combination with other natural substances, such as borax and soap flakes, to make a more environmentally friendly laundry detergent.

Nowadays, some companies are aware of the environmental impact of their products and try to use natural raw resources in their products anddeploy safe technologies.