Chemistry of Consumer Products

Flashcards covering the chemistry, classification, and ingredients of household cleaning products and personal care items.

__________ are natural or synthetic substances used to remove dirt, stains, and bad smells from surfaces while disinfecting and killing microorganisms.

Cleaning agents

Cleaning agents that contain organic solvents to help dissolve oils and fats are known as __________.

degreasers

There are generally four types of cleaning agents: acidic, alkaline, neutral, and __________.

degreaser

The primary goal of __________ cleaning agents is to brighten up metals or dissolve existing minerals.

acidic

Examples of acidic cleaners include muriatic acid, lemon, and __________.

vinegar

The role of __________ cleansing agents is to dissolve fats, oils, and proteins found in organic matter like blood and sweat.

alkaline

Alkaline cleaners like laundry detergent, ammonia, and soap are almost always meant to be used with __________.

water

One of the most popular __________ cleaners is water, which has the right pH for removing surface dust and debris.

neutral

__________ ingredients are substances that directly help in achieving the performance objectives of a certain product.

Active

Purpose cleaners are __________ alkaline surface cleaners intended for a wide variety of uses on floors and walls.

weakly

Glass cleaners typically contain water, glycol ethers, __________, and alcohols.

ammonia

In carpet and upholstery cleaning, __________ have additional porous carrier material that traps dirt.

powders

__________ are designed to completely kill all disease-causing microorganisms called pathogens, such as salmonella or staphylococci.

Disinfectants

Unlike disinfectants, __________ only reduce the population of microbes to a level considered safe.

sanitizers

Personal care products are often referred to as __________ products because they deal with the skin, hair, and nails.

dermatological

Excessive amounts of __________ on the skin can cause irritation and sun sensitivity, though they help reduce fine lines.

Alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA)

__________ (also known as salicylic acid) penetrates oil-laden hair follicle openings to prevent the skin from developing acne.

Beta-hydroxy acid (BHA)

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is known as the __________ because of its solubility in both water and oil.

universal antioxidant

__________ is naturally produced in the brain and present in fishes like anchovies and salmon; it can reduce wrinkles when applied topically.

Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE)

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate is a high foam surfactant that disrupts __________ bonding in water to allow deeper cleaning of cloth and hair.

hydrogen

The inorganic compound __________ is capable of fluoridating tooth enamel to make teeth resistant to bacterial decay.

Sodium Fluoride ($NaF$)

__________ has antibacterial and antifungal properties and is commonly found in dental products like toothpaste.

Triclosan

A highly toxic substance used as a preservative and disinfectant that must have a concentration less than $0.2\%$ to avoid skin irritation is __________.

Formaldehyde

__________ acts as a skin anesthetic at $100\%$ concentration and gives a cool feeling to the skin.

Menthol

The substance __________ is added to shampoos to treat dandruff, though some studies suggest it may damage nerves.

Zinc pyrithione

Zinc sulfate is a skin freshener formed by the reaction between __________ and zinc metal.

sulfuric acid