A unique polymer additive developed by Rajasthan Detergent has revolutionised the entire washing process

Water everywhere has low or high calcium/magnesium hardness. When clothes are washed with low phosphate, high soda ash formulated detergents then calcium and magnesium from the water forms insoluble salts with detergent liquor. These insoluble salts get deposited on the clothes. This deposition results in greying of white clothes, colour fading of coloured fabrics and overall roughening or harshening of all types of clothes. The soft feel or silky feel of the clothes goes away. The suspended dirt gets re-deposited on the washed cloth.

Rajasthan Detergent has developed RDPOL-5D, a unique polymer additive for detergent formulation which has revolutionised the entire washing process. Incorporation of this polymer in detergent/soap formulation in very small quantities not only improves the overall detergency but also enhances the whiteness and brightness of clothes. By incorporating RDPOL-5D in detergent formulation, calcium and magnesium salts in the water make soluble complexes with it which gets washed away with rinse water. Further it keeps the dirt in suspension and prevents it from getting re-deposited on the washed clothes. The smoothness or soft touch of the clothes does not go away even with repeated wash. In detergent powder formulation, besides eliminating the adverse effects of hardness of water ions it makes the powder free flowing and further dusting and caking is minimised. The spray drying operation becomes smooth and consumes less power. Moreover it inhibits precipitation of silicates carbonates and phosphates and increases the stability of bleaching ingredients.

Incorporation of RDPOL-5D in detergent cake or oil soap formulation does many wonders. Most small and medium scale soap or detergent cake manufacturers are facing a large number of problems relating to quality and manufacturing. Some have cake binding problem, same face problems of hardening of cake even after storage of just one or two months, some face the problem of drying of cakes, while some face problem of having roughness on the surface thereby giving bad appeal to customers. If one wonders how by incorporating merely 1 to 2% RDPOL in the formulation of detergent cakes, not only detergency or washing improves, just remember that not just that, but all the problems listed above will go away in one stroke. Further, the problem of greying of white clothes or colour fading of bright coloured fabrics will not arise even after repeated wash. In addition, the production of soap cake increases up to 10%, thereby giving a lot of economy in power, labour and other expenses.

Liquid detergent formulators are also facing many problems. Some are facing the problem of stability against sedimentation. Some are facing the problem of clarity and some are facing the problem of adding builders in the formulation to make heavy-duty liquid detergents. By incorporating RDPOL-5D in the formulation of liquid detergent, the formulator can increase the substantial amount of alkaline builders other than phosphate builders. Phosphate builders are known to be environmentally hazardous. The RDPOL-5D formulated liquid solves the problem of sedimentation, improves the clarity and overall stability and gives soft feel to the clothes.

It will have superior soil removal and anti redeposition properties.In many developed countries phosphate builders had been completely banned on account of environment issues. In these countries most of the high quality detergent products have this type of polymer as their phosphate substitute. In global regions (such as India) where phosphate built laundry detergents are common the use of RDPOL-5D can substitute partly or fully the costly phosphates and the products quality gets improved considerably without adding to the cost. Further, these products become greener, and environment-friendly RDPOL-5D can also be used in making of varieties of other cleaners such as utensils, crockery and kitchenware cleaners, hard surface cleaners of windows, tubs tiles, metals and floors, etc.

Rajasthan Detergent has a pool of chemical engineers. The main promoter, Mr Damodar Das Lohiya has done his Masters in Chemical Engineering with specialisation in process development from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. Another promoter, Mr Vineet Lohiya, has done his Masters in Polymer Science under one of the world's most renowned polymer scientists from the University of Manchester, UK. Further, the company has support from technical experts from Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland.

(Contact: Vineet Lohiya, Rajasthan Detergent, Jodhpur. Tel: 0291-2740681. Mobile: 098283-51025. Email: vineetlohiya@rediffmail.com)