Enzymes are key cleaning ingredients in laundry detergents. They are highly efficient, effective at low concentrations, are readily biodegradable, and support low-temperature washing and product compaction. This article explains what enzymes are, why they are important in laundry detergents, how they work, addresses questions concerning their safety, and discusses the advanced blend of enzymes used in Ariel detergents.
What are enzymes?
In the simplest terms, enzymes are cleaning actives that break up soils into smaller pieces. In nature, enzymes are involved in many biological processes like cell repair and digestion. In laundry detergents they break down common stains, making it easier to wash the dirt away. Specific types of enzymes act on a specific type of soil e.g. lipases break down lipids, and amylases break down starches.
Why are enzymes important in laundry detergents?
Enzymes have been important cleaning actives for decades, helping to make laundry detergents more efficient, even at lower temperatures. In laundry detergents, various enzymes can be used, such as proteases, lipases and amylases, to help break down proteins, fats, starches, and greasy body soils into smaller fragments that can be more easily removed during washing. This targeted action delivers a high degree of stain removal and whiteness while being gentle on colours. In addition:
Enzymes enable compaction: because enzymes are so efficient, a small amount goes a long way. This allows us to create more compact detergents with less packaging and a smaller carbon footprint.
Enzymes enable more sustainable cold and quick washing: scientists have been improving the efficiency of enzymes over the years to make them effective even at lower temperatures, helping to save energy with every wash. When clothes are washed in cold water, they last much longer, which brings further sustainability benefits.
How do enzymes work during a wash cycle?
Enzymes work with a simple, three-step process:
Initial contact: In the wash, each enzyme seeks out and binds to its specific type of stain, like a key fitting into a lock.
Breakdown: The enzyme then gets to work, efficiently breaking down the large, complex stain molecule into smaller, simpler pieces.
Removal: These small pieces dissolve easily in water and are lifted away from the fabric by the other ingredients in the detergent called surfactants, leaving your clothes clean.
Are enzymes in detergents safe?
Yes, enzyme safety is strictly regulated in Europe by the CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), which ensures their use is properly assessed and managed. Additionally, industry-wide stewardship led by Detergents Europe has guided enzyme suppliers and detergent manufacturers on proper use of enzymes. The effectiveness of this stewardship programme has been continuously recognized in scientific research, which has debunked the myth that enzymes can have adverse effects on skin (Basketter et al., 2008, British Journal of Dermatology).
The advanced enzyme blend used in Ariel products
Which enzymes are used in laundry detergents products?
Since the first use of enzymes in the 1960’s by Ariel in a consumer laundry detergent, there have been many new innovations brought to the market. This includes new types of enzymes, to target a broader set of stains and soils, and making the enzymes more efficient. The following types of enzymes are used in laundry detergents; the exact composition of your Ariel detergent can be found here: www.info-pg.com.
Enzyme Family | Target | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
Proteases | Protein-based stains (e.g., sweat, blood, egg) | Break down protein stains into smaller, more easy-to-remove pieces. |
Lipases | Fat and oil stains (e.g., butter, grease, sebum) | Break down lipids into smaller materials including glycerol and free fatty acids, making them water-soluble |
Amylases | Carbohydrate-based stains (e.g., foods thickened with starch) | Break down complex carbohydrates into smaller, water-soluble sugars, making them easier to wash away. |
Nucleases | Extracellular DNA/RNA (e.g., in biological residues originating from bacteria) | Remove invisible layers of grime that cause yellowing and odours over time (Morales-Garcia et al., 2020, Journal of Surfactants and Detergents) |
Cellulases | Fabric fibres | Gently polish cotton fibres to help restore colour vibrancy and release trapped dirt (Yau et al., Scientific Reports) |
Pectinases | Pectin (e.g., fruit stains, some plant-based stains) | Break down pectin, a complex carbohydrate found in plant cell walls, helping to remove fruit and vegetable stains. |
Mannanases | Galactomannans (e.g., in some food thickeners, cosmetics, personal care products) | Break down galactomannans, often found as thickening agents in food and personal care products, helping to remove associated stains. |
What is Purezyme technology?
Purezyme technology is our hero for cold water washing. Inspired by an enzyme discovered by a team from Newcastle University, UK, in nature on cold-water seaweed, it’s a powerful cleaner specifically designed to attack and remove tough, sticky soils, even in cold and quick cycles.
Are the enzymes used in Ariel products safe?
Yes. Every ingredient Ariel uses, and every product created, undergoes a meticulous 4-step evaluation developed by the National Academy of Sciences (National Research Council, National Academy Press, 1983). With regards to enzyme safety specifically, Ariel fully adheres to Detergents Europe’s guidance for the risk assessment of enzyme-containing products for professional cleaning.
