Detergents are substances or preparations containing, among other things, soap or other surfactants intended for water-based laundry or dishwashing processes. Detergents may be of any form (liquid, powder, paste, bar, cake, moulded piece, shaped, etc.) and be used for household, institutional or industrial purposes. The function of detergents is to wash or clean laundry, fabrics, dishes or kitchen utensils, as well as hard surfaces.
A detergent is combination of various ingredients for a specific function, depending on the purpose to be achieved, the material to be cleaned, the properties of the water, and so on. A detergent formulation may also differ from one region to another depending on the washing habits of the population.