Why doesn't detergents form scum with hard water
Answers
Answer:
Detergents are generally ammonium or sulphonate salts of long chain carboxylic acids. They do not make scum in hard water as these chains do not react with metal ions to form insoluble precipitate.
Answer:
When soap is added to hard water, the Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions present in hard water react with soap. The sodium salts present in soaps are converted to their corresponding calcium and magnesium salts which are precipitated as scum. ... Detergents are more soluble than soaps and hence form more lather than soap.
Detergents are generally ammonium or sulphonate salts of long chain carboxylic acids. They do not make scum in hard water as these chains do not react with metal ions to form insoluble precipitate.
Because most of the ingredients in detergents become attached to the minerals in hard water instead of actually cleaning your clothes, it's necessary to add a lot more detergent and use hotter water to effectively wash your clothes in hard water.