Inactivating Enzymes in Clothing
Thursday, March 30th, 2006Enzymes are wonderful at getting organic (blood, food, and dirt) stains out of fabric. They are not living creatures; however they “eat away” at stains. Enzymes in detergents function optimally at temperatures of 68-140F (20 - 60C) and within a pH range of pH 7.5 - 10.5. Proteases and amylases are the most commonly used enzymes in detergents; however, lipases and cellulases are now showing up in many named brand detergents.
While being very helpful at ridding stains in fabric, some people, including myself, develop mild to severe reactions to enzymes.