Back to: The Effects of Enzyme Cleaners
Enzyme chemicals are used in laundry detergents. If you clean BNB’s or vacation rentals it’s important to understand the risks and storage precautions.
What Are Enzymatic Cleaners?
Enzymatic cleaners are any cleaning products that use enzymes in their formulas to help break down stains.
Types of enzymes used in laundry detergents to loosen stains and ground-in dirt:
Cationic
Cationic detergents are the most toxic when taken internally.
Ingestion can result in nausea, vomiting, shock, convulsions, and coma.
Anionic
Non-Ionic
“Non-ionic” detergents are less toxic but can irritate skin and eyes or make you more sensitive to other chemicals.
Asthma can develop if a person is exposed to large quantities of detergent. Detergents are also responsible for many household poisonings from accidental swallowing.
Other cleaning products that contain enzymes are drain cleaners, carpet and upholstery cleaners and pet odor removal products.
Make sure you never keep laundry detergents on the floor or within the reach of children or pets.
Enzymes are macromolecular biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions. And different types of enzymes break down different types of stains.
Lipolases
Breaks down fats or oil-based stains
Proteases
Breaks down protein based stains
Amylases
Breaks down carbohydrates and starches
