ABSTRACT
Introduction For more than a century, the efficacious nature of borate compounds has been recognized and exploited in the development of household and commercial cleaning products. Today’s compact and highly sophisticated laundry detergent formulations have evolved almost beyond recognition over this period, and boron compounds are often required to fulfil new and demanding roles, for example, as coatings and stabilizers of enzymes and other reactive ingredients. Nevertheless, they are no less effective at performing their more traditional functions as alkaline buffers, deodorizers, and in particular, as bleaches and builders or water softeners. It is the multifunctionality of boron compounds in laundry detergency which provides value to the formulator and will ensure their continued use in these products for many years to come.
