If we test all of the cleaners, Lysol, Borax, Marseille Soap, and the PC stain remover, then the Toxic Cleaners (the Lysol and Borax) will make the most difference in the stain colour, cleaning it the best. We chose this hypothesis because we thought that since they were from bigger companies, they might clean the stains better.

BACKGROUND RESEARCH

Chemical cleaning products are harmful in many ways as they can trigger asthma, leave burns, pose a risk of long-term illness and are dangerous if swallowed or transferred into the human body any other way.

Ammonia, a commonly used substance in cleaners, is a corrosive and dangerous chemical, used mostly on glass and mirrors, as it evaporates quickly and doesn't leave streaks. Although ammonia is great in many ways, such as purifying water sources, it is also a very big contributor to global warming. 

It affects plants’ structures through soil acidification, which changes the vulnerability of plants to drought, diseases, and frost. It is also one of the main sources of nitrogen pollution. Bogs and peatlands can be affected by even low amounts of ammonia, as can animals, because many eat plants and if they have nothing to eat, the food cycle will deteriorate. 

Bleach is also a very harmful substance that is used in all sorts of cleaners. Bleach is released into the environment by leaking through water treatment plants and then getting into humans, plants, and animals through water sources. It can have long term impacts on wildlife and humans, sometimes even killing them.

MATERIALS

• LYSOL LAUNDRY DISINFECTANT DETERGENT

• BORAX

• MARSEILLE SOAP STAIN REMOVER

• PC SOIL AND STAIN REMOVER

• A WASHING MACHINE

• 0.1 mL oF KETCHUP

• 0.1 mL OF COFFEE

• 0.1 mL OF CHOCOLATE SAUCE

• 0.1 mL OF RED WINE

• A SYRINGE

• A CLEAN, OLD WHITE T-SHIRT OR BEDSHEET

• SCISSORS

PROCEDURE:

1. GATHER ALL THE MATERIALS.

2. CUT UP THE OLD T-SHIRT OR BEDSHEET INTO 16 EQUAL-SIZED SQUARES.

3. SPREAD THE FABRIC INTO 4 PILES, WITH 4 SQUARES IN EACH.

4. GET 0.1 MILLILITERS OF KETCHUP IN THE SYRINGE AND DROP IT ON ONE OF THE SQUARES OF FABRIC. REPEAT THIS WITH 3 MORE SQUARES.

5. REPEAT STEP 4 USING COFFEE, CHOCOLATE SAUCE, AND RED WINE.

6. FOR THE THICKER STAINS (KETCHUP AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE) DAB THE STAIN WITH A CLEAN CLOTH.

7. LEAVE THE STAINS FOR 1 DAY. 

8. RATE THE DARKNESS OF THE STAIN ON A SCALE OF 1-10, TEN BEING REALLY DARK AND ONE NOT VERY DARK AT ALL

9. ADD THE AMOUNT OF LYSOL DIRECTED ON THE BOTTLE TO ONE SQUARE OF EACH STAINING SUBSTANCE.

10. REPEAT STEP 8 FOR BORAX, MARSEILLE SOAP, AND THE PC STAIN REMOVER.

11. TURN ON THE WASHING MACHINE, PUT ALL THE SQUARES IN, AND START IT ON A NORMAL WASH CYCLE.

12. WAIT UNTIL THE MACHINE FINISHES AND REMOVE THE SQUARES.

13. RECORD THE DATA AND RATE THE DARKNESS ON A SCALE OF 1-10.

This is our picture of before we put the cleaners on and before we put them in the wash.

This is a picture of after we put the cleaners on and after we put them in the wash.

CONCLUSION

Our science fair project aimed to find out if laundry can be cleaned with greener and more environmentally friendly cleaners.

After the experiment, we found out that the PC stain remover (a natural cleaner) made the greatest

difference in reducing the stain, with a  6.75 (on a scale of 1-10) difference on average,

More than Lysol, Borax, and Marseille Soap. The Lysol (a “toxic” cleaner) made the least difference on the lightness of the stains, making 1.25 of a difference on average, less than all the others. In the end, our hypothesis was incorrect as the Natural Cleaners (PC stain remover and Marseille soap) made the most difference in the colour of the stain overall.

Our science fair project helps to encourage people to use more environmentally friendly cleaners by showing that the natural cleaners (the Marseille Soap and PC stain remover) overall cleaned the stains better than the toxic cleaners, which helps with 2 things; not only does it help help people clean their laundry, but it also helps wildlife, animals, and the environment in general by reducing the amount of chemicals used and toxins released into nature.

SOURCES OF ERROR

• The amount of cleaner was hard to keep exact and consistent, as there was a powder, 2 liquids and a solid soap.
• We measured the colour of the stain after, and it wasn’t the most reliable, because our observations were subjective (They were based our opinions).
• We didn’t repeat every combination of cleaner and stain, and we probably should have done more, so we could've had a bigger sample size.

REFERENCES

Fletcher, J. (2020, February 18). Green cleaning products: Benefits and recipes. Www.medicalnewstoday.com. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/green-cleaning-products

Ammonia. (n.d.). Chemical Safety Facts. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/chemicals/ammonia/#:~:text=Proper%20ventilation%20is%20important%20when

The merits of Marseille soap. (n.d.). Www.marius-Fabre.com. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://www.marius-fabre.com/en/blog/the-merits-of-marseille-soap-n158#:~:text=Good%20in%20the%20home

RAND Corporation. (n.d.). Agricultural ammonia emissions carry steep costs. Www.rand.org. https://www.rand.org/randeurope/research/projects/impact-of-ammonia-emissions-on-biodiversity.html#:~:text=Ammonia%20emissions%20negatively%20affect%20biodiversity.&text=Ammonia%20pollution

How Bleach Damages The Environment And Our Health | The Momentum. (n.d.). Www.themomentum.com. Retrieved March 6, 2024, from https://www.themomentum.com/articles/how-bleach-damages-the-environment-and-our-health#:~:text=Bleach%20escapes%20into%20the%20environment

Green Cleaning Guide. (n.d.). Clean Water Action. https://cleanwater.org/green-cleaning-guide

We would like to thank Mr. Baillie for his continued support throughout this project.