[iScience]

i have a top loader and my concern was that if surfactants remain on the surface of water, none of the clothes on the bottom would get washed would they?

if surfactants don't in fact stay on the surface of water, please explain to me why; because it would make sense to me if they actually did stay on the surface.

[curiouscat]

There's two different "surfaces" involved: Water-Air & Oil-Water

[iScience]

so.. does the surfactant stay on the water surface?

[Arkcon]

Surfactant is a contraction of "surface active agent", so you're right there.  However, its simply a misnomer that we've all agreed to use.  Yes, surfactants often tend to disperse throughout  the water, if they're soluble enough.  Their presence makes water more "active" at a grease surface.  But the never worked only at the water's surface.  We simply decided to define the effect surfactants have on water's surface tension in the name.  Definition is right here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant

[magician4]

to put it plain and simple: don't worry,the surfactants won't remain at the surface preferably, in any meaningfull way

toploaders will work with soap, no question


regards

Ingo