Author: Unionchem Publish Time: 2026-02-09 Origin: Qingdao Unionchem Co.,Ltd.
In the competitive market of cleaning products, consumers judge performance by one simple metric: "Did it get the stain out, and did the whites stay white?"
While surfactants do the heavy lifting of removing grease, Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) is the unsung hero that keeps the dirt from coming back. Known in the industry as the premier Anti-Redeposition Agent, CMC is essential for preventing the "graying" of fabrics over time.
But CMC is not just for laundry powders. In modern liquid detergents and surface cleaners, it serves as a vital rheology modifier, giving products that premium, rich flow. Here is a guide to selecting the right CMC grade to elevate your cleaning formulations.
CMC offers a dual-action benefit that addresses both the chemical cleaning process and the physical product stability.
The Problem: When surfactants pull dirt off clothes, that dirt floats in the wash water. Without a suspension agent, the dirt settles back onto the fabric, turning white sheets gray after a few washes.
The CMC Solution: CMC is an anionic (negatively charged) polymer. It adsorbs onto both the dirt particles and the fabric fibers (which are also negatively charged).
The Result: Like magnets repelling each other, the negative charge of the CMC-coated dirt repels the negative charge of the fabric. The dirt remains suspended in the water and is rinsed away.
For Liquid Detergents: CMC acts as a thickener, transforming watery formulations into stable gels that are easy to pour and dose.
For Foam: It helps stabilize the foam structure, which is a key visual cue for consumers (even if foam doesn't equal cleaning power, consumers love it).
(Find the right viscosity for your liquid or powder formulations in our Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) Product List.)
Choosing the right CMC depends heavily on whether you are making a powder or a liquid.
For Laundry Powders:
Requirement: Cost-effectiveness and rapid dissolution.
Selection: Technical Grade CMC is the industry standard here. It provides excellent anti-redeposition properties at a lower cost. The particle size should match your detergent granules to prevent segregation (separation in the box).
For Liquid Detergents:
Requirement: Clarity, solubility, and stability.
Selection: Purified or Refined CMC is necessary. Technical grades may contain salts that cloud the liquid or cause phase separation over time. You need a grade with high solubility to avoid "fish eyes" (undissolved lumps).
The Rule: A higher DS (0.8 - 1.0) generally provides better solubility and better compatibility with high-salt environments (like concentrated detergents).
Why it matters: In liquid detergents with high surfactant loads, a robust CMC is needed to prevent the formula from breaking down.
The Trend: Consumers want "Green" cleaners.
The Advantage: CMC is derived from natural cellulose and is biodegradable. Using it allows brands to claim their thickeners are nature-derived, unlike synthetic acrylates.
Challenge: A budget laundry powder brand was receiving complaints that white towels were turning dull and gray after 10 washes.
Analysis: The formula had strong surfactants but lacked a suspension agent. The dirt was redepositing.
Solution: They incorporated 1% Unionchem Technical Grade CMC.
Result: The anionic repulsion barrier created by the CMC prevented soil redeposition. Whiteness retention improved by 40% in lab tests, restoring customer satisfaction.
Challenge: A manufacturer of natural dish soap wanted to remove synthetic thickeners but found their natural formula was too runny (watery).
Solution: They selected a High-Viscosity, Refined CMC.
Result: The CMC provided a honey-like viscosity that consumers associate with quality. It also improved the longevity of the foam during dishwashing, a critical performance indicator for users.
In the detergent industry, margins are tight.
Optimization: You don't always need the highest purity. For powders, Technical CMC (purity ~60-70%) is often chemically sufficient because the salts (NaCl) present in the CMC are compatible with the filler salts (Sodium Sulfate) already in the detergent.
Premium Liquids: For clear gels, investing in Refined CMC prevents the expensive loss of product due to separation on the shelf.
Carboxymethyl Cellulose is more than an additive; it is an invisible shield that keeps fabrics clean. Whether you are fighting soil redeposition in a powder detergent or engineering the perfect flow for a liquid soap, CMC offers a biodegradable, effective solution.
At Unionchem, we offer a spectrum of CMC grades, from cost-effective technical powders to high-purity refined grades for premium liquid formulations.
Formulate for brilliance.Check our Detergent Grade CMC Specifications or contact us to discuss your specific rheology needs.
Q1: What is the recommended dosage of CMC in laundry powder?
A: Typically, CMC is used at a dosage of 0.5% to 2.0% by weight. Even a small amount is highly effective for anti-redeposition.
Q2: Can CMC be used in liquid detergents?
A: Yes, but you must use a Refined/Purified Grade. Technical grades contain salts that can cause the liquid detergent to become cloudy or separate into layers.
Q3: Is CMC compatible with enzymes?
A: Generally, yes. CMC is compatible with most proteases and lipases used in detergents. However, it is sensitive to cellulase enzymes (which are sometimes added to remove fuzz), as cellulase can degrade CMC. Formulators must balance these ingredients carefully.
Q4: Does CMC help with "hard water"?
A: CMC helps indirectly. While it doesn't soften water like chelating agents (EDTA or Zeolites), its performance as a soil suspension agent remains relatively stable in hard water compared to some other polymers.
