lipase

Detergents on the international market contain principal ingredients that operate by almost identical detergency mechanisms. Soil and stains are removed by mechanical action assisted by surfactants, builders, and enzymes. Alkaline proteases, amylases, or lipases in heavyduty detergents hydrolyze and solubilize substrate soil attached to fabrics or hard surfaces.

Fats and oils are difficult to remove from laundry at low temperatures because of their strong hydrophobicity . Lipases hydrolyze triglyceride to more hydrophilic mono- and diglycerides, free fatty acids, and glycerol. These hydrolysis products are all soluble in alkaline conditions. In laundering, the effects of lipases are seen only after several wash cycles.