The team reported that the sustainable plant-based detergent, which is composed of tiny wood fibers and corn protein, reportedly removes stains on clothes and dishes as well as common products already available on the market.

Currently available eco-friendly cleaners are challenging to manufacture, tough to rinse off and include high manufacturing and retail costs — not to mention the potential to damage surfaces and fabrics.

To improve upon what is currently available, the researchers blended cellulose nanofibers from wood with zein protein from corn, transforming them into an emulsion. Making this emulsion possible is cellulose’s ability to attract and repel water as well as capture different types of stains. Meanwhile, the zein protein stabilizes the mixture and traps oils, the researchers added.

In the lab, the team evaluated the cleaning effectiveness of the new detergent on cotton fabrics and dishes stained with ink, chili oil and tomato paste. They tested the new detergent against laundry powder and commercial dish soap solutions using deionized water.

The team reported that when they tested the detergent on cotton fabric, the cellulose/zein detergent was just slightly less effective than a laundry powder solution at the same 1% dilution by weight. When increased to a 5% concentration, the mixture removed stains more effectively than the 1% laundry powder solution.

Further, microscopic analysis showed that the detergent left behind no residue on the cotton fabric once it was washed and rinsed, which indicates that it is not likely to damage the material.

The team then tested the detergent on chili oil stains on ceramic, stainless steel, glass and plastic plates, all of which it cleaned almost as well as commercial dish soap at the same dilution, while at a 5% concentration, it outperformed traditional detergents.

An article detailing the detergent, “Researchers create eco-friendly detergent from wood fiber and corn protein,” appears in the American Chemical Society journal Langmuir.