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Dawn literally has a patent on some chemical that makes it better at cutting grease
I was bored last night and went down a rabbit hole on Google Patents after my sister swore Ajax works just as good. Turns out Dawn has a specific patent (US 5,879,000 or something like that) for a surfactant blend that breaks down animal fats way faster. I found a study from 2019 that tested 12 brands and Dawn dissolved grease in 4 seconds while Ajax took almost 15 seconds. That blew my mind because I always thought they were basically the same soap. Has anyone else actually looked into the science behind these or am I just nerding out too hard?
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river9522mo ago
Honestly, is that 2019 study even worth the paper it's printed on though? The patent thing is cool and all, but I'd bet my last dollar the difference comes down to marketing hype and people just believing Dawn is special. Sure, it might break down grease a few seconds faster in a lab, but who's timing their dish soap in real life? Water temp, how much you use, and even the type of pan you're scrubbing matters way more than some chemical patent. Ngl, if Ajax is half the price and gets the job done in my kitchen, I'm not losing sleep over four seconds.
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park.miles2mo ago
The 2019 study you mentioned only tested one specific concentration at one temperature though. In my experience running a small business, different water hardness levels totally change how fast any soap breaks down grease. That patent is real but it's just one piece of a bigger picture that doesn't always play out the same way in a home kitchen.
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