Math Behind Cleaning

Did you know cleaning is more than just chemistry? 
There’s actually an equation that determines the total amount of energy it takes to properly clean something:

Total Energy(Cleaning) = Energy(Mechanical) + Energy(Thermal) + Energy(Chemical)

There are three types of energy that combine to create a clean surface.  Mechanical energy comes from you, scrubbing away.  Thermal energy comes from the temperature of the cleaning solution, such as hot soapy water.  Chemical energy is what the chemicals in cleaning products bring to the equation.

So, if you don’t want to scrub very hard, but still want the same Total Energy that gets the dirty surface 100% clean, you need to raise either the Thermal energy or the Chemical energy.  For example, imagine washing a dirty dinner plate with a sponge and some soapy water.  If the water is cold, you’ll have to scrub harder, but if the water is hot, you won’t get a sore arm.