Laundry detergent, or
washing powder, is a type of
detergent (cleaning agent) that is added for cleaning
laundry, commonly mixtures of chemical compounds including
alkylbenzenesulfonates, which are similar to soap but are less affected by
hard water. While detergent is still sold in powdered form, liquid detergents have been taking major market shares in many countries since their introduction in the 1960s.