The cleaning of dirty clothes by soaps and detergents is due to a type of molecules called surfactants, which are present in soaps and detergents. The surfactant molecules remove the dirt by

The cleaning action of soaps and detergents is primarily due to the behavior of surfactant molecules, which possess both hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (water-fearing) ends [3]. Most dirt and grease are oily and hydrophobic in nature. When surfactants are added to water, their hydrophobic tails attach to the oily dirt, while their hydrophilic heads interact with the water [4]. As the concentration of these molecules increases, they spontaneously arrange into spherical aggregates called micelles [1]. In these structures, the hydrophobic tails cluster together to form a core that encapsulates and traps the oily dirt particles, while the ionic heads form an outer shell that remains in contact with water [2]. This process emulsifies the dirt, lifting it from the fabric and allowing it to be washed away in the core of the aggregates [3].

Sources

1. [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds > Activity 4.10 > p. 75
2. [3] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Particulate Nature of Matter > Ever heard of ... > p. 111
3. [2] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds > What you have learnt > p. 77