Scientific Method Project Comparison of the cleaning capability of three brands of laundry detergent Ansley Tallent Mrs. Hess Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy

Which washing detergent gets tractor grease out the best? Identify the Problem Which washing detergent gets tractor grease out the best?

Hypothesis If I use a more expensive detergent, then it will remove stains better.

Materials 3 shirts of the same kind Same source of grease(tractor) 3 washing detergents-Tide, Arm and Hammer, and the Wal-Mart brand Washer Dryer 7 people to judge which shirt is whiter

Labeled shirt before grease applied Description of Shirts Shirt as purchased Labeled shirt before grease applied

Procedure Three white shirts were purchased from Wal-Mart Each shirt was labeled (A,B,C) Each shirt was rubbed on a tractor engine in the same spot a total of 4 times immediately before washing Each shirt was washed with in the same cycle lasting 30 minutes in cold water and then dried for 20 minutes The first shirt was washed in Tide The second shirt was washed in Arm and Hammer The third shirt was washed in Wal-Mart brand The shirts were then shown to 7 people asking them to pick the cleanest

Process used to “rub” grease on shirt Application of grease Tractor engine Process used to “rub” grease on shirt

Post Grease Application

Post Grease Application Shirt B Shirt C

Shirts after washing

Observations None of the detergents completely removed the stain Shirt A-which was cleaned using Tide- was the whitest It was difficult to choose the whitest shirt Tractor grease probably needs an industrial strength cleaner or at a minimum a pre-treating solution

Data Analysis The shirts were shown to a total of 7 people. 5 of those people thought that shirt A (cleaned with Tide) was the cleanest of the three – approximately 72%. Each of the other detergents had one person chose that shirt as the whitest – approximately 14 % each.

Comparison of detergents

Conclusion My conclusion is that Tide cleans the best and gets tractor grease out better.