Industry
Fact-checked

At AboutMechanics, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What is a Foaming Agent?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

A foaming agent is a chemical compound which facilitates the formation of foam or helps foam maintain its integrity by strengthening individual foam bubbles. Foaming agents are used in many industrial processes, and also around the home. In fact, chances are high that you came into contact with a foaming agent at some point today, perhaps while washing the dishes, preparing a load of laundry, or washing your hair.

A broad spectrum of chemicals can act as foaming agents. In all cases, they act as surfactants, reducing surface tension. Foaming agents are often packaged with products which are supposed to foam, such as detergent, activating when the detergent is released to promote the formation of foam and to keep the foam together. It is also possible to add such agents to materials while they are being processed, as seen when metal foams are produced in metalworking applications.

Laundry detergents contain foaming agents.
Laundry detergents contain foaming agents.

Different foaming agents are more effective for different materials, and chemists are often developing new products which can be used to produce foam. Some foaming agents have been criticized for toxic components which make them unsafe to use, leading to concerns about products made with these agents. A foaming agent also needs to be used with care even when it's nontoxic; in a classic example of a foaming agent gone awry, some people have learned the hard way that regular dish soap does not work in a dishwasher.

In industry, foaming agents are used whenever a foam needs to be created or when a suspension of ingredients is being prepared in the form of a foam. In the oil industry, for example, a specialty product known as drilling foam is sometimes used during drilling and oil exploration. Foams are also used in industrial cleaning applications, the preparation of building materials, and a wide range of other tasks. Such agents typically are used sparingly, as a little bit of surfactant goes a long way.

The composition of the foaming agent can have an impact on the integrity of a foam. Some foams tend to be very stiff and firm, with bubbles which have extremely strong walls. Others are softer, running together and collapsing over time. Different properties can be brought out with the selection of an appropriate foaming agent. For example, toothpaste is often formulated to have a soft foam, while some detergents have very stiff foams to ensure that they fully cover when they are used in cleaning.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a AboutMechanics researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a AboutMechanics researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Sara007

One of the easiest ways to clean your oven is to make your own foam. All you need to do is to get some vinegar and baking soda together and it will froth like crazy.

These compounds together make a great oven cleaner that is natural and much less harsh than oven cleaners you can buy at the store.

To clean your oven wipe it down with water, then sprinkle baking soda over the whole surface for a few hours. After that add your vinegar to a spray bottle and wet the vinegar. You will see it start to foam immediately. This foaming action removes all of the stuck on things left in the oven. Wipe everything clean with a damp sponge and your done.

manykitties2

I have always preferred facial cleaners that came in a foam form and didn't know until now that there was a special ingredient added to create that rich froth.

I find that the gentle foaming cleaners for dry skin work really well at keeping your skin's moisture in. Plus the foam itself feels really lovely. I think that the foam helps the oils in the products get dispersed more evenly.

Can anyone share some great products that rely on a foaming agent to make it work?

It seems to me that foams have better performance when it comes to cleaning, whether it is on your face or on your bathroom wall.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Laundry detergents contain foaming agents.
      By: burnel11
      Laundry detergents contain foaming agents.