Is it the suds/bubbles that are important for cleansing when washing dishes?

Question

I'd heard that the suds/bubbles aren't actually relevant to cleansing with a batch of dishwater. Is this true, or are they the actual compound doing the cleaning and sanitation?

Answer 1

The bubbles are not necessary.  In the dishwasher, you want few bubbles or they all come out onto the floor.  Same for carpet shampoo.  The cleaning is done by the soap in the water, bubbles or none.  It all has to do with chemistry - I can't explain it because I don't understand it, but the soap loosens the dirt so that it can be washed away.    

Answer 2

The presence of suds indicates that the soap has not become saturated with grease or other matter such that it is no longer effective at cleaning the dishes.

When you start out with a sink full of fresh water and dish soap, you get lots of suds because all you have in solution is the soap and water. The soap molecules bond together, allowing small spaces to be filled with air and retain a structure (bubbles). When you introduce a dirty dish and begin scrubbing it, the chemical action of the detergent is to bond on a molecular level with any contaminants (grease, food, whatever).

Once that chemical bond takes place, the soap molecules will no longer bond to anything else - including other soap molecules. So, the soapy water will no longer have suds or bubbles. And, you know it's time to change the dishwater.

Answer 3

I can't exactly say that they are necessary, but if I dont have suds in my dish water then I will drain it and run fresh soapy water..I think it's sorta gross to have just warm water that your cleaning with..Maybe it's just me but suds make a difference..And also, HOT water..As hot as you can stand..

Good Luck :)