Surfactants
Raw Materials
Surfactant supply for cleaning, detergent and performance formulations.
Hawthorne sources and supplies anionic, non-ionic, amphoteric and cationic surfactants for manufacturers, brands and professional cleaning product developers.
Discuss Surfactant SupplyThe chemistry behind effective cleaning.
Surfactants are the foundation of most cleaning products. They help water spread, wet the surface, lift contamination, emulsify oils and suspend dirt so it can be rinsed away.
Hawthorne supports surfactant sourcing across automotive, home care, industrial, janitorial and specialist cleaning markets, helping customers choose raw materials based on real formulation performance.
High foam, strong detergency and excellent particulate soil removal.
Grease removal, wetting, low residue and hard water tolerance.
Foam boosting, mildness, stability and formulation compatibility.
What are surfactants?
Surfactants, or surface active agents, are molecules designed to reduce surface tension and improve the interaction between water, oils, soils and surfaces.
Their structure allows them to interact with both water and oily contamination, making them essential in shampoos, snow foams, APCs, degreasers, glass cleaners, laundry products and industrial cleaning systems.
Technical Consideration
Foam is only one part of surfactant performance.
High foam can be useful for visual appeal and dwell time, but it does not automatically mean better cleaning. Surfactant selection should consider detergency, wetting, emulsification, rinsing, residue, compatibility, stability and cost.
Surfactant families
Different surfactant families behave differently in formulation. Many high-performance products use carefully balanced blends rather than relying on one ingredient.
Anionic
High foam and strong detergency. Common in shampoos, snow foams, hand washes and detergent systems.
Non-Ionic
Excellent wetting, grease removal and hard water stability. Often used in APCs, degreasers and glass cleaners.
Amphoteric
Improves mildness, foam quality and compatibility, often used alongside anionic surfactants.
Cationic
Used in conditioning, anti-static, surface treatment and certain disinfectant or softening systems.
Surfactants we can source
Availability depends on specification, pack size, volume and supply chain conditions. The list below covers common surfactants Hawthorne can support through raw material sourcing.
SLES
Sodium Laureth Sulfate. A high-foam anionic surfactant used in shampoos, detergents and snow foam systems.
SLS
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Strong anionic surfactant used where high foam and detergency are required.
AOS
Alpha Olefin Sulfonate. High-foaming anionic surfactant with good detergency and stability.
LABSA
Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonic Acid. Widely used in detergent and heavy-duty cleaning systems.
Sodium Xylene Sulfonate
Hydrotrope used to improve solubility and stability in detergent formulations.
Sodium Cumene Sulfonate
Hydrotrope and solubilising aid for high-active cleaning formulations.
Alcohol Ethoxylates
Versatile non-ionic surfactants for wetting, detergency and grease removal.
C9-11 Alcohol Ethoxylates
Common non-ionic systems used in degreasers, APCs and professional cleaners.
C13 Alcohol Ethoxylates
Non-ionic surfactants used for emulsification, wetting and heavy-duty cleaning.
APG
Alkyl Polyglucosides. Plant-derived non-ionic surfactants known for wetting, mildness and biodegradability.
Coco Glucoside
Mild non-ionic surfactant used in home care, personal care and gentle cleaning products.
Decyl Glucoside
Mild APG surfactant suitable for eco-positioned and low-irritancy cleaning systems.
Lauryl Glucoside
Non-ionic APG surfactant used for foam, mildness and cleaning performance.
CAPB
Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Amphoteric surfactant used for foam boosting, mildness and viscosity support.
Coco Betaine
Amphoteric surfactant used to improve foam quality and compatibility.
BAC
Benzalkonium Chloride. Cationic material used in appropriate disinfectant and surface treatment applications.
Choosing the right surfactant
Surfactant selection should be based on the product's purpose, surface type, cleaning task, foam requirement, pH, compatibility, environmental profile and cost target.
Foam level
Wetting performance
Grease removal
Rinsability
Residue profile
Hard water tolerance
pH compatibility
Fragrance compatibility
Preservation compatibility
Cost and availability
High foam systems
Used where foam generation, dwell time and visual cleaning experience are important.
- Snow foams
- Vehicle shampoos
- Hand wash systems
- Foaming cleaners
Low residue systems
Used where cleaning, wetting and rinsability matter more than foam.
- Glass cleaners
- APCs
- Degreasers
- Hard surface cleaners
Formulation Led
Surfactant sourcing linked to product performance.
Hawthorne considers how surfactants behave inside finished formulations, including interactions with solvents, chelates, fragrance, preservatives, salts, thickeners and packaging.
Typical applications
Surfactants are used across almost every cleaning product category, from consumer products through to industrial concentrates.
Automotive
Snow foams, shampoos, pre-washes, wheel cleaners, APCs and interior cleaners.
Home Care
Surface cleaners, refill systems, kitchen cleaners, bathroom cleaners and glass cleaners.
Industrial
Heavy-duty degreasers, floor cleaners, machinery cleaning and workshop products.
Janitorial
Commercial detergents, floor care, hard surface cleaners and facilities maintenance products.
Supply formats
Surfactant supply formats depend on the material, active content, pack size, volume and supply availability. Hawthorne can support customers across commercial formats.
Bags and smaller commercial formats.
Trade and production containers.
Drum supply for higher-volume users.
IBC supply for commercial scale.
How we support surfactant sourcing
Requirement
We identify the product type, application, volume, surfactant family and technical requirements.
Review
We consider foam, detergency, compatibility, handling, documentation and supply format.
Source
We source suitable surfactant options through appropriate supply routes.
Supply
Materials are supplied in the agreed format with relevant technical information where available.
Surfactants FAQs
Can Hawthorne source surfactants not listed on this page?
Yes. The list is not exhaustive. Hawthorne can review specific surfactant requirements and investigate availability.
Can you supply SLES in IBCs?
Yes, SLES and other liquid surfactants may be available in IBC format depending on grade, volume and supply conditions.
Can you help choose a surfactant system?
Yes. Hawthorne can support surfactant selection based on foam, wetting, detergency, residue, pH, compatibility and product positioning.
Are plant-derived surfactants available?
Yes. APG surfactants such as decyl glucoside, coco glucoside and lauryl glucoside may be suitable for plant-derived or eco-positioned formulations.
Can surfactants be used in private label products?
Yes. Hawthorne can support surfactant sourcing, formulation and private label manufacturing depending on the project.
Looking for surfactant supply?
Hawthorne supports manufacturers and cleaning brands with surfactant sourcing, technical guidance and commercial supply formats.
Discuss Surfactant Supply