Detergent is a compound, or a mixture of compounds, intended to assist cleaning. The term is sometimes used to differentiate between soap and other chemical surfactants used for cleaning purposes. The effects of detergents were noted in 1913 by A. Reychler, a Belgian chemist. The first commercially available detergent was Nekal, sold in Germany in 1917, to alleviate World War I soap shortages. Detergents were mainly used in industry until World War II. By then new developments and the later con… (More on Detergents)