Thickened sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) detergent has the advantage of creating the appearance that is appealing to sight and are also easier to apply than low viscosity ones. Formulating the detergent to achieve a desired viscosity can become a very frustrating task if not well understood.

Sodium laureth sulfate detergents are commonly thickened by addition of little amount of one of the following salts:
– Ammonium chloride
– Sodium chloride
– Sodium sulphate

The thickness of the detergent also depends on its pH. Therefore the pH of the formulation must be increased or decreased to about 6.0 using sodium hydroxide or citric acid.

How to Thicken SLES Liquid detergent

1. Pour 950g of SLES formulation into a bowl or beaker.
2. Dissolve 10g citric acid in about 50g water and add a little at a time while checking with the pH meter (stir gently each time) until the pH is adjusted to 6.0
3. Add 5g of salt and stir vigorously until the detergent thickens into a white foamy mixture.
4. Set aside overnight for suds to clear out.