Tel: +86 13962653966 | Email： sales@szeasychem.com
Tel: +86 13962653966 | Email： sales@szeasychem.com
Detergents—whether used in household laundry, automatic dishwashing, or industrial cleaning—face constant formulation challenges. Hard water ions like calcium and magnesium interfere with surfactant performance, cause dull fabrics, leave spots on glassware, and destabilize formulations. Traditional chelating agents like EDTA or phosphates have long been used to solve these problems, but their environmental impact and regulatory restrictions are driving formulators to adopt greener alternatives.
That’s where MGDA in detergent (methylglycine diacetic acid) comes in. A readily biodegradable chelating agent, MGDA offers excellent cleaning power, compatibility, and eco-friendly credentials. More and more detergent manufacturers are switching to MGDA to meet market demands for sustainability, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
In this article, we’ll explore how MGDA in detergent is applied across laundry, dishwashing, and industrial cleaning, its benefits compared to traditional chelators, and what procurement teams should know when sourcing bulk MGDA for detergent production.
The core role of MGDA in detergent is to bind hard water ions—especially calcium and magnesium. These ions react with surfactants, reducing foaming and cleaning efficiency, and they form deposits on fabrics, glassware, and equipment. MGDA solves this by chelating (binding) those ions, ensuring that surfactants perform at their best.
Key advantages of MGDA in detergent:
Strong chelation power – Comparable to EDTA and NTA, making it effective even in high-hardness water.
Biodegradability – Readily biodegradable according to OECD guidelines, reducing environmental impact.
pH flexibility – Performs well in both alkaline (laundry, dishwasher) and neutral formulations.
Compatibility – Works with surfactants, builders, enzymes, and bleaching agents.
Sustainability claims – Enables brands to market detergents as “phosphate-free” and “eco-friendly.”
In laundry care, water hardness directly affects detergent efficiency. Without an effective chelator, calcium and magnesium ions interfere with surfactants, causing graying of fabrics, loss of softness, and dull colors.
When formulators use MGDA in laundry detergents, they achieve:
Enhanced stain removal – Surfactants can work at full efficiency, even in hard water.
Brighter, softer fabrics – Reduced mineral deposition on cotton and synthetics.
Better enzyme performance – Protease and amylase enzymes are stabilized by chelation, improving stain breakdown.
Improved bleaching stability – In peroxide-based laundry powders or liquid detergents, MGDA prevents catalytic metal ions from degrading bleaching agents prematurely.
Many leading eco-friendly laundry brands highlight the use of biodegradable chelating agents like MGDA to appeal to sustainability-conscious consumers.
Dishwashing detergents demand strong chelation performance. Calcium and magnesium ions can cause spotting, film formation, and poor cleaning results. Traditional formulations relied heavily on phosphates, but bans and restrictions have forced innovation.
Using MGDA in dishwashing detergents offers multiple benefits:
Spot-free results – Prevents mineral spots on glassware and dishes.
Scale control – Protects dishwasher equipment from limescale buildup.
Bleach stability – Enhances performance of oxygen-based bleaching systems in dish tablets.
Eco-compliance – Allows phosphate-free claims while maintaining cleaning power.
MGDA is particularly valuable in all-in-one dishwasher tablets, where compact formulations demand high efficiency from every ingredient.
Commercial kitchens, hospitals, textile facilities, and food processing plants use heavy-duty detergents under challenging conditions. Hard water, high soil loads, and strict hygiene standards require reliable chelating agents.
Applications of MGDA in industrial detergents include:
Food processing cleaners – Chelates metal ions that interfere with sanitizers, ensuring microbiological control.
Textile cleaning and bleaching – Prevents graying of fabrics and supports stable bleaching systems.
Institutional dishwashing – Enhances cleaning in hard water and reduces equipment scale.
Surface cleaners & degreasers – Improves surfactant efficiency on floors, walls, and equipment.
I&I formulators value MGDA for its high performance combined with regulatory compliance, particularly in regions phasing out phosphates and EDTA.
When comparing MGDA in detergent with older chelators, the advantages become clear:
| Chelating Agent | Performance | Biodegradability | Regulatory Status | Cost Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDTA | Strong | Poor | Increasingly restricted | Low cost, but less sustainable |
| NTA | Strong | Readily biodegradable | Carcinogenic concerns | Limited use |
| Phosphates | Strong | Environmental issues (eutrophication) | Banned in many regions | Previously cost-effective |
| Citric Acid | Mild | Biodegradable | Safe | Too weak for heavy-duty detergents |
| MGDA | Strong | Readily biodegradable | Accepted in eco-labels | Mid-range, strong cost-in-use |
For detergent brands aiming to meet eco-label requirements (EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, Blue Angel), MGDA is an optimal choice.
Modern detergent brands face consumer and regulatory demands for sustainable products. MGDA supports compliance and market positioning:
EU Detergent Regulation – MGDA is recognized as biodegradable and safe for use.
Eco-label approvals – Fits the criteria of most sustainability certification schemes.
Retailer clean lists – Many retailers restrict EDTA; MGDA provides a compliant alternative.
Marketing advantage – Enables phosphate-free, EDTA-free, eco-friendly claims that resonate with B2B and B2C buyers.
For detergent manufacturers, sourcing MGDA requires attention to quality and supply reliability. When evaluating a supplier, consider:
Assay & purity – Ensure consistent active content.
Form – Trisodium MGDA (liquid) is most common for detergents.
Heavy metal limits – Verify low levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury.
Packaging & logistics – Drum, IBC, or bulk supply, depending on scale.
Technical support – Look for suppliers who provide formulation guidance.
Many detergent brands test MGDA alongside GLDA, citric acid, and EDTA to confirm performance in their specific base. In most cases, MGDA offers the best balance of cost, performance, and eco-acceptability.
Laundry Powder: A European detergent manufacturer replaced phosphates with MGDA and maintained high stain removal scores, while securing eco-label approval.
Dishwashing Tablets: A North American brand reformulated with MGDA and eliminated spotting complaints, enabling a “phosphate-free” claim that boosted sales.
Industrial Cleaner: A textile facility adopted MGDA-based detergents, achieving brighter whites and reduced scaling in machinery.
Q1: Can MGDA fully replace phosphates in detergents?
Yes. MGDA in detergent provides comparable chelation strength and cleaning performance without environmental drawbacks.
Q2: Is MGDA more expensive than EDTA?
Price per kg is higher, but cost-in-use is competitive because MGDA enables enzyme stability, reduces rewash rates, and supports eco-label compliance.
Q3: Does MGDA impact fragrance or dyes in detergents?
No. In fact, by binding metals, MGDA helps protect fragrance integrity and dye stability.
Q4: What dosage of MGDA is recommended in detergents?
Typical use levels are 0.5–2% active, depending on formulation and water hardness.
At Suzhou Easy Chemical, we supply high-quality MGDA for detergent applications with consistent specifications and competitive pricing. Our offering includes:
Industrial-grade MGDA (trisodium MGDA solution)
Full documentation: COA, TDS, MSDS, regulatory statements
Bulk packaging options (drum, IBC, bulk tanker)
Technical support to optimize your formulations
Reliable logistics with on-time global delivery
If you’re reformulating detergents for better performance and sustainability, now is the time to consider MGDA.
Request free samples of MGDA for detergent trials
Get bulk pricing tailored to your volumes
Access COA/TDS/MSDS for regulatory submission
👉 Contact us at sales@szeasychem.com or visit our
MGDA Supplier – Green Chelating Agent-Biodegradable EDTA-Free Alternative
to start your evaluation.
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Easychem – a manufacturer of Suzhou Easy Chemical is a professional preservative manufacturer and chemical ingredients supplier, offering for wide range of industries to global market.
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Email: sales@szeasychem.com
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