Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) powder is used in many products, including:
- Cleaning products: SLS is used in industrial products like engine degreasers, floor cleaners, and car wash products. It's also used in household cleaning products to remove oily stains and residues.
- Personal care products: SLS is used in shampoos, toothpastes, body wash, hand soap, facial cleansers, bubble bath, shaving foams, and more.
- Food: SLS is used as a food additive, usually as an emulsifier or a thickener. It can be found in dried egg products, some marshmallow products, and certain dry beverage bases.
- Pharmaceutical industry: SLS is used for tableting.
- Firefighting equipment: SLS is used in firefighting equipment.
SLS is a surfactant, which means it brings water and oil together, which is the basis of cleaning. It's known to irritate the skin, but experts say that SLS that gets through the skin is quickly broken down and turned into waste matter