Formulation of a Floor Cleaning Product using Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) Essential Oil and Evaluation of Foamability and Foam Durability

Abstract

The growing demand for natural products has spurred the idea of replacing synthetic fragrances with essential oils with antibacterial properties. Essential oils distilled from commercially valuable Cymbopogon citratus species has citral as a major component and finds a wide range of application such as flavors and aromas in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, and detergents and in the pharmaceutical industry. Via hydrodistillation, the extraction yield of essential oil reached 0.29%. The components for formulation of the cleaning product were determined through a survey of active ingredients: 4.5% Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate (SLES), Ethylendiamin Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA-2Na), 0.7% Coco Amido Propyl Betaine (CAPB), 1% Hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), Sodium Benzoate, 0.3% Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), 0.1% NaCl and 0.2% lemongrass essential oil. The finished product was evaluated based on the foaming ability and durability of the emulsion. At the same time, samples stored at different conditions (e.g. room temperature, acceleration, thermal shock) were evaluated for its durability. The results show that citronella oil can be used as a valuable cosmetic material, an antibacterial agent, while not adversely affecting the usability of floor cleaning liquid.