Dishwashing liquid harm household silver, fine glassware, anything with gold leaf, disposable plastics, and any objects made of brass, bronze, cast iron, pewter, tin, or wood, especially when combined with hot water and the action of a dishwasher. When dishwashing liquid is used on such objects it is intended that they be washed by hand. Hand dishwashing detergents utilize surfactants to play the primary role in cleaning. The reduced surface tension of dishwashing water, and increasing solubility of modern surfactant mixtures, allows the water to run off the dishes in a dish rack very quickly. However, most people also rinse the dishes
Dishwashing liquid dishwashing before detergents were invented in Germany during World War I. Liquid detergent used for dishwashing was first manufactured in the middle of the 20th century. Dishwashing detergent producers started production in the United States in the 1930–1940s. Teepol, the first such in Europe, commenced production in 1942. In 2005, dishwashing detergent retail sales totaled nearly USD $10 billion worldwide. Dishwashing detergents for dishwashers are manufactured and marketed variously as cartridges, gel, liquids, pacs, powder, and tablets. Any dishwashing liquid may contain bleach, enzymes, or rinsing aids. Some dishwashing detergents may be homemade, using ingredients such as borax, essential oil,