stain remover

[freeradical]

Phosphates are really cool. Instead of acting like a precipitating agent, they act like a chelating agent. This means that the calcium and magnesium cations are bound up but stay in solution so that your detergent becomes more affective. Since theses cations don't precipitate out, they are easily rinsed away, and don't deposit themselves in your clothing or the parts of your washing machine.