# Detergents with phosphates
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 28, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937 "2004-12-28T15:45:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937/1 "2004-12-28T15:45:06Z")
I am looking to make a wash-offable “paint” that will fluoresce under black light. Now, I know that in days of yore, this could be done with laundry detergent, because it used to be full of phosphates. Now - and for some good reasons - any detergent I’ve looked at clearly states that there are no phosphates added.
Any brands of detergent that still do have the phosphates?
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### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937/2 "2004-12-28T15:46:49Z")
> [@Engywook](#):
>
> I am looking to make a wash-offable “paint” that will fluoresce under black light. Now, I know that in days of yore, this could be done with laundry detergent, because it used to be full of phosphates. Now - and for some good reasons - any detergent I’ve looked at clearly states that there are no phosphates added.
>
> Any brands of detergent that still do have the phosphates?
Phosphates or not in detergent (at least last I knew) was on a state-by-state basis. Some states have banned them, others haven’t. It’s not so much on the specific brand of detergent, just the formulation for the area.
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### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937/3 "2004-12-28T15:49:22Z")
Also, phosphates are a common ingredient in some fertilizers. So that might be another route to check. Note that I have no idea how safe that is.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937/4 "2004-12-28T17:27:46Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I am looking to make a wash-offable “paint” that will fluoresce under black light.
Many laundry detergents contain ‘optical brighteners’. These fluoresce under UV. Look for the term on the label. Or get a package of Ritt fabric whitener, its main ingredient is optical brighteners.
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### Author:  [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937/5 "2004-12-28T17:31:41Z")
Woolite works great under black light (saw it used at a black light party just last year). Dunno why but give it a try…
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### Author:  [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937/6 "2004-12-28T21:21:23Z")
Most laundry detergents will contain optical brighteners that will fluoresce under ultraviolet light. They are not all based on phosphorous, but are organic dyes which absorb UV and emit visible light.
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### Author:  [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2004, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937/7 "2004-12-28T21:23:02Z")
Or what Squink said.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [December 28, 2004, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detergents-with-phosphates/281937/8 "2004-12-28T23:54:30Z")
You can buy tri-sodium phosphate at most hardware stores. It’s used to wash walls as a pre-painting prep. Phosphate detergents were banned in my state a long time ago, but you can still get TSP.