Detergent is used for synthetic detergents derived from petroleum products. Soaps are the earliest form of detergents. The function of soap is to remove dirt from a surface such as skin, floor or fabric. Detergents are defined as complete washing or cleaning products, which contain among their ingredients an organic surface-active compound that passes soil removal properties. Detergents are available as powder, bars and liquid. The bar market is dominated by Hindustan Lever with a share of over three-fourth swayed by its brands: Rin, Wheel, Shakti. The two together have a near 90% market with the rest coming in form players. Like Henkel SPIC. Detergent powder is used every one in the society and commercially. Detergents, as a constituent of the overall chemicals industry, accounts for a near 9% of the total demand for all chemicals estimated at around Rs 315 bn. Detergents, chemically known as alfa olefin sulphonates (AOS) are used as fabric brightening agent, anti-deposition agent, stain remover and as a bleacher. The overall market is estimated at around Rs 28 bn. A major input for the production of detergents is a petrochemical, Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB), while soaps rely more on an inorganic chemical, caustic soda, as a major input. Like toilet soaps market, detergents have also been experiencing low growth rates and these are expected to continue. Accordingly, from a close to 1.8 mn tonne market now, it is expected to cross the 2 mn barrier in 2007-08. Leading Brands Surf, Surf Excel, Tata Shudh, Ariel, Nirma, Wheel, Sunlight, Rin, Revel, Henko, Trilo, 501, Hipolin, Rin Power White, Surf Ultra, Henkel, Sunlight, Ezee, Hey, DIP, Godrej, Tide, Wheel. Few Indian Major Players are as under: Anchor Daewoo Inds. Ltd. Arochem Silvassa Ltd. Associated Industries Consumer Products Pvt. Ltd. Continental Chemicals Ltd. Corona Plus Industries Ltd. D C W Ltd. Ghari Industries Pvt. Ltd. Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. Godrej Industries Ltd. Harshvardhan Chemicals & Minerals Ltd. Henkel India Ltd. Henkel Marketing India Ltd. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. Hipolin Ltd. K T C Pvt. Ltd. Kanpur Detergents & Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Ltd. Kerala State Indl. Enterprise Ltd. Maheshwari Solvent Extraction Ltd. Nagalakshmi Flour Mills Ltd. New Mount Trading & Investment Co. Ltd. Nirma Consumer Care Ltd. Nirma Ltd. Pee Cee Cosma Sope Ltd. Power Soaps Ltd. Procter & Gamble Home Products Ltd. Rohit Surfactants Pvt. Ltd. Shreeji Dye-Chem Ltd. Shri Lal Mahal Overseas Ltd. Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad Standard Surfactants Ltd. Tejpur Vanijya (Calcutta) Ltd. Ultramarine & Pigments Ltd.