Ingredients --

Tetrasodium etidronate

Chemical Formula:

tetrasodium etidronate

Synonyms

Tetrasodium (1-hydroxyethylidene) bisphosphonate

Description

Tetrasodium etidronate and the related

Disodium etidronate
disodium etidronate are chelating agents and sequestering agents that attach to metal ions to keep them from reacting with other compounds in a mixture, and to prevent them from precipitating out of solution as insoluble scums.

Uses

Tetrasodium etidronate is used as a water softener in soaps to prevent soap scums and bathtub rings by locking up the calcium and magnesium in the water.

Compounds with similar functions are sodium carbonate, sodium edta, sodium citrate, phosphoric acid, and tetrasodium pyrophosphate.