Ama-surfactants ayisistimu eyinkimbinkimbi, nakuba wonke angase abizwe ngokuthi ama-surfactants, ukusetshenziswa kwawo okuqondile nokusetshenziswa kwawo kungase kwehluke ngokuphelele. Isibonelo, ngesikhathi senqubo yokushuka, ama-surfactants angasetshenziswa njenge-ejenti yokungena, i-leveling agent, ukumanzisa umhlane, ukususa amafutha, ukukhuluphala, ukuthambisa kabusha, ukufaka emulsifying noma imikhiqizo yokuhlanza.
Kodwa-ke, lapho ama-surfactants amabili anemiphumela efanayo noma efanayo, kungase kube nokudideka okuthile.
I-ejenti yokucwilisa kanye ne-ejenti yokwehlisa amafutha yizinhlobo ezimbili zemikhiqizo ye-surfactant evame ukusetshenziswa ngesikhathi sokucwiliswa. Ngenxa yezinga elithile lokuwasha kanye nekhono lokumanzisa lama-surfactants, ezinye izimboni zingayisebenzisa njengemikhiqizo yokuwasha nokucwiliswa emanzini. Kodwa-ke, ukusetshenziswa kwe-agent ekhethekile yokucwiliswa kwe-ionic empeleni kubalulekile futhi akunakuthathelwa indawo.