Introduction

The microbiome is a complex ecosystem of microbes, including archaea, bacteria, fungi, protists and viruses. Microbiome studies have revealed a plethora of insights that are starting to impact many industries, including cosmetics, personal and home care. For example, in recent years, modern home laundry technology has advanced into the microbiome science frontier. This has included development of probiotic laundry detergents as safe and natural ways to eliminate harmful bacteria and unpleasant odours, and to reduce biofilm formation in washing machines. Such approaches can potentially decrease the risk of exposure to pathogens, improve health and well-being through downstream effects on the skin microbiome, as well as improving washing machine cleanliness, fragrance and longevity.