Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPS) are high molecular weight carbohydrate polymers secreted by bacteria, fungi, and algae, representing an important class of bio-based materials with wide ranging industrial and environmental applications. These polymers are broadly classified into capsular polysaccharides, which remain tightly bound to the microbial cell surface, and slime polysaccharides, which are released into the extracellular medium. The structural diversity of EPS, determined by variations in monosaccharide composition, glycosidic linkages, molecular weight, and functional group substitutions, confers unique physicochemical properties such as viscosity modulation, emulsification, flocculation, and gel formation. Such properties are further complemented by biological activities including antimicrobial effects, biofilm formation, metal ion chelation, and strong biocompatibility, rendering EPS suitable as environmentally friendly cleansing agents in diverse sectors. Beyond their inherent biodegradability and safety, microbial EPS hold promise as sustainable alternatives to chemical surfactants and synthetic polymers in cleaning formulations, wastewater treatment, soil remediation, and biomedical hygiene. This review critically examines the structural complexity, biosynthetic mechanisms, and multifunctional applications of microbial EPS, with particular focus on their emerging role as eco-friendly cleansing agents. It further explores optimization strategies, technological interventions, and future research directions needed to overcome production bottlenecks, improve scalability, and establish standardized evaluation protocols, thereby paving the way for their wider industrial adoption.
