Soap

The chemical structure of sodium laureth sulfate, a typical ingredient found in liquid soaps

Emulsifying action of soap on oil

Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products.^[1] In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are used as thickeners, components of some lubricants, and precursors to catalysts.

When used for cleaning, soap solubilizes particles and grime, which can then be separated from the article being cleaned. In hand washing, as a surfactant, when lathered with a little water, soap kills microorganisms by disorganizing their membrane lipid bilayer and denaturing their proteins.^{[citation needed]} It also emulsifies oils, enabling them to be carried away by running water.^[2]

Soap is created by mixing fats and oils with a base.^[3] Humans have used soap for millennia; evidence exists for the production of soap-like materials in ancient Babylon around 2800 BC.

^ IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book") (1997). Online corrected version: (2006–) "Soap". doi:10.1351/goldbook.S05721
^ Tumosa, Charles S. (2001-09-01). "A Brief History of Aluminum Stearate as a Component of Paint". cool.conservation-us.org. Archived from the original on 2017-03-18. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
^ "What's The Difference Between Soap and Detergent". cleancult.com. Archived from the original on 2019-12-18. Retrieved 2019-12-18.

[1] IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book") (1997). Online corrected version: (2006–) "Soap". doi:10.1351/goldbook.S05721

[2] Tumosa, Charles S. (2001-09-01). "A Brief History of Aluminum Stearate as a Component of Paint". cool.conservation-us.org. Archived from the original on 2017-03-18. Retrieved 2017-04-05.

[3] "What's The Difference Between Soap and Detergent". cleancult.com. Archived from the original on 2019-12-18. Retrieved 2019-12-18.

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