Why does soap remove dirt?
To wash well we not only need water, but also soap. Its use is very important since water alone does not remove dirt. But why the soap cleans?Acne Aid Soap Bar for Acne and Oily Skin 100 grams
Its manufacturing method is called saponification, which consists of heating fats with the ashes of alkaline plants, which produces soap, water and glycerin. However, what gives soap its peculiar ability to cleanse the human body and clothes is the double personality of its molecules. While one end (hydrophobic) flees from the water and tends to bind to the fat, the other (hydrophilic) grabs the water releasing the fat.
The hydrophilic molecule is represented as a head similar to water, while the hydrophobic is like a long chain that runs away from it and clings to dirt. When the soap comes into contact with water, the long hydrophobic chains bind to the fat particles, while the hydrophilic heads project into the water. At the same time an emulsion like oil and water is produced, which means that the oil particles (dirt) are suspended in the water and are released from the skin or clothes. Once it is clear, the emulsion is removed.
In addition, for the soap to clean properly, the hydrophilic side must exert a greater force to be able to remove the dirt. The movement that occurs in the washing process, either by rubbing with the hand or spinning the machine, in addition to the use of hot water, promotes the detachment of the fat particles, so that they divide and end up dissolving. For this reason it is important to rub on all sides, since we guarantee that the washing will be better.
The effectiveness of the soap is reduced when the water contains large amounts of mineral salts, especially calcium and magnesium, since the contact of the soap with these causes an insoluble precipitate to form that gives the clothes a touch as if it had been starched Therefore, the softener is normally used.