Magic Soap

The Science Of Soap

When it all comes down, you can't beat soap for most cleaning jobs around the home. Can you think of a commercial cleaning product (or, to be more correct, another commercial cleaner – soap is made commercially) that is able to clean clothes (including delicates like woollens and lace), clean floors, clean toilets, clean cars and also clean skin and hair? Author and advertising copywriter Dorothy Sawyers once mused that if the advertising machine stopped singing the praises of super-duper sainitisers that we would all fall back on good old soap and water for the heavy-duty cleaning jobs.

But how does soap work? What makes it such a good cleaner? It's not magic, after all.

Soap is made by combining fat of some sort (vegetable oils make a softer, gentler soap suitable for cleaning faces and hands, or for washing wool; animal fats such as tallow make a harder soap for heavy-duty cleaning jobs) with caustic soda or lye. This makes soap qualify as a natural cleaning product par excellence, as tallow is a by-product of the meat industry while caustic soda or lye can be made from wood ash, another waste product derived from an organic source. The process is called saponification, which is the boffin's way of saying that the ingredients of soap... make soap. Caustic soda is a strong alkaline while fat is slightly acidic, so the end product is a mild alkaline with a pH of about 8 (7 is neutral).

Soap's chemistry makes it able to make water wetter. This sounds like gobbledegook until you remember about water's surface tension. Surface tension is what makes it possible for a needle to float on water or for water to stand up a millimetre or two above the top of a glass. Soap's chemical structure breaks the surface tension of water so water can't form this "skin".

Once the "skin" of the water is broken, the water can mix more readily with other substances. As water is pretty nearly a universal solvent, this means that it can begin to break down the grime and dirt molecules, floating them away from where you don't want them (e.g. carpets).

Soap's chemical structure also makes it an emulsifier – something that allows two liquids that don't usually mix (for example, oil and water) to combine. This is why soap is prized as a grease-cutter and why it can work to remove oily marks and stains.

To get a bit more technical, soap molecules are made up of long hydrocarbon chains (like most organic substances). One end of the chain is hydrophilic (loves water) while the other is hydrophobic (hates water). It's all about the minute electrical charge in the molecules. The water-hating end loves fats and oils, so this bit of the soap molecule binds to the oils. The water-loving end floats. The more soap is used, the more oil you can float out of the carpet or whatever it is.

Soap, however, doesn't work so well in hard water with lots of calcium or magnesium in it, as the soap reacts with these molecules instead, forming a white scum that gets everywhere. Here, you need a water softener to deal to these molecules and allow the soap to work. Sodium is the answer, with the most common water softener being washing soda; baking soda comes in a close second. This is why washing soda should be added to homemade cleaning products containing soap or soap gel, and why baking soda is so good at cleaning baths.

Are there any magic bullets out there for cleaning a fiberglass shower?

Since our water became chlorinated, the soap scum and mineral buildup has become unreal. Why would the chlorination make it worse? Any helpful suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks.
Cute, Ninja. The bullet was a metaphor!

Susan, I use the Tilex Fresh Shower daily shower cleaner. It will remove all mildew and other mineral buildup. Had the same problem. Just clean first with the original Tilex or Dow scrubbing bubbles. Then next time you shower, use the Tilex Fresh shower.

Best of wishes. You are one of my favorite "askers."

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Castile Soap Liquid Almond Oil 1 gallon 128 Ounces List Price: $52.49 Sale Price: $47.20 You save: $5.29 (10%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description Almond Pure-Castile Soap is a pure vegetable oil based soap that gently cleanses the skin while the almond aroma warms and renews the senses. (Ships Ground only. Not available to PO Boxes or outside contiguous 48 states) Features 128 Ounces Liquid Serving Size: Suitable for Vegetarians

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Pure-Castile Soap, 18-in-1 Hemp Almond, 32-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2) List Price: $29.98 Sale Price: $21.91 You save: $8.07 (27%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Made with Organic Oils! No detergents. 100% Vegan. Health is our greatest wealth. Oregon Tilth Certified Organic. No foaming agents. Enjoy only 2 cosmetics, enough sleep and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap to clean body-mind-soul-spirit instantly uniting One! All-One! Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! For facial packs, scalp and soothing body rub, add dash on bath towel in sink of hot water. Wring out. Lay over face and scalp. massage with fingertips. Repeat 3 or 4 times 'til arms, legs and all are rubbed, always towards the heart. Rinse towel in plain hot water and massage again. Breath deeply! Health is wealth. Within 9 minutes you feel fresh and clean, saving 90% of your hot water and soap, ready to help teach the whole human race the moral ABC of All-One-God-Faith! For we're All-One or None! Not animal tested. Dilute: Enjoy 1 soap for 18 different uses! Guaranteed no synthetic tea tree oils and 100% vegetarian. Super mild castile has outstanding water softening and cleansing powers. Preferable to harsh soap and defattening synthetics. It does no cut dirt, but dissolves it. It is the mildest pleasant soap you ever used. Enjoy body rub to stimulate body mind-soul-spirit and teach the essence moral ABC uniting all free in the shepherd. 100% Biodegradable! Features All Natural Organic Certified Ingredients; Bio-Degradable;Packaged In 100% Post Consumer Recycled Bottles Top Selling Natural Soap In The Usa Cleans Body; Floors; Bathrooms; Counters; Walls; Dishes; Pets; Fruits & Vegetables; Great For Shaving Almond Oil Scent Can Cause Deep, Dreamy, Mystical Trance States Of Super-Sensuous Luxuriousness And Consciousness Great For Camping; Backpacking; Traveling

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Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Pure-Castile Soap, 18-in-1 Hemp Peppermint, 32 Ounce Bottle List Price: $14.99 Sale Price: $13.49 You save: $1.50 (10%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Made with Organic Oils! No detergents. 100% Vegan. Health is our greatest wealth. Oregon Tilth Certified Organic. No foaming agents. Enjoy only 2 cosmetics, enough sleep and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap to clean body-mind-soul-spirit instantly uniting One! All-One! Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! For facial packs, scalp and soothing body rub, add dash on bath towel in sink of hot water. Wring out. Lay over face and scalp. massage with fingertips. Repeat 3 or 4 times 'til arms, legs and all are rubbed, always towards the heart. Rinse towel in plain hot water and massage again. Breath deeply! Health is wealth. Within 9 minutes you feel fresh and clean, saving 90% of your hot water and soap, ready to help teach the whole human race the moral ABC of All-One-God-Faith! For we're All-One or None! Not animal tested. Dilute: Enjoy 1 soap for 18 different uses! Guaranteed no synthetic tea tree oils and 100% vegetarian. Super mild castile has outstanding water softening and cleansing powers. Preferable to harsh soap and defattening synthetics. It does no cut dirt, but dissolves it. It is the mildest pleasant soap you ever used. Enjoy body rub to stimulate body mind-soul-spirit and teach the essence moral ABC uniting all free in the shepherd. 100% Biodegradable! Features All Natural Organic Certified Ingredients; Bio-Degradable;Packaged In 100% Post Consumer Recycled Bottles; No Animal Testing And Cruelty Free Top Selling Natural Soap In The Usa Cleans Body; Floors; Bathrooms; Counters; Walls; Dishes; Pets; Fruits & Vegetables; Great For Shaving Peppermint Oil Is The Most Popular; Creates An Exhilarating Tingly-Cool Body Space; Therapeutically Peppermint Oil Is A Mild Stimulant, It Increase Vitality And Clarity Great For Camping; Backpacking; Traveling

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Pure-Castile Soap, 18-in-1 Hemp Unscented Baby Mild, 32-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2) List Price: $29.98 Sale Price: $21.91 You save: $8.07 (27%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Made with Organic Oils! No detergents. 100% Vegan. Health is our greatest wealth. Oregon Tilth Certified Organic. No foaming agents. Enjoy only 2 cosmetics, enough sleep and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap to clean body-mind-soul-spirit instantly uniting One! All-One! Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! For facial packs, scalp and soothing body rub, add dash on bath towel in sink of hot water. Wring out. Lay over face and scalp. massage with fingertips. Repeat 3 or 4 times 'til arms, legs and all are rubbed, always towards the heart. Rinse towel in plain hot water and massage again. Breath deeply! Health is wealth. Within 9 minutes you feel fresh and clean, saving 90% of your hot water and soap, ready to help teach the whole human race the moral ABC of All-One-God-Faith! For we're All-One or None! Not animal tested. Dilute: Enjoy 1 soap for 18 different uses! Guaranteed no synthetic tea tree oils and 100% vegetarian. Super mild castile has outstanding water softening and cleansing powers. Preferable to harsh soap and defattening synthetics. It does no cut dirt, but dissolves it. It is the mildest pleasant soap you ever used. Enjoy body rub to stimulate body mind-soul-spirit and teach the essence moral ABC uniting all free in the shepherd. 100% biodegradable! Made in U.S.A. Features All Natural Organic Certified Ingredients; Bio-Degradable;Packaged In 100% Post Consumer Recycled Bottles; No Animal Testing And Cruelty Free Top Selling Natural Soap In The USA Cleans Body; Floors; Bathrooms; Counters; Walls; Dishes; Pets; Fruits & Vegetables; Great For Shaving Mild And Gentle For Babys; Sensitive Skin; Chemically Sensitive People Great For Camping; Backpacking; Traveling

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Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Pure-Castile Soap, 18-in-1 Hemp Peppermint, 32-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2) List Price: $29.98 Sale Price: $21.91 You save: $8.07 (27%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product Description Made with Organic Oils! No detergents. 100% Vegan. Health is our greatest wealth. Oregon Tilth Certified Organic. No foaming agents. Enjoy only 2 cosmetics, enough sleep and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap to clean body-mind-soul-spirit instantly uniting One! All-One! Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! For facial packs, scalp and soothing body rub, add dash on bath towel in sink of hot water. Wring out. Lay over face and scalp. massage with fingertips. Repeat 3 or 4 times 'til arms, legs and all are rubbed, always towards the heart. Rinse towel in plain hot water and massage again. Breath deeply! Health is wealth. Within 9 minutes you feel fresh and clean, saving 90% of your hot water and soap, ready to help teach the whole human race the moral ABC of All-One-God-Faith! For we're All-One or None! Not animal tested. Dilute: Enjoy 1 soap for 18 different uses! Guaranteed no synthetic tea tree oils and 100% vegetarian. Super mild castile has outstanding water softening and cleansing powers. Preferable to harsh soap and defattening synthetics. It does no cut dirt, but dissolves it. It is the mildest pleasant soap you ever used. Enjoy body rub to stimulate body mind-soul-spirit and teach the essence moral ABC uniting all free in the shepherd. 100% Biodegradable! Features All Natural Organic Certified Ingredients; Bio-Degradable;Packaged In 100% Post Consumer Recycled Bottles; No Animal Testing And Cruelty Free Top Selling Natural Soap In The Usa Cleans Body; Floors; Bathrooms; Counters; Walls; Dishes; Pets; Fruits & Vegetables; Great For Shaving Peppermint Oil Is The Most Popular; Creates An Exhilarating Tingly-Cool Body Space; Therapeutically Peppermint Oil Is A Mild Stimulant, It Increase Vitality And Clarity Great For Camping; Backpacking; Traveling