Soap: detergent properties, types, applications. homemade soap

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

It's not an exaggeration to say that we all use soap every day. The washing properties of this simple, but such a necessary remedy, protect us from diseases, allow us to keep ourselves and our belongings clean. What does soap do? What are its types? We will answer these questions in detail.

How does soap work?

The cleansing properties of this hygiene product are based on simple chemical laws. Soap, water, grease and oils are made up of molecules. Some of them are hydrophilic and some are hydrophobic. The first type are molecules that are attracted to water and mix well with it, and the second are molecules that repel it and therefore do not mix with water. Hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles do not bond with each other. In addition, you need to remember about polar and non-polar molecules. The first type dissolves well in water, and the second (fats and oils belong to it) are poorly soluble. Therefore, just like that, hands smeared after work in the garage cannot be washed off.

Daily Mud Battle

That's why soap should come into play. The washing properties of thismeans are manifested due to the fact that its molecule is amphiphilic (dual). It has two ends with different polarity: one is hydrophilic, the other is hydrophobic. The first is connected with water, and the second - with pollution. The latter most often contain fat and oils. Thus, when lathering, soap first reacts with water, then with dirt and helps to effectively break them up and wash them away with the stream of water.

Types of soap

How many categories of this remedy can you remember? Household, toilet and liquid? In fact, there are many more. Here is a sample list, as opinions often differ on classification:

• Toilet, or hygienic soap - a universal tool for everyday hand cleaning. It removes impurities well, but does not dry out the skin.
• Baby - has a specially balanced composition so as not to harm the delicate skin of the child. It is often added with components of plant origin with a calming and healing effect - an extract of calendula, thyme, St. John's wort, chamomile.
• Bactericidal soap - contains strong cleansing ingredients such as triclosan. This is a useful tool in cases where you need to especially thoroughly cleanse the skin - for example, on the road. In addition, they can disinfect small wounds and cuts. But the use of soap with an antibacterial effect should be infrequent, because it kills not only harmful bacteria, but also beneficial ones, depriving the skin of its natural protection. In addition, it dries it out, which accelerates the aging process.

House cleaning

This is another sub-category that you might be familiar with:

• Soap for washing - such soap should cope with different types of pollution, including old ones. Sometimes it additionally has bleaching properties. There is also a special soap for washing children's things, which is carefully monitored for the presence of potentially allergenic and harmful compounds in the composition. Available in large bars.
• Kitchen soap, or dish soap - a rather rare variety, practically not produced at the industrial level. Most often, it is brewed independently on the basis of laundry soap. This dish detergent is much safer for humans and the environment than conventional products with rather aggressive surfactants that are very difficult to completely wash off.
• Laundry soap - perhaps the most famous and versatile. They can wash any things, wash dishes, many reviews claim that it is effective in combating acne and excessive greasiness of hair.

Subtleties of self-care

We continue our classification, but now let's move on to less common types of this tool:

• Perfume soap. As you can guess from the name, this soap has a strong aroma, which is achieved due to the increased concentration of aromatic substances. But they do not combine well with other useful components, so its value and special difference lie only in a pronounced smell.
• Soap scrub. It contains exfoliating components - powder from apricot kernels or nut shells, coffee, oats, algae particles, synthetic granules, etc. Essential oils are added to it for more effective skin care.
• Hair soap. Ordinary toilet soap can only dry out hair. But special products, on the contrary, allow you to give your hair an attractive look and even deal with such specific problems as dandruff or increased fat content.
• Shaving soap. By and large, foam from any soap will do the job. But if you take a product with a high content of glycerin, the hairs will become softer, easier to remove, and the skin after the procedure will be smooth and well-groomed.

Not for every day

There are rather non-standard varieties of soap, which we meet much less often than with ordinary ones. For example:

• Figured soap. Available in a variety of configurations, from cheerful yellow ducklings to whimsical craftsmanship, this soap is designed not only to cleanse, but also to delight the eye. If you want to make a real spa treatment out of taking a bath or get your child interested in bathing, then this remedy will come in handy.
• Soap for guests. Small bars of soap with an interesting shape, which can be found in hotels. Some tourists collect them or bring them back as souvenirs.

Special needs

• Medical. Similar toaction on antibacterial soap. The washing properties of this option allow disinfection before surgical interventions, and prevent the spread of skin diseases. Some varieties contain lanolin, which softens damaged skin.
• Tar soap. Due to its strong cleansing action, it helps many in the fight against dandruff, as well as other widespread skin problems. But not everyone will like the rather specific smell of the product.

Solid or liquid?

All these categories can be found in different forms. So, soap can still be divided into the following types:

• Regular (hard) - the most familiar and old version. In this form, soap appeared in the period of about 3 thousand years BC, in Babylon.
• Liquid is a relatively recent invention (mid-19th century), compared to solid, but very popular. It foams comfortably, does not touch the rings when washing hands, does not leave streaks on things when washing. The dispenser for liquid soap allows you to immediately take the right amount of funds. It has become especially popular in public toilets - unlike solid ones, it is difficult to steal if the container is tightly screwed to the wall and locked with a key. And the touchless automatic liquid soap dispenser makes handwashing more hygienic - no need to touch the valve with dirty hands.

Conveyor or handmade?

Mass production of soap became possible only at the beginning of the 20th century. Before that there were smallmanufactories that made it for we althy citizens. But most of the population cooked it on their own, using the basic ingredients that could be obtained from their own farm - ash and animal fat.

After many years, the factory-produced product finally supplanted handmade soap, or homemade soap. But as today hand-made becomes more and more popular and people become very attentive to what is included in the products they use, this old art is actively reviving.

Homemade soap

Handmade can always be just a hobby or a business. Many craftsmen start by making soap for their own needs, and then, after polishing their skills, move on to selling it. In addition, the result of such a hobby will definitely never fall flat and will be useful in the household.

There are 3 ways to make soap:

• With the help of the finished base. This is the easiest way. The detergent base is sold most often through online stores, since specialized physical stores for soap making are still not very common. In order to make your little masterpiece, just melt it in a water bath, add the desired dyes, flavors, decorative (sparkles, for example) or practical (exfoliating) components and pour into molds.
• Based on baby soap. It is advisable to take the simplest and non-flavored. Soap must be grated, melted, add the necessary ingredients and pour into molds. The process is identical to method 1, but muchcheaper, and raw materials can be found in any store. The only drawback is that you can’t make a beautiful transparent soap out of a baby one.
• From scratch - the most difficult option, but at the same time the most creative. Separately, alkali and fat are taken, a base is made from them, into which the remaining impurities are already added. This method has two different technologies, which we will discuss in more detail later.

Hot and cold

It should be noted that when working with alkalis, you must be very careful, be sure to wear gloves, goggles and a mask. While it is possible to involve children in the process of making soap from base or baby soap at certain stages (under close supervision of adults), when working with caustic substances, on the contrary, you need to exclude the possibility of children or pets distracting you.

When working from scratch, the process is:

1. Find a recipe that works for you and carefully measure all the ingredients. Please note that the wrong proportions can lead to a very unfortunate result - with a bad smell, without the right firmness, dull color, etc.
2. Pour the lye into the water (that's right, not the other way around, otherwise it will "eruption").
3. Stir the mixture and insert a thermometer into it (it will heat up due to a chemical reaction).
4. In another container, melt the wax, solid and liquid oils.
5. When both mixtures are heated (or cooled) to the desired temperature (it should be indicated in the recipe), pour the alkaline mixture into the fat.
6. Carefully themmix until the spoon leaves a mark on the surface of the future soap.

Now there are two options for how to continue working. The first is the cold way. Pour the mixture into a mold, cover with a towel and after 1-2 days cut into pieces that will still need to “ripen” for 1-1.5 months.

The second way is hot. It consists in the fact that after mixing alkali and fat, they are boiled in a water bath or in an oven, at a clearly set temperature. In this case, the mixture is stirred regularly until it becomes gel-like. Then dyes, flavors and other additives are added and poured into molds. After 1-2 days, the soap will be ready for use.

How to make your own liquid soap?

Here, too, there are two manufacturing options. The first is a liquid soap based on a regular bar.

The process is quite simple:

• Need to find a recipe with already calculated proportions.
• Then grate the soap (you can use soap).
• Boil a small amount of water and mix it thoroughly with the resulting flakes.
• You will get a cleaning solution to which you need to add glycerin so that the soap does not dry your hands.
• Then you can pour in essential oils, flavors and dyes.
• It remains only to carefully place the solution until a homogeneous consistency is obtained and pour into jars.

The second method is very similar to making ordinary soap from scratch - all ingredients are carefully measured and mixed, and then boiled for a long time in waterbath, in the oven or even in a slow cooker. But due to the fact that at the last stage you need to add water to the soap paste, it will not thicken, but remain in liquid form.

Which soap is best?

As you can see every time you go to the store, the choice of detergents is huge. But factory-made products are not much different from each other and basically cope only with skin cleansing. Therefore, products that contain more expensive ingredients of natural origin, which help to effectively moisturize the skin or solve other problems (for example, gentle cleansing for sensitive skin and a slight antibacterial effect for acne-prone skin), are becoming especially popular. Such funds can be found in many manufacturers, such as Spivak, Lush, Savonry and others.