How Does Soap Work?
A brief history of soap
The first recorded evidence of the production of soap-like materials dates back to around 2800 BC in ancient Babylon. The Babylonians found out the basic method of making soap by boiling fats with ashes and water. This soap-like material was used for cleaning wool and cloth, as well as for treating skin diseases. Other ancient civilisations, such as the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romans, also used soap for various purposes. However, the exact origin of soap and how it was invented is unclear and may have been a result of accidental or gradual experimentation.
The modern understanding of soap chemistry began in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, when two scientific discoveries were made. In 1790, the French chemist Nicholas Leblanc (1742-1806) invented a process for creating caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) from common table salt (sodium chloride) . Caustic soda is an alkali that is essential for making soap from fats and oils. Before Leblanc’s invention, alkali was obtained from wood ashes, which was expensive and scarce. Leblanc’s process made alkali more available and affordable for soap making.
In 1823, another French chemist, Michel Eugène Chevreul (1786-1889), discovered the nature of fatty acids and how they combine with alkali to form soap. He also discovered glycerin, a by-product of soapmaking that has many uses in cosmetics and medicine. Chevreul’s research explained how soap works as a surfactant, which means it reduces the surface tension of water and makes it easier to interact with oil and grease. He also studied the effects of hard water on soap and how to improve its quality.
The science behind soap
Soap is a substance that can clean dirt and grease from various surfaces, including the skin. Soap is made from fats or oils that are combined with an alkali, such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. This process is called saponification. Soap molecules have two ends: one that is attracted to water (hydrophilic) and one that is repelled by water but attracted to oil (hydrophobic). When soap is used with water, the hydrophobic ends attach to the dirt and oil, while the hydrophilic ends attach to the water. This forms clusters of soap, water, and grime called micelles, which are then rinsed away with water. Soap acts as a surfactant, which means it reduces the surface tension of water and makes it easier to interact with oil and grease.
Soap has many benefits for personal hygiene and health. It can remove harmful microbes, bacteria, and viruses from the skin and prevent infections. It can also nourish the skin with added ingredients such as shea butter, vitamin E, sulphur, aloe vera, or tea tree oil. Soap can also be fragranced with natural or synthetic scents to create a pleasant aroma.
Soap is widely used in the UK for washing hands, face, body, hair, clothes, dishes, and other items. According to a survey in 2020, an estimated 3.7 million people in the UK used a bar of soap ten times a day or more. Soap is also an important part of the UK’s history and culture. Soap became popular during the Victorian era, when mass production and advertising increased its availability and demand. Soap was also used as a symbol of social status and cleanliness in British literature and art.
Our vegan natural soap bars
All of our natural soap bars are hand made in small batches here in the UK. They are fully vegan and cruelty free and come in eco-friendly recyclable packaging.
Follow the link to take a.look at our vegan natural soap bars.
Want to know more? Click here to understand the science behind scented candles