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How Does Soap Work?

Jessica Pestka, Yahoo! Contributor Network

Sep 18, 2008 "Contribute content like this. Start Here."

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Soap is ubiquitous, a household staple near sinks and showers--indeed, everywhere. This ancient cleanser, beauty product and source of cheap childhood entertainment, is basic chemistry in action. Soap is more than just

 a cleaning agent composed of a salt and a fatty acid; it is a vital life-saving tool that prevents the spread of illness and disease. Soap is so important that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that washing hands with soap and water is one of the most important tools in preventing the spread of illness.

Soap is defined as an emulsifier--a compound able to dissolve a substance into another. Soap binds to other fats, oils and dirt, washing them away in water. Soap and water are indispensable in everyday life, carrying unwanted dirt, germs and debris away from us.

Soap's Structure Gives it Cleansing Power

All molecules can be classified by the types of chemical attractions they have. Polar molecules have unequally distributed electrons, resulting in a molecule that has a partial charge in one region. Polar molecules are typically hydrophilic (attracted to water), water soluble and polar. Non-polar molecules are often hydrophobic and lipophilic, or attracted to fat molecules.

Soap is composed of polar and non-polar ingredients therefore it can attract and dissolve both water and oil. The long non-polar portion of the soap dissolves other non-polar materials such as fats and oils. The polar portion is important because it provides solubility

The Process of Clean

When soap is dissolved the hydrophobic fatty acid chain is repelled by water and attracted to oils. The fatty acid portion of the soap dissolves any...