Soap is probably the most essential hygiene item for body cleansing. Therefore, it is hard to imagine everyday hygiene without it.
What is soap?
Nowadays, the term soap is generally understood fine soap or toilet soap, which finds its application in the field of personal hygiene. The term “soap” comes from the Old High German. “Soap” meant as much as “resin”, which was used in the past, among other things, for body washing, but also for cleaning clothes and surfaces. Nowadays, the term soap is generally understood to mean fine soap or toilet soap, which finds its application in the field of personal hygiene. Its importance for washing clothes and objects has largely been lost, as more effective preparations have been found. However, it has remained indispensable for daily body cleansing. Its exact composition has been constantly modified, resulting in a wide variety of soap types, some of which are very precisely adapted to specific skin care needs or else to particular areas of application.
Forms, types and types
Although the principle of soap is very simple, there are still many different types, which are suitable for very different areas of application. For example, glue soap, curd soap, soft soap, shaving soap, fine soap, paper soap, bile soap, refatting soaps, petrol soap, antibacterial soaps and pH neutral soaps. In the case of glue soaps, glycerin, which has skin-caring properties, is not removed during the manufacturing process. In the case of curd soaps, on the other hand, the glycerin is poured off in a special process step. This gives curd soap a better cleaning effect. Soft soaps are made from potassium salts and cheap fats and oils. Therefore, they are often very cheap, but usually their cleaning power is not as pronounced as other types of soap. Shaving soap should above all be supple and lather well to allow a smooth shave. Therefore, it contains stearin and coconut oil as special ingredients. Often potash lye is also added, which gives the shaving soap a smooth, firm foam. Fine soaps are preparations based on pure and odorless curd soaps. They are the soaps most commonly used for washing hands. Nowadays, soaps are most common in liquid form and can be used, for example, as a shower gel, as a shampoo or as a bath additive.
Structure and mode of operation
Chemically, the basis of soaps is formed by sodium salts of fatty acids. In addition, there is a mixture of various long-chain alkali salts, most of which consist of fatty acids. Soaps are therefore anionic surfactants. Soap molecules obtain their cleaning properties from the fact that they have water-repellent, i.e. hydrophobic, and water-attracting, i.e. hydrophilic, parts. As a result, they do not dissolve in water, but instead form so-called micelles. These micelles are so small that they cannot be seen by the naked eye. Inside the micelles are hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains that are able to bind fats. On the outside, on the other hand, are the polar, hydrophilic ends. During the washing process, the hydrocarbon chains bind fat droplets to themselves. Once this is done, they can simply be rinsed off with fresh water and cleaning is complete. In addition, soaps lower the surface tension of water due to their apolar structure. They do this by arranging themselves on the surface of the liquid. This makes it much easier for the water to come into contact with substances. In addition, the soap can thus reach areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. Increased concentrations of calcium or magnesium in the water used can have a limiting effect on the functional principle of soaps. These substances block the polar ends of the soap, so that it no longer cleans to the usual extent. Such a water condition is also referred to as “hard” water. In some cases, lime deposits form on the water in this case, indicating that the composition is not optimal.
Medical and health benefits
For health, soaps have quite significant importance, because without them, adequate personal hygiene is almost impossible in the long term. Washing with soap, for example, removes sebum deposits, but also powder as well as cream residues from the skin pores.If these were to remain on the body surface, normal skin breathing would not be possible. Inflammations would then occur frequently. Harmful bacteria and viruses are also removed by washing with soap, so that infections are prevented. The problem with the soap effect is that it also removes part of the physiological oil film. However, this is necessary to prevent the skin from drying out. If too much of it is removed, dry and cracked skin will result. This phenomenon can be prevented on the one hand by not using too often, and on the other hand by using suitable types of soap. Soaps with a high glycerine content, for example, have a positive effect on the skin’s natural lipid layer. This includes glue soap, among others. Curd soap, on the other hand, should be avoided. pH-neutral soaps also protect the skin’s lipid film. They have a pH value of 5.5, which corresponds to that of the body. As a positive additional effect, the natural acid mantle of the skin is preserved when pH-neutral soaps are used. Since it also harbors bacteria and microorganisms that ward off harmful influences, its preservation is important for good immune defense. After washing with soap, the regeneration of the skin can be supported by the application of nourishing creams and oils. The main thing is to find a good balance between frequency of washing and skin care. Then washing with soap is an unavoidable means of maintaining hygiene and health.
