Soap and Detergents

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts regarding soap and detergents from the lecture notes.

Soap

A substance made from the sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids, used for cleaning.

Detergents

Surfactants that are similar to soap but differ in composition and effectiveness in hard water.

Saponification

The process of making soap by reacting fats or oils with lye (alkali).

Lye

An alkaline substance used in soap making; includes sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for hard soap and potassium hydroxide (KOH) for soft soap.

Types of Soap

Includes solid soap, liquid soap, and transparent soap, each with different applications.

Cold-made Process

A method of making soap where fats used must be pure and involve rigid temperature control.

Full-boiled Process

The most used method of soap manufacturing, producing toilet and laundry soaps.

Laundry Soap

Soap specifically formulated for washing clothes, often in bar or flake form.

Toilet Soap

High-quality soap refined with fragrances and moisturizers, used for personal hygiene.

Biodegradable Detergents

Detergents that can break down naturally through biological processes.

Anionic Detergents

A type of detergent with negatively charged particles, effective at removing dirt.

Cationic Detergents

Detergents with positively charged particles, often used as disinfectants.

Non-ionic Detergents

Detergents that do not carry a charge, suitable for sensitive skin.

Hydrolysis

The process of breaking down triglycerides into fatty acids and glycerin using water.

Stearic Acid

A saturated fatty acid that is used in the production of various soaps.

Glycerin

A byproduct of the soap-making process, used in moisturizing products.

Soap Crutcher

A device used for blending soap and ensuring complete saponification.

Free Fatty Acids

Fatty acids that are separated during the soap manufacturing process, often purified.

Washing Industry

Another term for the soap industry, referring to the production of soap and detergents.