Difference Wiki

Soap vs. Detergent

The main difference between Soap and Detergent is that Soap is sodium or potassium salt of fatty acid, whereas Detergent is sodium or potassium salt of sulphonic acid.

Key Differences

Soaps are considered to have weak cleansing action, whereas detergents have strong cleansing action.
Harlon Moss
Jun 06, 2020
The hydrophilic head group of a soap molecule is a carboxylate anion. On the flip side, the hydrophilic head group for a detergent molecule is a phosphate or sulfate anion.
The effectiveness of soap is greatly affected by the presence of mineral ions in water. On the contrary, the effectiveness of detergents is not affected by the presence of mineral ions in water.
A soap is sodium salt of long-chain carboxylic acid, whereas a detergent is sodium salt of long-chain benzene sulphonic acid.
All the soaps are biodegradable and thus are considered environmentally friendly. On the flip side, detergents are mostly non-biodegradable and produce toxin materials; thus are not environmentally friendly.
Soap has a carboxyl acid group at one end of its carbon skeleton. Conversely, a detergent has a sulphonic acid group at one end of its carbon skeleton.
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Soaps are not operative in hard water. Conversely, detergents are more effective in hard water.
Samantha Walker
Jun 06, 2020
Soaps do not work well in an acidic environment, whereas detergents can work well in acidic as well as basic environments.
Soaps are not operational in saline water. On the flip side, detergents are more effective in saline or marine water.
Soap has a –COONa group in it. In contrast, a detergent comprises a –SO3Na group.
Samantha Walker
Jun 06, 2020

Comparison Chart

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Sodium or potassium salts of fatty acid are called soaps.
Sodium or potassium salts of sulphonic acid are called detergents.

Formation Reaction

Formed by the saponification reaction
Not formed by the saponification reaction
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Main Group

Carboxylic acid group
Sulphonic acid group

Scum Formation

Forms scum with hard water
Does not form scum with hard water
Aimie Carlson
Jun 06, 2020

Lather Formation

Forms lather with hard water
Does not form lather with hard water
Aimie Carlson
Jun 06, 2020

Precipitate Formation

It forms a precipitate in hard water.
It does not form precipitates in hard water.
Aimie Carlson
Jun 06, 2020

Made Of

Natural ingredients
Synthetic sources
Janet White
Jun 06, 2020

Biodegradability

Fully biodegradable
Detergents having branched hydrocarbon chain are non-biodegradable
Samantha Walker
Jun 06, 2020
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Relation with Woolen Garments

Does not work well
works well
Janet White
Jun 06, 2020

Effects to Skin

Causes irritation
Does not cause irritation
Janet White
Jun 06, 2020

Dissolution in Water

Slow
Fast
Harlon Moss
Jun 06, 2020

Effects on the Environment

Less harmful
More harmful
Janet White
Jun 06, 2020

Examples

Sodium stearate, sodium oleate
Sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate
Harlon Moss
Jun 06, 2020

Soap and Detergent Definitions

Soap

A cleansing agent, manufactured in bars, granules, flakes, or liquid form, made from a mixture of the sodium salts of various fatty acids of natural oils and fats.

Detergent

A cleansing substance that acts similarly to soap but is made from chemical compounds rather than fats and lye.

Soap

A metallic salt of a fatty acid, as of aluminum or iron, that is not water soluble and may be used as a lubricant, thickener, or in various coating applications, ointments, or disinfectants.

Detergent

Having cleansing power.

Soap

(Slang) Money, especially that which is used for bribery.

Detergent

Any non-soap cleaning agent, especially a synthetic surfactant.

Soap

A soap opera.

Detergent

Syn of cleansing.

Soap

To treat or cover with or as if with soap.

Detergent

Cleansing; purging.

Soap

(Informal) To softsoap; cajole.

Detergent

A surface-active chemical widely used in industry and laundering

Soap

(Slang) To bribe.

Detergent

A cleansing agent that differs from soap but can also emulsify oils and hold dirt in suspension

Soap

(chemistry) A metallic salt derived from a fatty acid, commonly used in cleaning products.

Detergent

Having cleansing power

Soap

Some other substance, often a detergent or another surfactant, able to mix with both oil and water, used for cleaning.
I tried washing my hands with soap, but the stain wouldn't go away.

Soap

(slang) Money, specially when used as a bribe.

Soap

A soap opera.

Soap

(countable) A solid masonry unit or brick reduced in depth or height from standard dimensions.

Soap

(transitive) To apply soap to in washing.
Be sure to soap yourself well before rinsing.

Soap

To cover, lather or in any other form treat with soap, often as a prank.
Those kids soaped my windows!

Soap

To be discreet about (a topic).

Soap

To flatter; to wheedle.

Soap

A substance which dissolves in water, thus forming a lather, and is used as a cleansing agent. Soap is produced by combining fats or oils with alkalies or alkaline earths, usually by boiling, and consists of salts of sodium, potassium, etc., with the fatty acids (oleic, stearic, palmitic, etc.). See the Note below, and cf. Saponification. By extension, any compound of similar composition or properties, whether used as a cleaning agent or not.
The purifying action of soap depends upon the fact that it is decomposed by a large quantity of water into free alkali and an insoluble acid salt. The first of these takes away the fatty dirt on washing, and the latter forms the soap lather which envelops the greasy matter and thus tends to remove it.
This soap bubble of the metaphysicians.

Soap

To rub or wash over with soap.

Soap

To flatter; to wheedle.

Soap

A cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats

Soap

Money offered as a bribe

Soap

Street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate

Soap

Rub soap all over, usually with the purpose of cleaning

Soap vs. Detergent

A soap is a salt of fatty acids, whereas a detergent is a salt of sulphonic acid. A soap has – COONa group in it. Conversely, a detergent has –SO3Na group in it. Soaps do not work effectively with hard water, acidic water, and marine water. On the other hand, detergents work well with hard water, acidic water, and marine water.

Soaps are entirely biodegradable; they can be disintegrated by living organisms like bacteria. On the flip side, specific detergents consisting of branched hydrocarbon chains are non-biodegradable, which means they cannot be decomposed by living organisms.

Soaps do not work well with woolen garments, whereas a detergent can work its best with woolen garments. Soaps may cause irritation or itching to skin. Conversely, a detergent generally does not cause irritation or itching sensation to the skin. A soap dissolves slowly in water, whereas a detergent dissolves faster in water.

A soap is a chemical that is produced by a saponification reaction between fatty acid and a base like sodium hydroxide. On the flip side, a detergent is not made by a saponification reaction because it contains sulphonic acid instead of fatty acid. Soaps are comprised of natural ingredients, whereas a detergent has a synthetic origin.

The soap contains a straight-chain carbon skeleton with its one end having a carboxylic acid group. In contrast, a detergent contains a sulfate or sulphonate group instead of the carboxylic acid group at one end of its aliphatic or straight-chain carbon skeleton.

What is Soap?

A soap is a metal salt of fatty acid. A soap comprises an acyclic or straight-chain carbon skeleton with the carboxylic acid group at one end of the chain. Soaps are made by a saponification reaction between the carboxylic acid group and alkalies like sodium or potassium hydroxide. Calcium and magnesium hydroxide can also be used in the saponification reaction with fatty acid.

A soap is a surfactant that diminishes the surface pressure between a liquid and other substances and is used for cleaning our skin. Soaps are believed to be made of natural ingredients such as vegetal oils and animal fats. High-quality soaps are made up of oils like palm oil, castor oil, coconut oil, or olive oil by retaining them with natural glycerine.

Soap consists of the hydrophilic head in the form of a carboxyl group, whereas a hydrophobic tail in the form of a hydrocarbon tail. Soaps are environment friendly as they are biodegradable. They are decomposed easily by living organisms like bacteria and turn into simple compounds without causing pollution.

Soaps lean towards forming scum with hard water. Soap does not work well with hard water, acidic water, or marine water. Soaps tend to form lather with hard water. They may cause skin irritation.

Soaps have moderately weak purgative action as compared to detergents. Soaps work by acid-base reactions with dirt and grease molecules by turning them into fatty acids. Soap particles dissolve into ions. These ions surround the dirt particles, starting the cleansing action.

What is Detergent?

Detergents are generally of synthetic origin. Instead of a carboxylic acid group, detergents contain a highly ionic group of sulfate or sulphonate ion at one end of its aliphatic carbon skeleton. Detergents also include aromatic rings in them.

A detergent acts as a surfactant as well as a foaming agent. Detergent can also act as dispersants. Detergents also include nitrogen compounds in their formation, which appear as a ring in their structure. Conventional detergents use phosphate or sulfate head-groups, i.e., sodium dodecyl sulfate.

The effectiveness of detergents is not affected by the presence of certain minerals in water that is associated with hard water. Detergents can be defined as sodium or potassium salts of long-chain benzene sulphonic acid.

Detergents can be biodegradable or non-biodegradable. The detergents having a branched hydrocarbon chain are included in non-biodegradable detergents. Detergents can work well with hard water, saline water, or acidic water. They do not form scum and lather with hard water and have intense cleansing action as compared to soaps.

A detergent can be applied for cleaning woolen garments, while soap cannot be used for such purposes. Detergents dissolve faster in water as compared to soaps and do not irritate the skin. Detergents are not environment friendly as they release toxic chemicals in the environment and are non-biodegradable.

Detergents form thick foam that becomes a barrier for aquatic life respiration, resulting in the death of aquatic organisms. Detergents are categorized into three groups, including cationic detergents, anionic detergents, and zwitterionic detergents.

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