Soaps and detergents are cleaning ingredients that are able to remove oil particles from surfaces because of their unique chemical properties. Soaps are created by the chemical reaction of a fatty acid with an alkali metal hydroxide. In a chemical sense, soap is a salt made up of a carboxylic acid and an alkali like sodium of potassium. Soaps are a specific type of the more general category of compounds called detergents. The cleaning action of soaps and detergents is a result of their ability to surround oil particles on a surface and disperse it in water. Bar soap has been used for centuries and continues to be an important product for bathing and cleaning. It is also a mild antiseptic and ingestible antidote for certain poisons.

The exact origin of soap is not known, but records suggest that it was known as early...