Who invented soap ?

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Who In The World Invented Soap ?

Sophia Xu
Updated: September. 8, 2023 

Soap is a substance that is used for cleaning, washing, and bathing. It is made by combining fats or oils with an alkali, such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide1. Soap works by creating foam that can trap dirt, grease, and bacteria, and then rinse them away with water2. Soap has been used by humans for thousands of years, dating back to ancient civilizations such as Babylon, Egypt, and Rome3. Soap has many advantages, such as being cheap, easy to use, and gentle on the skin. However, soap also has some disadvantages, such as being harsh on the environment, causing dryness or irritation, and leaving residues or scum4.

    Humans love soap. Soap-like substances were first used by ancient civilizations such as Babylonians, Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans 1. They made soap by mixing fat, oils and salts1. However, soap was not used for personal hygiene but for cleaning cooking utensils, goods or medicine purposes2.

  The earliest evidence of soap ever found by archaeologists dates back to around 2800 BC and comes from the ancient city of Babylon3

Bar soap cleans by physically washing away dirt and microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses1. Compounds in bar soap called surfactants work to remove germs and debris as soon as you add water1. Rubbing bar soap until it foams up washes away even more matter1.

However, bar soap does not necessarily kill germs, it just removes them from your skin. The germs may remain alive on the surface of the soap, but they are unlikely to make you sick or cause an infection1. The bulk of germs on your bar soap are probably from your own skin, and they are not harmful to you1.

If your bar soap is labeled antibacterial, it also uses chemical agents to kill germs. However, these agents may not be very effective, and they may also contribute to antibiotic resistance2. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned some of these agents, such as triclosan and triclocarban, from over-the-counter consumer antiseptic wash products2.

So, the bottom line is that bar soap does not kill a specific percentage of bacteria. It may kill some germs, but mostly it just rinses them off. You can use regular or antibacterial soap for washing your hands or body, but you should avoid using it too often or too harshly, as it may dry out or irritate your skin3.