Limitation Of Soaps
Soaps Do Not Wash Well In Hard Water And Does Not Form Much Lather Or Foam. The Calcium, Magnesium Or Iron Ions Of Hard Water Form An Insoluble Sticky Gray Coloured Precipitate Called Scum, Which Restricts The Cleansing Action Of Soap And Makes Washing More Difficult. The Scum Formed Also Hardens And Discolours The Fabric. Thus, A Large Amount Of Soap Is Wasted And Cleaning Is Not Efficient.
(a) Ordinary Soaps Are Not Suited For Fabrics Such As Silk, Wool, Cotton Etc. The Alkalis In Them Injure The Fiber.
(b) If The Water Is Slightly Acidic In Nature Soaps Cannot Be Used For Cleaning Purpose. The Acid Media Change Soaps Into Carboxylic Acid And The Action Of Soap Becomes Ineffective.
To Overcome These Drawbacks New Types Of Chemical Based Cleansing Agents Were Developed. These Are Called Synthetic Detergents Or Simply Detergents.
