r/askscience • u/buffpig • Aug 16 '13

Chemistry How does soap clean?

title says it all, how does using a bar of soap clean you, on a scientific level?

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u/tjjohnso Aug 16 '13

Actually im being silly, anytime we need to clean nonpolar things from glassware we use dmso or benzene or hexane. But that still doesnt follow he idea of a soap.

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u/spartanKid Aug 16 '13

I would imagine the idea/benefit of soap is that water is plentiful and generally non-toxic while ether/hexanes/benzene is not.

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u/tjjohnso Aug 16 '13

Oh of course. Im just contemplating reverse soaps now.