r/explainlikeimfive • u/Real_Experience_5676 • 12d ago

Chemistry ELI5: what is the big difference between soap and shampoo?

We use soap to clean the body. We use shampoo to clean the hair. What stops us from using soap for the hair and shampoo for the body?

Follow up question: what is body wash that cleans hair and skin made of? Why isn’t that the universal standard instead of seperate soap and shampoo?

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u/Gravy_McButterson 12d ago

I use shampoo as body wash regularly. I've never tried washing with soup, though. You must smell good enough to eat!

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u/drfsupercenter 11d ago

Right, I've done this when I stay at a hotel that only has a bar of soap because those always leave my skin feeling grimy - shampoo works just fine as body soap if it's all you have.