Soap Soap is made from animal and vegetable fats, oils, and greases which are mixed with a strong base or alkali. Soap is used as a cleansing agent or detergent. It is most commonly a cleansing agent used by humans. Water alone doesn t get through dirty or oily surfaces well. Soap consists of sodium sterates in water, which forms sterate ions.
Soap reacts with calcium ions in hard water so it forms a scum of calcium sterate.
Detergent A detergent usually refers to an organic chemical substance that is made with carbon. Detergent is the salt of sulfonic acid, which then forms sulfonate ions in water. Detergent is also a chemical based petroleum, which removes dirt in saponifacation. The ions don t react with calcium ions, so a result is found that a scum is not formed. Oxygen sulfur and hydrogen compounds combined with water clean soiled materials.