Soap

Soap is something we use every day to get clean. It comes in bars, liquids, and even foam. When you mix soap with water, it makes bubbles called suds. These suds pick up dirt and wash germs away.

How Soap Cleans

Soap is made of special tiny parts called molecules. One end of the molecule sticks to water, and the other end sticks to oil and dirt. When you rub your hands with soap, these parts grab onto the dirt. Then the water rinses them all away. That is why hot water and soap work so well together.

A Very Old Invention

Soap has been around for a very long time. People in ancient Babylon made soap over 4,000 years ago. They mixed animal fat with ashes from fires. The Romans also used soap for washing their bodies. Today, soap is made in big factories and comes in many scents and colors.

Fun Facts

• Washing hands with soap for 20 seconds can stop many germs.
• The first liquid soap was sold in 1865.
• Some soaps float on water because air is mixed into them.

Did You Know?

Soap helped stop sickness from spreading and has probably saved millions of lives throughout history.