How Does Soap Work?
Soap can clean hands and dishes because of some pretty nifty chemistry. Soap molecules have on one end what's known as a polar salt, which is hydrophilic, or attracted to water. The other end of the molecule is a nonpolar chain of fatty acids or hydrocarbons, which is hydrophobic-meaning that it's repelled by water but attracted to grease and other oily substances. When you wash your hands, the soap forms something like a molecular bridge between the water and the dirty, germ-laden oils on your hands, attaching to both the oils and the water and lifting the grime off and away. Soaps can also link up with the fatty membranes on the outside of bacteria and certain viruses, lifting the infectious agents off and even breaking them apart. Once the oily dirt and germs are off your hands, the soap molecules thoroughly surround them and form tiny clusters, known as micelles, that keep them from attaching to anything else while they wash down the drain.
how does soap remove an oil spot?
Soap removes an oil spot through a process called emulsification. Here's how it works:
Molecular structure of soap: Soap molecules have a hydrophobic (water-repelling) tail and a hydrophilic (water-attracting) head. The tail is attracted to oils and greases, while the head is attracted to water.
Breaking down oil: When you apply soap to an oil spot, the hydrophobic tails of the soap molecules surround the oil particles, binding to them.
Formation of micelles: The soap molecules organize themselves around the oil, creating structures called micelles, with the hydrophilic heads pointing outward and the oil trapped inside.
Water rinsing: Since the outer part of the micelle is hydrophilic, water can easily wash away the micelles, taking the oil with them.
How to Remove Oil Stains from Clothes
Step 1: Act quickly
When you're getting oil stains out of clothes, it's important to make sure you don't allow the stain to dry or set into the fabric. You need to act fast and remove oil stains as soon as they happen.
Step 2: Remove excess
Blot the stain to remove excess grease. Grab a tissue or a paper towel and press the stain gently on both sides to soak up the excess oil.
Step 3: Check the label
Make sure you check the fabric care label before washing your clothes. What temperature can the garment be washed on? Is it hand-wash only? The label on your clothes should tell you how to wash your clothes safely.
Step 4: Pretreat
To remove grease or cooking oil stains, you can pretreat the stain with a spot of dish soap, like Dawn. This will help loosen the stain before the wash, making it easier to remove the oil from clothes.
Step 5: Soak
To remove other oil stains, such as motor oil stains, oil-based paints or other tough oil stains, prepare a soaking solution with Tide to pretreat the garment before washing.
Step 6: Wash
Wash the garment in an enzyme-based liquid detergent, such as Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid which has been specially designed to lift off even the toughest stains, like oils, from clothing.
Step 7: Dry
Make sure the oil stain has completely gone before placing the item in the dryer. The heat of your tumble dryer can set the stain into the fibers of the fabric.
