Soaps and Detergents

Writer : Ms. Jyoti Singh Brar

Coordinator : Mr. Nimish Kapoor
(Door bell rings.)
Meena: Who is there? (Sound of utensils).
Aashi :( With shout).Its me Mom
(Sound of opening the door.and sound of step entering in.)
Meena: My child! How was your day in school? You must be hungry.
Aashi: Yes Mom.
Meena: Oh my god! (With little bit of anger to her child) What do you do Aashi with
these clothes? Look they are so dirty..
Aashi: Nothing mom I just worn them and they get dirty. I have seen so many ads of
soaps and detergents. You can also use one of them.
Meena: There is nothing hundred per cent dear. They also have certain limitations.
Aashi: Limitations of what mom? And there are some more questions in my mind how
soaps and detergents are being made? Who used them first?
(Door bell rings. Sound of opening the door and foot steps).
Meena: Good evening darling! Its a pleasant surprise! You come back so early!
(Sound of foot step coming in).
Navin: Yaa.Little bit early but it was hectic! Where is Aashi?
(Navin put car keys on table. Sound of putting keys on table).
Meena: There she is. You had a hectic day but I am sure your sufferings must be lesser
than mine.
Navin: Why so?
Meena: Handling your daughter alone is a tough task
Navin: (Laughed) Oh really! Now, what she did?
Meena: I just asked her why her clothes are so dirty and she attacked me with n number
of questions. Why, what, how, the history, the geography blah, blah, blah..
Navin: (Proudly) she has a curious mind. Its a very good sign
(Suddenly Aashi entered the room shouting. Sound of running footstep).
Aashi: Dad.. Dad. Good evening dad! How was your day dad?
Navin: Oh my child it was fine. You tell me how was school? Your mother told me that
you want to dig the story of soaps and detergents.

Aashi: School was good. (with excitement and curiosity) Dad do you know how soaps
and detergents came into existence? And how do they work? And who created them?
And..
Navin: Oh Lord! You have so many questions. Let me fresh up then I will try to answer
all the questions.
Aashi: Alright dad.
(Scene change, transition music)
(Sound of cups and plates.)
Navin: Aashi Aashi come here baby I am here to answer all your questions. But ask
one by one.
Aashi: Call mom also she uses large amount of soaps and detergents.
Navin: Sure!
Aashi: Mom.. Mom. Please come.
Meena: Coming Aashi.
(Sound of footsteps and pull of chair)
Navin: Lets start with history of soaps.
Meena: Great! Do they really have a history? I am using soap and detergents from so
many years, without knowing it and even thinking of this aspect.
Navin: There is some evidence that soap-making was known to the Babylonians and to
the Phoenicians.
Aashi: Alright.
Navin: According to a Roman legend soap got its name from mount Sapo, a place where
the Romans offered animal sacrifices. Apparently, the fat from the animals got mixed
with the wood ashes and got washed downhill where the women noted that using that
mixture to do their wash made their clothes cleaner.
Meena: (With surprise.) Thats accidental!
Navin: Throughout 18th century Europe soap was a luxury item and as such it was
heavily taxed. It was mainly used by the very wealthy.
Aashi :( Happily). Now everyone can use them.
Navin: Once upon a time there was a person named Eugne Chevreul, he was the one
who discovered the chemical nature of soap.
Aashi: Chemical nature? Dad my friend Ruhi is very good by nature. Does she also have
a chemical nature?
(Sound of both mother and father laugh.)
Meena: My child chemical nature is for chemicals only! Your friend is not a chemical
she is a human being.
Aashi: Alright! Now I got it.

Navin: One ingredient that is used in soap making is very much known to us. Can
anybody tell what that is?
Meena: I am not sure but I have heard that vegetable oil is used in making soap.
Navin: You have heard it right. Soap is usually made by the reaction of animal fat or
vegetable oil with sodium hydroxide.
Meena: Then how all the soaps are different from each other in nature?
Navin: Vegetable oil with unsaturated carbon chains produces soft soaps. Animal fats
yield hard soaps. Coconut oil with shorter carbon chains yield soaps that are more soluble
in water.
Aashi: Great! (Sound of clap)Now I will tell my friend that you can make soap in home
by using simple coconut oil.
Navin: But dear that is not all required for making soap. It is a highly specialized process.
(Door bell rings.)
Aashi: Now who is this?
Meena: Dont shout let me check.
(Sound of footsteps, opens the door)
Shobha: Hello!
Meena: Hello Shobha! How are you?
Shobha: I am fine. I want some bleaching powder do you have?
Meena: Bleaching powder for what?
Shobha: I have heard that bleaching powder can remove tough stains. My sons shirt has
got some stain and I want to remove that. These kids you know.
Meena: Yaa I can understand. Aashi too
Aashi: Mom. I am a good girl.
(Sound of laugh of both the ladies)
Meena: Alright! Shobha, why dont you come in, and sit down. Let me check whether I
have it or not.
(Sound of footsteps, sound of some search in plastic jars.)
Meena: Here I find some.
(Sound of footsteps)
Meena: Shobha this is too little.
Shobha: No problem! This is enough I dont want much. This will do. Thank you and
bye.
Meena: OK Bye!
Aashi: Bye aunty!
Shobha: Bye Aashi!
(Sound of footsteps, close the door)

(Sound of running footsteps.)

Aashi: Dad Shobha aunty was asking for some powder.
Navin: What powder Meena?
Meena: Oh! She was asking for some bleaching powder. Her son also did his clothes
dirty. She needs that for cleaning his sons shirt.
Navin: OK. Can we take forward the story of soaps and detergents?
Aashi: Dad I have a question in my mind?
Navin: Tell me.
Aashi: Shobha aunty said that she wants bleaching powder to remove stains. If bleaching
powder can remove stains then what are soaps and detergents for?
Navin: Bleaching powder is only for tough stains and regular use of bleaching powder
can cause damage to the clothes.
Meena: Let me make it simple to you. Bleaching powder is like stick and tough stains
are like some bad children. They only understand the language of a stick.
Navin :( Sound of laugh). What an example Meena!
(Aashi too laughs).
Navin: Apart from jokes. What is the basic function of soaps and detergents?
Aashi: Let me answer this. Ummmm A detergent keeps our clothes sparkling clean
and soaps make our skin look beautiful. I have seen this on TV.
Navin: But that is just product endorsement. Basic function of soaps is to clean the body.
And same applies for detergents also.
Meena: It means that no soap can makes the skin look beautiful.
Aashi: Oh! Mom now you wont look like Miss India after using the new soap which you
have bought. (Sound of giggle).
(Navin too laughs).
Navin: Really tragic!
Meena: Stop making fun of me, both of you.
Navin: Alright dear. OK - can we categories soaps as they are being advertised.
Meena: Bathing soaps, Complexions soaps, Deodorant soaps, and and
Aashi: Baby soaps.
Navin: Good!
Meena: Freshness soaps, herbal or medicinal soaps.
Navin: Great! You ladies are really good!
Meena: Women are always good!
Navin: I doubt!
(Sound of laugh of Aashi and Navin).

Aashi:(Smilingly) But what makes a soap look like transparent or opaque?S

Navin: Actually, Sodium hydroxide causes big crystals to form in soap and that is why
the soap becomes opaque. In order to make it transparent, we have to dissolve the soap in
enough solvent to make the crystals so small that light will freely pass through the soap
which makes it look transparent. The solvent can be glycerol, alcohol or glycerol alcohol
mixture.
Meena: Ok we will discuss on this topic later. At this time tell me can medicinal soaps
cure skin diseases?
Navin: Thats a very good question.
Navin: The advertisement says that medicinal soaps are cleansing agents as well as
antiseptics. Here, soap is treated as a carrier of medicines that is it serves the purpose of
an ointment or oil. But we should remember that soap is essentially a cleansing agent.
After applying soap to the body, immediately we used to wash with water, when together
with dirt the medicines if any would also be washed out.
Meena: It means that we are not giving enough time for the medicine, to be absorbed by
the skin. Then how can they cure skin diseases?
Navin: If we particularly talk about germicidal soaps they usually contain a germicide.
When this germicide warmed to 60 degree Celsius, it is converted into a toxic substance
which is very bad for skin.
Meena: Oh! Is that so!
Navin: Yes! Herbal soaps contain fragrant essential oils.
Meena: Navin there is another category of soaps known as soft soaps.
Navin: Yes! You are right. Soft soaps are usually used in shaving soaps and in liquid
soaps. They are more soluble in water than ordinary soaps. While ordinary soaps are
sodium soaps, soft soaps are potassium soaps.
Aashi: I have an idea dad. Can we go to the park? We will sit there and talk about soaps
and detergents.
Navin: Thats a good idea. I want some fresh air.
Meena: But I have to prepare food.
Navin: OK we will go for few minutes.
Meena: OK
Aashi: Yuppiee..
(Scene Change, transition music. Sound of birds, children playing in the park and other
related sounds).
Navin: I love the fresh air.
Aashi: Me too dad.
Meena: Really it is so refreshing.
Aashi: Ok Dad tells me about baby soaps.
Navin: Thats your category!

Aashi: (Happily) tell me no Dad.

Navin: Baby soaps are not much different from ordinary soaps, but they are
comparatively of high purity. Can you tell me why?
Aashi: Because babys skin is soft and sensitive.
Navin: Yes, you are right my child. That is why the oil used for making baby soap
should be clean and bleached. No pigments are allowed in baby soap and fragrance
material added should be bare minimum. Free alkali content present in baby soap should
not exceed 0.05 percent. Ordinary soap may contain some impurities such as nickel. But,
baby soap should not contain such things.
Meena: It means that they should be comparatively cheaper. Am I right Navin?
Navin: (Jokingly). You proved that you are a good house wife, always talks about price
and money.
(Sound of Aashi laughing loudly)
Meena: (Smilingly). Look at her she gets it!
Aashi: Dad you are so funny! (Laughs).
Meena: Besides jokes, tell us something about transparent soaps also.
(Sound of birds and children playing in the park).
Navin: Transparent soap is a clear soap with high glycerin content often referred to as
glycerin soap. Transparent soap is less drying than opaque soap because they have
additional emollient oils added to it such as Shea butter or jojoba oil.
Aashi: Jobaba oil!
Navin: Its jojoba oil. Jojoba is a name of a plant.
Aashi: I will remember this jojoba oil.
Navin: Transparent soap is basically partly soap and partly solvent.
Meena: I think Navin now we should go back to home. I have to prepare food.
Navin: Alright! Meena. Come Aashi.
Aashi: Coming dad.
(Scene change, transition music. Ambience of home. Sound of switching on of light, fan).
Meena: Now I am going to make food.
Aashi: It means that you wont join us.
Navin: Let your mother go Aashi I am very hungry now.
(Suddenly power goes off).
Navin: Oh my god! Light is gone.
Meena: Aashi stay where there you are. Dont move.
(Sound of some person striking to the furniture)
Aashi: Yes mom. I am here, but please light a candle there is darkness everywhere.

(Sound of foot steps)

Meena: Yes I am searching it. (Sound of like some person is searching something).
(Sound of a lightning of a match stick)
Meena: Are you there? (Sound of footsteps).
Aashi: Yes mom!
Meena: Alright.
Navin: Now what should we do?
Aashi: Lets go to the terrace. We will have the class there.
Navin: Thats a good idea.
Meena: But I have to prepare food. I cant come with you people. I am already late.
(Light comes)(Sound of celling fan)
Aashi: Yuppie! (Sound of clap). Now we dont need not to go to the terrace.
Meena: But I will join you later.
Aashi: Oh! Mom please dont go mom.
Meena: Aashi dont you need your dinner.
Navin: I am hungry.
Aashi: Me too! But Mom
Meena: Aashi Ok I will keep my ears here. So that, I can also listen the story of
soaps and detergents.
(Sound of footstep fading away. Sound of utensils)
Navin: Meanwhile the food is ready let me tell you a very interesting piece of
information. Do you know that soaps are graded in terms of total fatty matter or TFM.
Aashi: TFM full form is Total Fatty.. Matter. Am I right Dad? What is it?
Navin: Absolutely! TFM or Total Fatty Matter is a measure for identifying the amount of
fatty matter present in soap. TFM is what lends soap its soapy feel and it is the TFM and
the insoluble matter in the soap that largely differentiates one soap from another.
Meena: Would you eat rice also or should I just make chapattis for you?
(Sound of utensils, chopping and other relevant sounds).
Navin: No! I would just take chapattis.
Aashi: I will take some rice also Mom.
Navin: To add to the information Bureau of Indian Standards has categories bath or toilet
soaps as normal. Baby, transparent, and antibacterial soaps are called specialty
soaps targeted to specific users.
Meena: Do soaps have some TFM limit?
Navin: I must say Meena you are a good listener. And this time I am not joking it is a
compliment for you!

(Sound of utensils).
Meena: Thank you!
Navin: Grade 1 toilet soap should have TFM value above 80 percent, except in ayurvedic
soap. Any soap which has a TFM value less than 55 percent is not considered as toilet
soap at all. Today 85 percent of bathing soaps available in the market are not toilet soaps
even if they are promoted by some celebrities.
Meena: Oh really! And the general public uses them without knowing the hardcore facts.
We just go by the name of the celebrity.
Navin: The market is huge here people have so many options that they do not think
before they chose their products.
Meena: The food is ready. Come both of you.
Aashi: Yeah.. I am too hungry!
(Sound of footsteps.)
Meena: Wash your hands before having your food.
Aashi: With soap! Now I know too much this soap cake. The texture, the fragrance, the
chemical nature and how it came into existence.
(Sound of water coming out of tap).
(Sound of footsteps, Pull of chair, sound of utensils).
Navin: Give me some salad Meena.
Meena: Yeah sure!
Aashi: Dad when bathing bars were introduced in India?
Meena: Aashi have your food first.
(Sound of utensils, spoons).
Aashi: Mom I cant stop myself please let me know this.
(Sound of eating of salad).
Navin: Bathing bars were introduced in India in 1985, when the country was facing acute
scarcity of vegetable cooking oils. Much of the vegetable oils were being used by
industry. The government started importing palm oil from abroad. In order to control the
use of vegetables oils for soap making, the government allowed the manufactures of soap
to introduce bathing bars. The introduction of bathing bars reduced the use of cooking
oils for soap making. Thus more cooking oil became available for domestic use.
(Sound of spoons and utensils).
Meena: Is there any parameter that can determine the price of bathing bars.
Aashi: Mom, give me some water.
(Sound of water pouring in a glass)
Meena: Take it Aashi.
Navin: The price of bathing bars were determined according to the total fatty matter
contained in them and more importantly the type of fatty matter used. Due to this step

government could reduce the quantum of import of vegetable oil and could save a lot of
foreign exchange.
If we talk about bathing bars we can divide them in two categories one is made up of
partial soap and partial synthetic detergent and second one is made up of wholly synthetic
detergent.
Meena: I want to ask one question that is there in my mind from the last so many years.
Aashi: Mom, have your food first!
(Both Navin and Aashi laugh)
Meena: (Smilingly). Both you father and daughter does not spare a single chance to pull
my leg.
Navin: Take it in good spirit Meena.
Meena: Your leg pulling can not stop me from asking my question.
Aashi: Well said Mom!
Meena: How does a soap works?
Navin: What an impressive question Meena. Good! Let me explain it. Dirt and grime
adhere to skin, clothing and other surfaces because they are combined with greases and
oils-body oil, cooking fats, lubricating greases and a variety of similar substances-which
act a little like sticky glues. Since oils are not capable of being with water, washing with
water alone does little good.
Meena : Leave aside washing alone with water for Aashis cloths the detergent too have
to be very strong.
(Sound of laugh of Navin and Meena).
Aashi: Mom
Meena: Alright! Now listen further.
Navin: Soap has a split personality. One end you may call it head is oil-loving and
another end is tail that is water-loving. The tail sticks to the oil while the tail remains in
water. In this manner the oil is broken into small droplets throughout the solution. These
tiny droplets are soluble in water and it can easily be washed away.
Aashi: Oh! This is really interesting Dad!
Meena: I have never thought that the soap works so scientifically. Great!
(Sound of spoons and plates).
Navin: There is science behind everything.
Meena: You are right! Have you finished your food Aashi.
Aashi: Not yet!
Meena: Finish it quickly. You eat very slowly.
Navin: This is about soaps synthetic detergents also work more or less in similar way.
But detergents are preferred over soaps for washing clothes.
Aashi: Dad how soaps are different from detergents?

Meena: I have seen that soaps do not work well in hard water may be this is the reason.
Navin: Yes Meena this is the main reason. Hard water contains certain metallic ions that
react with soap anions to form greasy, insoluble curds. These deposits make up the
familiar bath tub ring. They leave the freshly washed hair sticky.
Meena: I had faced this problem during my childhood. The area where we were living
had bad supply of water. And my hair used to stick almost after every wash. Bad hair
days!
Aashi: (With surprise). Really Mom!
(Sound of Navin drinking water from the glass).
Navin: Soaps are less harmful to the human skin and the environment. Soaps are
biodegradable and create less pollution in our streams and rivers. But soaps have certain
limitations we cannot use them for hard water. As I told you earlier that they combine
with the metallic impurities of the water to form clog drains and stick to clothing. Soap is
less powerful than synthetic detergent. So, soap is not recommended for laundry.
Aashi: Mom I am full now!
Meena: Alright! Wash you hands and mouth properly.
(Sound of plates, spoons and utensils and pull of chair).
(During washing hands, sound of water coming from tap).
Aashi: Dad is liquid soap softer than detergent?
Navin: Yes Aashi. As liquid soaps are specially meant for washing hands they have to be
skin-friendly whereas detergents are mend to deal with tough stains of clothes they are
hard.
Aashi: I got it Dad.
(Sound of footsteps).
Navin: Come sit Aashi. Your Shobha aunty has come and she was asking for bleaching
powder.
Aashi: Yes Dad! She came just a few minutes before.
Navin: Some Washing powders also contain a bleaching agent, such as Sodium
perborate. They usually are called oxygen washes and often contain part of the word
oxygen in the commercial name. So, we can say that bleaching powder can be used for
removing tough stains.
Aashi: That is why Shobha aunty was asking for bleaching powder.
Meena: But for different types of clothes we have to use different washing powder or say
for some sensitive clothes it is recommended that one should use liquid detergents.
Navin: It is not only a recommendation Meena but we should follow this as doing this
will enhance the life of our clothes.
Meena: I am washing clothes for so many years but I do not know that what chemical
composition I should use for my clothes.
Navin: Every person who is dealing with washing of clothes should keep this thing in
mind. They should select the detergent wisely.

Aashi: Dad please, tell Mom which detergent should she use for different types of
clothes?
Navin: Cotton fabrics can be washed with detergents heavy with phosphate and soda ash.
Wool, nylon and silk fabrics should be washed with detergents, which have less alkali,
less phosphate and less soda ash.
Meena: You mean to say powder detergents and liquid detergents to be precise.
Navin: Yes! But check the chemical composition before you buy them.
Meena: There are detergents for hand wash and machine wash also.
Navin: They are also called as heavy duty detergent powders. They are two types. One
suitable for hand washing and the other for machine washing. Detergents used for hand
washing should give copious lather. That would satisfy the aesthetic sense of the
customer.
Meena: I remember that few years back there was a washing powder in market with
almost no lather. It was a big flop in Indian market.
Navin: The reason is that we think that that has enough lather is good for washing. But
the fact is that the amount of foam is not a measure of the effectiveness of the detergents.
However, a small amount of foam is necessary to trap the dirt and carry it away during
rinsing.
Aashi: And Dad what about machine wash?
Navin: Detergents used in washing machine should not produce much foam, because it
may damage the machine, especially of the front loading machines.
Meena: Not only machine these detergents have damaged my skin also. Look at my
hands they have become so dry!
Navin: The detergent which removes the dirt and grime from the clothes also degreases
the skin while washing the clothes. Thus natural oils from the skin are removed which
may lead to certain skin diseases. Moreover, the alkaline builders and fillers added to the
detergents are also harmful to the sensitive skin.
(The phone rings. Sound of footsteps).
Navin: Hello!
Phone voice: Hello, Navin.
Navin: Yes this is Navin speaking.
Phone voice: Navin this is Satish.
Navin: Yeah, Satish tell me, is everything alright!
Phone voice: Yes everything is alright. I just want to tell you that tomorrow we will be
having a meeting with some clients at 11 in the morning. So, please be there in office at
this time.
Navin: Ok. I will be there in the office.
Phone voice: Ok. Good night.
Navin: Good night.
Meena: Who was there?

Navin: Satish, my colleague. There is a meeting in the office at 11 in the morning. I have
to attend that meeting.
Meena: So, I think we should go to sleep.
Aashi: The story is not completed yet Mom!
Meena: Aashi you have to go to school and your Dad has an important meeting at his
office so go to sleep.
Aashi: Just few minutes Mom. Please..
Meena: But I wont let you take more time.
Navin: I will try to finish it as soon as possible.
Aashi: Dad told me in case clothes are not washed properly then is it possible that the
soap may cause harm?
Navin: If the clothes are not washed very well with water, the residual detergent sticking
to the cloth also may irritate the skin. Metallic impurities present in the detergent
powders are also harmful.
Aashi: Mom now onwards you have to be very careful while washing clothes.
Meena: Alright Aashi Mam! I will take care of this.
Navin: With this the detergents are subject of debate among environmentalists.
Aashi: Dad who are environmentalists?
Navin: They are the people who supports that the natural environment should be
preserved, restored and improved and may be referred to as a movement to control
pollution.
Meena: Here is your ice-cream Aashi.
(Sound of putting the saucer on the table).
Aashi: Wow! Now the discussion will be yummier.
(Sound of spoon and saucer).
Meena: And here is yours Navin.
Navin: Thank you Meena! Now you tell me what you want to know more about soaps
and detergents?
Aashi: Dad you said that detergents are subject of debate. Why is it subject of debate?
Navin: Yeah..You know Aashi chemicals like phosphates, bleacher and brightening
agents are used in detergents. The chemical used in detergents, Phosphates has a defect
that they are superb nutrients for algae and other small plants and grow on the surface of
lakes and streams. Algae, nourished by a steady supply of phosphates can cover the
surface of the body of water and prevent atmospheric oxygen from reaching the marine
life below the surface.
Aashi: But Dad if fishes were not getting the oxygen they will die.
Navin: Yes Aashi you are right. That is happening, not only fishes but other aquatic
animals something occurring on large scale in lakes and rivers covered with Algae.
Aashi: What may the solution of this problem?

Navin: We have not found any solution of this problem yet. But few countries have
banned the use of phosphates as detergent builders. The most promising substitute for
phosphates is a class of compounds of aluminum, silicon and oxygen.
(Sound of footsteps, coming in).
Meena: Aashi have you finished your ice-cream? Give me the saucer.
Aashi: Yes Mom I have finished it like phosphates are finishing the fishes in the sea.
(Sound of laugh of Navin, Meena and Aashi).
Navin: You have got the idea right Aashi. But on a more serious note, this is a big
problem. As due to extensive use of detergents some precious species those live under the
water are dying. And we should help them to survive.
Meena: But we have no choice as it is a necessity to wear clothes and when we have to
wear them we have to wash them too. We can not escape this cycle.
Navin: Scientists are working hard on this and they are designing such clothes which
need not to be washed. You can wear them and they wont get dirty too.
Aashi: Amazing! I am waiting for the day when I will be able to wear my clothes without
worrying about stains.
Meena: Aashi more than you I waiting for those clothes to come in the market. As I
suffer this problem a lot.
Navin: Hope that day will come soon in our lives.
Meena: Ok now go to sleep and hopefully the day will come soon. Aashi go to sleep
now! You have to wake up early!
Aashi: Dad cant scientists work on extending the night hours so that I get enough time
to sleep without worrying to get up early in the morning.
(Sound of laugh)
Meena: Aashi, you can dream about this in the night with closed eyes. Now come on go
to sleep.
(Sound of footsteps, sound of switch off lights).