“Cleanliness is the key to health”, - the words of the cartoon hero. No one will argue with this truth. Since childhood, we learn the rules of personal hygiene. In the morning it is necessary to wash, hands should be washed often and thoroughly, and once a day water procedures for the whole body are mandatory. In all these simple affairs, soap is our assistant.
Over the past few years, bar soap has been less common in bathrooms. And in public places and in hospitals it has long been replaced by liquid soap. Do these fighters for cleanliness differ?
Difficulties in choosing soap
Standing in front of a shelf with hygiene products, it is sometimes very difficult to determine. Some people think that solid and liquid soap differ only in consistency, so you should choose only on the basis of personal preferences. Despite the apparent similarity, there are still differences.
These two types of soap have different pH levels. Thanks to gum advertising, even a child knows about the acid-base balance. However, this concept applies not only to the oral cavity, but also to the skin. In liquid soap, the pH level is exactly the same as the skin has, namely 5.5. But solid soap has a pH of 9, and sometimes 12.
Excess alkali in solid soap can cause skin dryness. Also, the alkaline environment leaves no chance for various useful additives (herbs, oils, etc.).
But liquid soap is able to store them in its composition for a long time. And this is far from all of its advantages.
Pros of Using Liquid Soap
- Hygiene After wetting, a piece of soap remains wet for a long time, which is a great opportunity for bacteria to settle on its surface. Liquid soap in this case is less susceptible to attack by pathogens. And in public restrooms it is completely impractical to use solid.
- A bar of soap cracks and deforms over time, and similar metamorphoses do not occur with a liquid.
- Preservation of water balance. Liquid soap does not dry the skin, but creates a film on the surface that interferes with the loss of moisture. Thanks to various additives, this soap improves the condition of the skin of the hands.
- The economic factor. Soap in liquid form foams better, so it needs a few drops.
- Convenience. Using liquid soap is much simpler than its solid counterpart.
Liquid detergent is also recommended for use in child care facilities. Organic and hypoallergenic baby liquid soap. In its composition, all kinds of synthetic additives are minimized. And herbal extracts care for the delicate skin of babies. Also, baby soap has a mild odor due to the small number of fragrances, which prevents the development of allergies.
Do-it-yourself liquid soap
Soap making is a fairly popular hobby today. Making a unique liquid soap according to your own recipe is not difficult at all. There are two recipes. The first option is very simple and is suitable if a lot of solid soap residue has accumulated in the house.
- Rub a bar of solid soap or those residues that are on a fine grater.
- Pour the resulting chips into a saucepan and pour water (about 2-3 glasses). We achieve the boiling of the liquid, while constantly stirring the mixture.
- After dissolving the soap in water, pour a tablespoon of honey, 5 drops of glycerin and your favorite essential oils in a few drops.
If you are fond of soap making, then cook it from a special soap base. This is easy to do, but it will take more time.