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How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

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21–30 of 97 posts

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#21
post #10

This is probably the stupidest question many of you will encounter today, but: If soap has an extraordinary ability to destroy viruses on our skin ... can eating soap give us some of those benefits for viruses that are already in our bodies? I'm not seriously envisioning chowing down on bar soap or using liquid hand soap as a salad dressing. But are there ways to use the _properties_ of soap that make it good for kil…

[deleted]

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#22
post #10

This is probably the stupidest question many of you will encounter today, but: If soap has an extraordinary ability to destroy viruses on our skin ... can eating soap give us some of those benefits for viruses that are already in our bodies? I'm not seriously envisioning chowing down on bar soap or using liquid hand soap as a salad dressing. But are there ways to use the _properties_ of soap that make it good for kil…

Your question has been answered, but addressing this bit: > This is probably the stupidest question many of you will encounter today We should all be so lucky that a well-intentioned but somewhat naive question is the stupidest thing we read all day.

i have respect for people who can ask these seemingly-dumb but valid and good-faith questions, knowing that they may be judged for it. we all have gaps in our knowledge.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#23

I understand soap molecules having polar and nonpolar ends, so that it can help nonpolar things dissolve in water. What I've never understood is, why doesn't soap clean off pine sap?

I don’t have a real answer for you but I will say that olive oil works well for this. I worked on a Christmas tree lot through my winters as an undergrad and olive oil always worked well. Of course then you need soap and water to remove the olive oil.

This is great for when the contaminant is oil soluble but not water soluble.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#24
post #12
post #5

I'm a huge advocate for washing with soap and water, but this gave me pause: > washing your hands with soap and water is one of the most effective ways people can keep from getting sick, and from passing the [COVID-19] virus to others So not to doubt handwashing, but I thought we overwhelmingly determined that COVID-19 doesn't thrive on surfaces (very long) and its primary transmission vector is through the air, from…

Is it really something that needs to be advocated? Is there really someone for which washing hands is less obvious then breathing?

Yes, there are lots and lots of people who don't wash their hands with any regularity and others who don't wash them as often as they should. You can find statistics about the fraction of folks washing hands in a public restroom, or just watch for yourself the next time you're in a public restaurant or buying food from a restaurant with an open kitchen.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#25

I understand soap molecules having polar and nonpolar ends, so that it can help nonpolar things dissolve in water. What I've never understood is, why doesn't soap clean off pine sap?

Something to do with the difference between solvents & surfactants I imagine.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#26
post #10

This is probably the stupidest question many of you will encounter today, but: If soap has an extraordinary ability to destroy viruses on our skin ... can eating soap give us some of those benefits for viruses that are already in our bodies? I'm not seriously envisioning chowing down on bar soap or using liquid hand soap as a salad dressing. But are there ways to use the _properties_ of soap that make it good for kil…

(Joke)

> I'm not seriously envisioning chowing down on bar soap

If you want to find out, my dog will happily chow down on a bar of soap. He tried to eat one a few days ago, and he happily drinks soapy water out of the tub when my kids are in the bath.

You can dog sit him and clean up the mess when the soap comes out the other end.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#27
There's a great video from Don Pettit on the ISS where he used candy corn to demonstrate the polar / nonpolar nature of soap. He coated one end of the candy corn with a hydrophobic substance and water as his lipid stand-in. Then he demonstrated how a couple of them would just float on the lipids, but a bunch of them would bind the lipids up and make them water soluble.

It was difficult to grok on the first couple watches because water was taking the role of lipids and air was taking the role of water, but a fascinating and visceral demonstration.

The best link I could find is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_1RfqMH-KM

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t have a real answer for you but I will say that olive oil works well for this. I worked on a Christmas tree lot through my winters as an undergrad and olive oil always worked well. Of course then you need soap and water to remove the olive oil.

Coffee grounds or that mechanic paste might do pretty well also

>>Coffee grounds or that mechanic paste might do pretty well also

“Magic All Natural Industrial Hand Cleaner (with walnut shells)”

Is downright the best thing I’ve ever encountered for cleaning anything on the hands. Anything sticky, greasy, non-newtonian… etc. it scrubs right off. Person who’s worked in grimy machine shops for 30 years introduced me to it. Fast Orange is a complete & utter disgrace comparatively.

Coffee grounds are nice, but walnut grounds are far superior.

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