Difference between Soaps and Detergents
May 22, 2013 April 6, 2021
| Soaps | Detergents |
| Soaps are sodium salts of long chain fatty acids | Detergents are sodium salts of sulfonic acids. |
| The ionic part of a soap is -COO- Na+ | The ionic part in a detergent is -SO3 – Na+ |
| They are biodegradable | Some detergents are not biodegradable. |
| They are prepared from animal fats or vegetable oils. | They are prepared from hydrocarbons obtained from coal and petroleum. |
| Soaps form insoluble salts called scums with calcium and magnesium ions which are present in hard water and hence cannot be used in hard water. | Calcium and magnesium salts of detergents are soluble in water and therefore can be used even in hard water. |
