Will soap breed bacteria? Will soap get moldy?

Many of us have used soap in our daily lives, and in most cases we use soap to take a bath, but many people are worried that soap will breed bacteria. So let us find out if soap will breed bacteria? Can soap get moldy?

Does soap breed bacteria?

Soap can breed bacteria, but there are no alkali-resistant bacteria in soap. Soap itself cannot sterilize or disinfect, or the sterilization function of soap itself is very, very limited. The bodies of bacteria, fungi, and viruses are all made up of proteins. When proteins encounter alkaline substances, they will mutate and coagulate together. Therefore, alkaline detergents such as soap have bactericidal functions. Soap itself is weakly alkaline. In a weakly alkaline environment, it is difficult for bacteria to survive, so it can be said that soap itself is sterile. The carbon number of fatty acids in daily soaps is generally 10-18. The metals are mainly alkaline metals such as sodium or potassium. Special-purpose soaps are also made from ammonia and certain organic bases such as ethanolamine and triethanolamine. However, when soap is placed in water or in a dark, humid, or dirty environment for a long time, bacteria may survive on the water and dirt on the surface of the soap.

Can soap get moldy?

Generally not. Soap itself is weakly alkaline, and the weakly alkaline environment is not conducive to the growth of bacteria. This is why soap itself is cleaner than other cleaning products. However, in actual use, the soap is often soaked in the water in the soap box, which causes the surface of the soap to always be wet, making it easy for bacteria to be contaminated on the surface. Germs can and probably will live on the surface of soap, but they generally won't make you sick or cause a skin infection, says Elaine L. Larson, PhD, associate dean of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and professor of nursing epidemiology. The bottom of soap is usually wet, which can become a breeding ground for bacteria. Studies have found that the bacteria on soap can be cross-transmitted between different users. Therefore, after using the soap, put it back into the soap box, and do not place it directly next to the sink or laundry sink, as this will cause the soap to become contaminated and produce bacteria. And a soap box directly attached to the wall is most conducive to the drying of soap.

Will soap melt in the sun?

Soap cannot be exposed to the sun. When exposed to the sun, the soap will shrink and crack, separating the alkali and forming "white frost", which will reduce the soap's cleansing ability and durability. The ingredient of soap is sodium stearate, which is ionized in water to form stearate ions and sodium ions. Generally, hard water contains a large amount of calcium ions and magnesium ions, and stearate ions will combine with magnesium ions and calcium ions to form magnesium stearate and calcium stearate. Both calcium stearate and magnesium stearate are precipitates that are insoluble in water. Therefore, if soap is put into hard water, precipitation will occur. There is no magnesium ion and calcium ion or there are trace amounts of them in soft water. Therefore, if soap is put into soft water, there will be no precipitation and the water will be pure and transparent.

Can soap cause allergies?

Some people are allergic to soap. Soap is a chemical product with special corrosive effects. Otherwise, it cannot emulsify oil stains, blood stains and other items well. If the skin causes severe soap allergies, it will first corrode the skin, causing severe skin itching, redness and swelling, and skin peeling. Secondly, it will trigger a series of systemic symptoms. Local skin diseases will cause systemic skin diseases, inducing severe skin ulcers, which will have a great impact on physical health.