Why are soaps called soaps?

Question

if you dont know what soaps are then get a life
no its not what you wash yourself with

Answer 1

because after so long people wash thier hands of them!!

Answer 2

In a Nut Shell:

While soaps themselves have complicated stories involving romance, betrayal, and dark family secrets, the story behind the term "soap opera" is simple and squeaky clean.
In the 1920s, radio was booming, and broadcasters wanted to get advertisers in on the act to increase their station's profits. So radio stations convinced businesses that sold household goods to sponsor radio shows. To appeal to the main consumers of these items -- female homemakers -- the radio stations created the daytime serial drama format. The first radio soap opera ran in Chicago and was sponsored by a margarine company.

Soon, all the networks had serials aimed at women, and companies selling cleaners and food products rushed to sponsor the shows. For example, Proctor & Gamble's Oxydol soap powder sponsored a popular serial drama in 1933. By 1939 the press started calling the shows "soap operas" because so many were sponsored by soap manufacturers. "Opera" had already been used in a non-musical sense in the '20s with "horse opera," which described Western movies. Soaps moved from radio to TV along with most entertainment forms in the 1950s.

And as you see the name still stands!!

I hope that this information is Helpful to you!

Answer 3

IN the 50's, when the shows appeared on radio, one of the biggest sponsors were Laundry Soap companies, since the demographic for the shows were housewives. From Wikipedia--

"The term "soap opera" originated from the fact that when these serial dramas were aired on daytime radio, the commercials aired during the shows were largely aimed at housewives. Many of the products sold during these commercials were laundry and cleaning items, and included a jingle praising the product. This specific type of radio drama came to be associated with these particular commercials, and this gave rise to the term "soap opera" — a melodramatic story that aired commercials for soap products. Though soap operas are still sponsored by companies such as Procter & Gamble, the diverse demographic groups that soap operas attract have caused other advertisements for such things as acne medication and birth control, appealing to a much younger audience."

Answer 4

The soaps in days of old, sitting in front of the radio, and listening to the many programs, many of which I understand were sponsored by soap companies.

I heard some classic recordings of some of the old radio programs, and one was introduced as "Oxydols, own Ma Perkins", which I guess would be similar to today's Rosanne.

I guess back then, many women would not miss their "Soap's", and I suppose things haven't changed much today.
Women, . . . . . . . Ya gotta love em!

Good Question,

Darryl S.

Answer 5

I think the previous answer is correct, ie Soap manufacturers sponsored serials to advertise their wares.
Lever Bros bought paintings to use in their soap adverts. Pears soap adverts were famous and can still be found as prints.
We obviously needed persuasion to be clean!

Answer 6

In the "old days" the majority of advertisers for daily drama shows were soap companies. So, the shows themselves were often called "soap operas".

Answer 7

original it was because of all the laundry commercials that came on. Back in the day the soaps were on for half hour periods and fifteen minutes of that were soap commercials

Answer 8

Many of the oldest "soap operas"were radio programs that were sponsored by detergent companys.

Answer 9

by way of fact while they initially began they have been backed by making use of cleansing soap manufacturers, those agencies made diverse funds available for his or her manufacturing in return for diverse merchandising in the process the shows and that they grew to grow to be primary as cleansing soap operas.

Answer 10

They were sponsored by Soap mfg back when they got started.

Answer 11

because they need cleaning up! seriously it was nicknamed soap opera because detergent companies sponsored the shows. mainly because these daytime dramas were seen by housewives during daytime.