Most, if not all soaps has a pH of 7 or greater.
Household soaps with a higher base content such as dish detergent have a greater cleaning power but more caustic on your hands so you need to use gloves
For regular bathing , you need to keep it as close to 7.0 which is neutral.
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THE pH OF SOAPS
Soap is produced by the reaction of fatty substances with sodium or potassium hydroxide. In chemistry, the fatty substances are named fatty acids, while the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and the potassium hydroxide (KOH) are known to be very strong bases. The reaction of these substances produces a salt: the soap. Usually, soaps have a basic reaction. Particularly in winter, these soaps contribute to dry the skin of the hands, to chap it, to cause redness and even bleeding. Probably, this is also due to the fact the skin has an acidic pH, around 5.5. The frequent use of soap, and also of detergents, tends to increase the pH of the skin and to cause harm. To reduce this problem, neutral and even acid soaps are produced. If you are washing dishes, it is better to use protective gloves. To prevent problems to your hands, besides using suitable ointments, some drops of citron could be useful.
Check the pH of the soaps you have at home. For this purpose, put some drops of water on the soap to be tested. With a finger, scrape a little so as to put in solution a bit of soap and wet a litmus paper with it. If the soap is basic, the paper becomes blue, if the soap is acid, the paper becomes red. Check also the pH of the detergents you use to hand wash dishes, of shampoo, balsams, creams and other toiletries.
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2007-11-27 06:31:25
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answer #2
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answered by QuiteNewHere 7
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