Is soap really necessary?

Question

When was soap invented? What did people do before that? Why can't we just wash off with water? If I'm a germ on somebody's hand and I'm put under a spicket of running water, don't you think I would fall off the hand?

Answer 1

The germ issue isn't that simple... Germs are way too small and can be clinched onto skin so running water doesn't have that much effect on them.
Aside from germs, there are also lots of substances that you might want to wash away, and they don't come off with plain water, but most of them do with soap.
There are plants that, rubbed against the skin with a little water, create something similar with foam and they cleanse the skin. People might have used that before inventing soap, or other naturally occurring substances.
For additional information you can always check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap

Answer 2

Soap making became a craft in Italy by about 700, and by 800 Spain was a leading soap maker. Soap making began in England around 1200. Nicolas Leblanc, a French scientist, found that lye could be made from ordinary table salt in the late 1700's. Following this discovery, soap began to be made and sold a prices that almost everyone could afford.

Many early settlers in North America made their own soap. They did this by pouring hot water over wood ashes to make the alkali potash. They then boiled the potash with animal fats in iron kettles to make soap. The soap cleaned well, but much of it was harsh and smelled bad.

The soap industry in North America began in the early 1800’s. Some people collected waste fats from others and made soap in large iron kettles. They poured the soap into large wooden frames for hardening. After the soap hardened, they cut the soap into bars that were sold from door to door. Manufacturers have made big improvements in the mildness, color, fragrance, and cleaning ability of soaps since the early 1900’s. Soap making is still a craft in the United States, as well as all over the world.

Answer 3

no the germ has to be washed for at least 30 seconds or longer with soap and water before soap peaolpe died in their 30s which was considerd old back then i work in a nursing home their is so many different germs it is not even funny...

Answer 4

Uh, if you were a germ on someone's hand and the running water was not hot, you would cling to the warm hand. USE SOAP! In the "old" days, they used straight lye soap.

Answer 5

back then people only lived until there 40s we are so lucky yes it is wise to use soap and water so that you smell nice and you wash the germs away you get from the day.keep on washing.

Answer 6

That's a good question...germs back in the day weren't probably as bad as they are today, nowadays we have bleach which kills all germs including the good ones so we get sick more...back then I think people had better immunity...

Answer 7

You do need soap. It contains a surfucant that makes your skin slippery. This makes the germs and dirty lose thier grip and slide off.

Answer 8

Yes it is very necessary. Not only to wash your hands, but you need to wash your butt and armpits with soap and water daily. You will stink if you don't.

Answer 9

well in Europe people used to only bathe 2 or 3 times in one year, they thought that dirt was good for you, thats why June is a big wedding month, thats when it got warmer over their so the brides would take their baths and thats why we hold a bouquet as well, to smell good

Answer 10

yes soap is necessary