Why is Soap and Water the Most Effective Defence Against Covid 19?

Why is Soap and Water the Most Effective Defence Against Covid 19?

SoapOman - How Soap Works.

I am pretty sure that you've been reading a lot recently about how to keep things clean and what the best way is of keeping this horrid virus at bay.

Here at SoapOman we've been busy making as much soap as we can because we understand that using soap is by far and away the best way to keep your hands not just nearly clean, but really clean.

How? 

It's funny how things work because soap doesn't actually destroy the Covid 19 virus, what soap does is to scoop up the virus and washes it away so it doesn't get into your body.

So how does it do this?

Well, soap molecules (the things that make the soap) are shaped like a tadpole and are made up of 2 parts which have got some pretty funny names:

1. The Hydrophobic (Hi-Dro-Fo-Bic) Tail

2. The Hydrophilic (Hi-Dro-Fill-Ick) Head

SoapOman - Soap Molecule Structure

The Hydrophobic Tail

This is the part of the soap molecule that hates water!

"Woah, Woah, Woah" I hear you say! "Back up the bus! The part of the water molecule that hates water!!   Say wwhhaaattt!" 

Yes, it's true that this part of the soap repels water and this is really important on why soap is so good at what it does.

This is the part that scoops up the dirt, germs and viruses and keeps them locked into small soap packets called "Micelles"

The Hydrophilic Head

Now, this is the really interesting part because this part of the molecule loves water.  I mean it really, really likes it. It would play with water all day long if it could but it is connected to these tails, which is a real downer because they hate water.

So when these molecules find themselves surrounded by dirt, and in water, for example, when you are washing your hands, then they ll get together to create these little packets of soap called Micelle's to scoop up the dirt, germs and viruses like the image below.

SoapOman - What is a soap Micelle?

 

The soap micelles help to lift the dirt, germs and viruses up and off your hands and skin and break up the dirt and germs to trap it in the water-hating parts of the molecule. This part is then surrounded by the water-loving part, which stops the dirt, germs and viruses from leaving.  This break up is helped by you rubbing your hands together, which also helps to spread the soap around so you can make sure all of your hands (even the back parts and between your fingers) are clean.

This does take time though and this is why it is important to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to give the soap and the micelles the most amount of times they can have to ensure all the nasty germs, viruses and dirt are grabbed hold of.

Then, when you then rinse your hands under the water, the water-loving parts of the micelle gets drawn towards the water and the dirt, germs and viruses are simply washed away down the drain never to be seen again.

So there you go, that's how soap works to look after and protect you and why you need to wash your hands all the time and for at least 20 seconds.

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