Eli5: How does soap get so sudsy and bubbly, given that it starts as either a thick liquid (like shampoo) or a solid (like a bar of soap)?

Question

Eli5: How does soap get so sudsy and bubbly, given that it starts as either a thick liquid (like shampoo) or a solid (like a bar of soap)?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

Soap doesn’t really need to bubble or be foamy. Companies add it to make if feel like its cleaning better. Bubbles have nothing to do with cleaning.

The common ingredients that make soap foam are sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulfate (sometimes referred to as sodium dodecyl sulfate or SLS) and coco-glucoside.