| It is thankful that we live in a society | | | | for washing. The Greeks were also |
| whereby cleanliness is absolutely | | | | recorded to have bathed for aesthetic |
| essential for healthy living, aesthetic | | | | reasons, but according to historical |
| appeal and general hygiene purposes. | | | | facts, they did not use soap and used |
| Industrial cleaning supplies are readily | | | | ashes, sand, pumice and clay before |
| available for companies that take health | | | | smearing themselves with oil. They would |
| and hygiene more seriously. Cleaning is | | | | then scrape the oil and dirt off with a |
| more about reducing the number of | | | | metal instrument called a strigil. |
| bacteria or germs spreading from | | | | Soap was used for many years after, |
| everyday dirt and grime, However, some | | | | right through to the Roman civilisation |
| argue that too much cleaning can have | | | | where the first of the Roman baths was |
| more damaging effects on your health, | | | | introduced around 312 B.C. They used |
| from the harmful chemicals that are used | | | | soap and the waters from the aqueducts |
| in some cleaning products which can act | | | | as recommended by the Greek physician |
| as an irritant to the skin. | | | | Galen by the second century AD. However, |
| The cleaning process is certainly not a | | | | during the fall of the Roman Empire |
| new trend: household and industrial | | | | cleaning standards had dropped |
| cleaning suppliers have produced various | | | | dramatically resulting in the deadly |
| products each year making the content | | | | plagues of the Middle Ages. By the 17th |
| safer and improving the standard of | | | | century, bathing and personal hygiene |
| cleanliness for consumers. Early usage | | | | came back into fashion in much of |
| of soap to clean clothing and surfaces | | | | Europe. |
| was nothing more than in the form of | | | | Detergents |
| ashes, animal and/or vegetable fats and | | | | The making of soap stayed more or less |
| clay. This soap-like substance was | | | | the same until around 1916. Post world |
| popular during the Roman civilisation | | | | war culture saw a lack of essential |
| and so gave rise to awareness for | | | | supplies for the production of soap, |
| personal and general hygiene. | | | | namely vegetable and animal fats as a |
| History of Soap | | | | main ingredient. The first synthetic |
| The birth of industrial cleaning | | | | detergent was put together from a number |
| supplies as we know it was not | | | | of different raw materials that were |
| discovered until much later into the | | | | available. Normal soap when mixed with |
| early 20th century. However personal | | | | mineral salts in water would form an |
| cleaning can be dated as far back as the | | | | insoluble substance known as soap curd, |
| prehistoric times, when the earliest | | | | whereas the new detergent would not have |
| people living near water-based areas | | | | the same effect, which was a main |
| used to clean themselves or mainly wash | | | | advantage of using synthetic detergent. |
| the mud off their hands. The soap-like | | | | Since then the production of detergents |
| material was then discovered in 2800BC, | | | | had surpassed the sale of soap in |
| at the bottom of clay pots, during the | | | | household cleaning. Detergents with soap |
| excavation of ancient Babylon. The soap | | | | are commonly used in either liquid or |
| consisted of water, alkali and cassia | | | | powder form. This also sparked the |
| oil; the ingredients were recorded on a | | | | production of more industrial cleaning |
| Babylonian clay tablet around 2200 BC. | | | | supplies across the globe, with |
| Ancient Egyptians are recorded to have | | | | companies and buildings using strong |
| bathed regularly using a soap like | | | | products that contain safe chemicals and |
| product combining animal and vegetable | | | | non-toxic solvents for use on various |
| oils with alkaline salts; this was also | | | | hard surfaces cleaning. |
| used to treat skin diseases as well as | | | | |