This document discusses soaps, detergents, and their production. Soaps are made through saponification of fats and oils with alkalis or through neutralization of fatty acids with sodium hydroxide. Detergents are surfactants that lower surface tension to remove dirt by disrupting water droplets. Modern detergents are biodegradable and can be used at lower temperatures, making them more environmentally friendly than early detergents. However, some people are allergic to enzymes in biological detergents.