Hand cleaners and soaps come in a wide variety of formulations, designed for use in many different demanding workplace environments.
Hand soap can either be hard - as in traditional bar soap - soft, or entirely liquid in form. In most cases, the hardness of a soap is dictated by whether or not hardening agents have been added to the base mix (this is why many 100% natural bar soaps tend to feel softer and deplete more quickly).
Whatever the precise make-up of the hand cleaner you’re using, their basic functions and properties are likely to be very similar across the board (with the exception of some specialist formulas):
- The vast majority of bar soaps are essentially a mixture of animal or vegetable fats and oils. These are combined with a strong alkali solution, and often some type of perfume or fragrance. If moisturisers are not added, most soaps of this kind will tend to be somewhat drying to many skin types due to their pH levels.
- Liquid cleaners and detergents tend to be petroleum-based, incorporating emulsifying and stabilising agents to give them their familiar silky smooth consistency. In addition, many leading brands from industrial hand soap manufacturers often boost their effectiveness with added antibacterial solutions, degreasing solvents or mild abrasives. Liquid hand soaps are also easy to blend with other ingredients, such as moisturisers, to achieve a non-drying and pH-balanced formula.
All soaps and liquid hand cleaners are ultimately designed to make it easier to remove grease, bacteria and other contaminants from the skin. The active ingredients in industrial hand soaps help to dissolve and dilute stubborn dirt, allowing it to mix more readily with water before being scrubbed off and rinsed away.