lime soap

Lime soaps are ineffective in washing dishes or clothes or hair.

Hard water contains calcium or magnesium ions, which react with the fatty acid component of soap to give what are technically called lime soaps:

Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate (foamer, lime soap dispersant)

In any operations that include the use of soap, the hardness is detrimental, because lime soaps are formed that waste soap and give rise to sticky deposits on fabric and machines.

Of the anionics, soap is not a common deliberate constituent of bath foam preparations because they react rapidly with "hardness" cations in water to produce lime soaps, which are anti-foams.

This is normally run off with other effluents without difficulty, but care may be needed if the waste water contains soap, because insoluble lime soap may precipitate in the drains and cause blockages.

Surfactants used in bath foam preparations may also be included for primarily non-foaming purposes: solubilization of other components in the manufacturing of a liquid product, or lime soap dispersion to prevent bathtub ring when used with soap.

Greases for Plain and Roller Bearings with Metal Soap Thickener CEDRACON 95/100 N Cable and underwater grease Versatile lime soap lubricating grease with graphite additive.

Even lime soaps can be dispersed and solubilized, so that there is the basis of a useful emergency treatment that can be applied when the normal supply of soft water is not available or where, for some reason, hard water has been run into a vessel and it is desired to counteract its effect in situ.