Difference between soap and detergent?

Soaps are natural cleaning agents made from fats and oils, while detergents are synthetic chemicals that clean effectively even in hard water.

Both soaps and detergents remove dirt and grease using surface-active molecules called surfactants. However, their composition and behavior differ. Soaps are sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids, formed by saponification of oils with alkali. They clean well in soft water but form scum with calcium and magnesium in hard water. Detergents are made from petroleum derivatives and sulfuric acid compounds. They work in all water types and do not form scum. This makes detergents more common in modern laundry and dishwashing products. Soaps are biodegradable, while many detergents can cause environmental pollution if not eco-friendly.