EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF VARIOUS AGENCIES ON THE PROPERTIES OF SOME SELECTED COMMERCIAL SOAPS AND DETERGENTS IN LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

The effect of various agencies (pH, lathering, oils/fats and hard water) on the properties of some selected commercial soaps and detergents was evaluated. This is sequel to the problem associated with soap and detergent as a result of false declaration of ingredient formulations and complains by consumers (e.g. irritation of the skin, eye, lack of lathering properties, lack of emulsification of oils/fats) and the continued need to seek out the best ways of minimizing them. In the study, ten (10) samples each of commercial hard soaps, soft soaps, baby soaps and detergents making a total of forty (40) samples were used. 10% stock solution of the different commercial soaps and detergents were used for the evaluation. The properties of the commercial hard soaps in various agencies show that most of the soaps except CHS10 (pH-12.50) fall within the PH range for soaps. However, for the properties of the commercial soft soaps in various agencies, all the samples CSS1-CSS10 falls within the PH range while for the properties of the commercial baby soaps in various agencies show that, CBS1-CBS10 all the samples also fall within the PH range. However, in table 4, CD1-CD10 The samples fall within the PH ranges. From the evaluation all the samples CHS, CSS, and CD Perform satisfactory in terms of lathering properties while in case of emulsification evaluation, samples CHS and CD perform credibility well but samples CSS and CBS were fair in their properties performance. This may be attributed to the fact that soft and baby soaps are milder in terms of chemical composition. From the evaluation also, it was observed in terms of performance of the samples to hard water that all the samples, CHS, CSS, CBS and CD performs appropriately well, but the performance was in the order CD>CHS>CSS>CBS respectively. This is as the result of the builders that are incorporated in the detergent which tends to “lock up” the metals that causes hardness of water. In the evaluation of the effectiveness in cleaning, samples had properties performance in the range CD> CHS>CSS>CBS. This is normal in the sense that emulsification of the oils/fats is higher in detergents and hard soaps which are laundry soaps that in soft and baby which are bathing soaps. It is therefore recommended that the soaps and detergents mentioned above can be used for washing and bathing but in case of dermatitis, sensitive and acne prone skin, due consideration to the pH of the soaps and detergents especially sample CH10 (12.36) should taking into consideration.