Laundry soaps - These soaps are generally thought of as mild soaps used for lifting soil, grease and organic compounds from an assortment of fabrics. Laundry detergents are formulated to work under varying conditions. Laundry detergents come in powders, liquids and gels and can work in all water temperatures. Laundry detergents are most effective when used in warm or hot water especially when removing grease or heavy soil.

Kitchen soaps - The two main types of kitchen soaps are dish detergents and cleansers. Dish detergents are formulated to cut through grease, suspend the soil particles in the foam and leave a no residue shine. Hand dishwashing detergents are made to work at lower temperatures and usually have more grease removing capacity by producing more foam. Machine dishwasher detergents are formulated to produce less foam and work at higher temperatures. Often other agents are added to the formula to provide a no residue rinse in the final dishwashing cycle. Cleansers contain mild abrasives that help remove stubborn stains and heavy soil. Some cleansers are more abrasive than others the mildest being cream cleansers to the harshest being powdered cleansers.

Personal soaps - There are many types of personal soaps sold in today's market. From the basic to the extravagant every soap seems to contain its own unique properties specially formulated for every particular need. Antibacterial soaps are formulated to stop the spread of bacteria and viruses by adding broad spectrum antimicrobial agents such as chloroxylenol (PCMX). Chloroxylenol kills up to 99.9% of all bacteria that can make you sick. Regular personal detergent soaps are designed to lift soil from the skin by suspending particles in the foam. Some personal detergent soaps contain lotions and extracts to add moisture to the skin that the detergents take out. Hair and body soaps are a multi-purpose blend that works on hair just as well as it cleans skin making them a great candidate for fitness clubs and schools.

Cleaning soaps - These soaps are made for cleaning soils and grease. Cleaning soaps come in light to heavy duty formulations and are great at removing soils and grease without having to use harsh abrasives.

Industrial soaps - Industrial soaps are formulated for specific tasks. They are commonly used for car washes, auto centers, and production line cleanup. These soaps usually come in 55 gal drums or large containers and are connected to pressure cleaning systems.