when using laundry powder(washing machine powder) as a hand wash(greas)it heats up, why does it heat up?

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when using laundry powder(washing machine powder) as a hand wash(greas)it heats up, why does it heat up?

In: Chemistry

Anonymous 0 Comments

I’m assuming it contains some lye since it’s a powder based soap. Lye (sodium hydroxide) is water soluble; however as it dissolves it gives off heat (exothermic). Lye is also incredibly alkaline, which means it could be as harmful (if not more) than a strong acid. Which is why it works great for cleaning your laundry, but shouldn’t be used on your bare skin.