A. 1st—Because soap increases the oxygen of the water: and
2ndly—It neutralizes the grease of the things washed.
Q. Why is rain water soft?
A. Because it has not come in contact with earths and minerals.
Q. Why is it more easy to wash with soft water than with hard?
A. Because it unites freely with the soap, dissolving it instead of decomposing it, as hard water does.
Q. Why do wood ashes make hard water soft?
A. 1st—Because the carbonic acid of the wood ashes combines with the sulphate of lime in the hard water, and converts it into chalk: and
2ndly—The sulphuric acid of the water combines with the potash of the wood ashes, and prevents it from neutralizing the oily matter of the soap.