History ------------

Soap has been around for 5000 years. Both Egyptians and Babylonians used soap for personal cleaning. Soap then was a mixture of rendered animals fats and ashes.

Although its basic principles remain same, it is now made using a sophisticated chemical and manufacturing process.

Do you know that during middle ages use of soap was considered unnatural? Some historians suggest rejection of soap, and associated lack of hygiene, may have contributed to Black Death that ravaged Europe.

Even intolerance has been linked to soap. Some Europeans rejected soap at this time because it was considered a devilish product. Therefore it has been suggested that cultures who continued using this amazing substance may have been prejudiced against.

Even today people think it is a mystery product that they imagine full of numerous secret ingredients boiled up in a caldron. While not a magical product it is definitely a substance that has helped transform society. It is something we use every day to make our busy lives easier and safer.

Detergent is not soap ----------

Prior to World War II laundry was cleaned with soap or soap flakes. After war detergent became predominant laundry cleaning choice. It was less expensive, more convenient, and worked better with new-fangled washing machines.

Unlike soap, detergent lent itself to high speed processes that allowed it to be mass produced in huge quantities for an ever-expanding market.

With time consumers also demanded variations of detergents that would not have been possible with soap based products. Low suds, high suds, high efficiency, phosphate free, cold water types, fruit scented, non scented, baby specific, liquid form, crystal form, and a multitude of other types are all common today.

How clothes are cleaned ------------

"Put clothes in washing machine ... add detergent ... start machine to let water enter ... and then walk away". That is all most people know about washing their clothes.

People do not realize that detergent is only a minor part of cleaning process. The proper cleaning of clothes involves many complex interactions.

In fact did you know it is water in washing machine that does most of cleaning, not detergent? Primarily, it is water mixing with dirt on clothes that lifts off soiling matter and holds it in suspension. Then as washing machine is draining water finishes job by carrying dirt away with it.

Question: So, if water does work, why do we need detergent?

Answer: Because detergent makes it all happen more efficiently.

Water appears to be one large body of fluid. Actually it's not. In fact it is made up of miniscule balls of water because of a phenomenon called surface tension. The best analogy I can use is that surface tension is like shell around an egg. The natural state of water are these tight little balls. And, because of their surface tension they do not want to mix with other balls of water. So to alleviate this problem we introduce detergent into this environment.

The main job of detergent is to break down this surface tension.

Once surface tension is broken water will mix better with other water molecules. This will allow all water balls to flow into a large homogeneous mass that can then be put to work.

By lowering its surface tension water can be made to penetrate clothing fabric rather than slide off its surface. Therefore, detergent makes water more efficient.

Some people describe it as making ater "slippery". Still others refer to it as making water "wetter". Whatever description result is that water can attack dirt more aggressively. The water gets into clothing fibres, loosens dirt, and then holds it until it can be washed away.

Additionally, detergent helps keep dirt suspended within water. This is necessary to prevent particles of dirt from reattaching to fabric. Without detergent this could happen every time water-dirt mixture came into contact with clothing.

The last thing we need for a good wash is impart some energy into water. That is a fancy way of saying we need to make it move. That is job of agitator inside washing machine.

There are really two categories of windows out there. They are single pane windows and dual pane windows. Then, within those two categories, there are several types of windows in each category. Let's start with single pane window category. This would be older windows that were around before building industry became more energy conscious. It just means that there is a single piece of glass in frame that surrounds it. A lot of homeowners mistakenly think a horizontal sliding window must be a double pane window, since there is a pane of glass in sliding panel and another pane in stationary panel. The terminology refers to number of panes in sliding or fixed panel alone. In other words, a single pane horizontal sliding window has a single pane of glass in sliding panel, and a single pane in fixed panel. A double pane slider would actually have two pieces of glass in both sliding panel and fixed panel. The pieces in each panel are separated by approximately 3/8" of air, and have a metal spacer around edge of glass.

So, let's get back to single pane repairs. One of more common types of single pane windows are type that uses putty to hold glass in frame. All old wood windows are done this way. Old metal casement windows are usually done this way as well. The casement window is kind with handle on inside bottom corner that you crank, and window opens outward on a top and bottom pivot. Let's focus this article on putty style replacements.

Before you begin, pick a local glass shop in your area where you will go to pick up new glass. Make sure they are going to be open day you do work, and confirm with them that if you call in an order for a pane of glass in morning, you can pick it up in an hour or two. You dont want to remove glass from window frame, then find out glass shop won't have your glass cut until next week. If they can't guarantee a two hour turnaround, keep looking.