How does soap work?

It’s a surfactant. It reduces the surface tension of water and allows it to penetrate surfaces that would otherwise be hydrophobic. “Soap” is also mixed with an oil or fat which makes oil and grease mix and is able to be carried away. With out this it’s a “detergent”

How is soap different than detergent?

As I understand it, soap molecules bond to oil on one side and water on the other. This allows them to “bridge the gap” between oil and water. I’ve got no idea about soap vs. detergent. I suspect that detergent is simply a specialized form of soap, that’s been optimized for certain traits that benefit laundering clothes. What those are and how it works, I don’t know.

That’s very interesting that the soap combines with the oil on one side and water on the other.

There are several differences. Back in the day “soap” contained lye and animal fat. “Detergent” does not and is more of a catch all for synthetic alternatives.

Thanks for that clarification.