Question

Why don’t stains get erased when washed with water alone?

• A. Water is a non polar solvent and hence can not remove the stains.
• B. Most stains are oily in nature.
• C. Water forms a precipitate with the stains and sticks to the clothes.
• D. All of these

Answer 1

The correct option is B

Most stains are oily in nature.

Most stains are oily in nature. Oil doesn’t dissolve in water as its molecules are non polar while water is a polar solvent. Hence, we need soaps and detergents, the carbon end of which attaches itself to the oil molecules and removes it from clothes.