Bubble bath
Encyclopedia
The term bubble bath can be used to describe aerated
or carbonated baths, or to describe bathing with a layer of surfactant
foam on the surface of the water and consequently also the surfactant product used to produce the foam.
, or pool, or by producing gas in the water in a bathtub through the use of effervescent solids. The latter can come as small pellets known as bath fizzies
or as a bolus known as a bath bomb
, and they produce carbon dioxide by reaction of a bicarbonate or carbonate with an organic acid.
Bath fizzies are infeasible as liquids because of the inability to keep the mixture from reacting prematurely. This is a distinction from foam bath (see below) preparations, which may be supplied as liquids or solids.
When the term "bubble bath" is encountered on the Internet referring to a gas-infused bath or pool, it is more often by a non-native user of English who may not be aware of its use to refer to foam baths (see below). In other languages the distinction is more likely to be kept by use of different words.
Bubbles on top of the water, less ambiguously known as a foam bath (see photo), can be obtained by adding a product containing foaming surfactants to water and temporarily aerating it by agitation (often merely by the fall of water from a faucet). The practice is popular for personal bathing because of the belief that it cleanses the skin http://avonshop.co.uk/product/bath-and-bodycare/bath/strawberry-sorbet-bubble-bath-1-litre.html?newdept=&s=tradedoubler&c=affiliates&otc=tradedoublerproductfeed_StrawberrySorbetBubbleBath1litre&bnd=&, that the foam insulates
the bath water, keeping it warm for longer, and (as a lime soap dispersant) prevents or reduces deposits on the bath tub at and below the water level (called "bathtub ring" and soap scum
, respectively) produced by soap
and hard water
. It can hide the body of the bather, preserving modesty
or, in theatre and film, giving the appearance that a performer who is actually clothed is bathing normally. Children find foam baths particularly amusing, so they are an inducement to get them into the bathtub.
Surfactant preparations for this purpose are themselves called "bath foam", "foaming bath", or "bubble bath", and frequently contain ingredients for additional purposes common to bath enhancers. Used at much higher concentration (for instance on a washcloth), such preparations (especially in liquid format) may also be used to wash skin or hair, so they are sometimes marketed for combined purposes; in a few cases, mild household detergents for hand washing of articles have also been labeled for such purposes, or for preventing soap scum on the bathtub (with or without foaming).
Effervescent bath products came into use as effervescent bath salts
early in the 20th century; the bath bomb
became a popular form late in that century. The earliest foam baths were foamed with soap
, which practice came about shortly after soap flakes were marketed. Saponins were also used to foam machine-aerated baths. Foam baths became more popular with later surfactants; an early publicized use of an alkyl sulfate surfactant as bath foam was in the original 1936 production of the play The Women, but it is possible that a similar composition was used to produce foams seen in bath photos since the marketing of Dreft
in 1933. Foam baths became standard practice for bathing children after the mass marketing of products so positioned in supermarkets during the 1960s and thereabouts, Bub http://groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries/browse_thread/thread/2ccffd38fa9c105b/659fe9f97452bd70?lnk=st&q=#659fe9f97452bd70 in the United States and Matey in the United Kingdom having been marketed shortly before 1960. the dubious claim had been made that their normal use (diluted in a tubful of water) would substitute for soap and/or rubbing to clean skin.
Machine-aerated baths originated in the early 20th century for therapeutic use, becoming more widely used with the introduction of the jacuzzi
. Trends merged when the hot tub
, which originally had still water, with its increasing popularity became more commonly a communal whirlpool bath. By the late 20th century jetted bathtubs had become popular for home installation.
It is possible to produce baths with bubbles simultaneously in and on top of the water (as in a poured beer), but the combination has not been popular. Mechanical aeration of a foam bath may produce much more foam than is sought—the Internet is replete with first hand accounts and sometimes photographs of such experiences—and many mechanically aerated baths are hot tubs which are shared and not drained between uses and so are desired to be kept free of non-maintenance materials. Mechanically aerated baths for tissue debridement
of burn victims typically have added anti-foaming agents to counteract the film-forming properties that some medicinal additives have as a side effect, but the anti-foam is sometimes omitted or reduced for children to give them more of a pleasant distraction during debridement. Bath fizzies
that also foam tend to produce disappointingly little foam when allowed to do so from their own fizz, and aeration of the water loses the gas from the fizz.
Aeration
Aeration is the process by which air is circulated through, mixed with or dissolved in a liquid or substance.-Aeration of liquids:-Methods:Aeration of liquids is achieved by:...
or carbonated baths, or to describe bathing with a layer of surfactant
Surfactant
Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, the interfacial tension between two liquids, or that between a liquid and a solid...
foam on the surface of the water and consequently also the surfactant product used to produce the foam.
Aerated and carbonated baths – bubbles in water
Bubbles in the water can be produced either by aerating it mechanically (in some cases using jets that also move the water) using equipment installed permanently or temporarily in a bathtub, hot tubHot tub
A hot tub is a large tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy....
, or pool, or by producing gas in the water in a bathtub through the use of effervescent solids. The latter can come as small pellets known as bath fizzies
Bath fizzies
Bath fizzies are material products designed to effervesce in personal bath water. They come in the form of:* amorphous grains of homogeneous mixture, packaged in a box, jar, or envelope;* single-use envelopes of mixed powders; and...
or as a bolus known as a bath bomb
Bath bomb
A bath bomb is a hard-packed mixture of chemicals which effervesces when wet. They are used to add scent and colour to bathwater.-Composition:Bath bombs' primary ingredients are a weak acid and a bicarbonate base...
, and they produce carbon dioxide by reaction of a bicarbonate or carbonate with an organic acid.
Bath fizzies are infeasible as liquids because of the inability to keep the mixture from reacting prematurely. This is a distinction from foam bath (see below) preparations, which may be supplied as liquids or solids.
When the term "bubble bath" is encountered on the Internet referring to a gas-infused bath or pool, it is more often by a non-native user of English who may not be aware of its use to refer to foam baths (see below). In other languages the distinction is more likely to be kept by use of different words.
Foam baths – bubbles on top of water
Thermal insulation
Thermal insulation is the reduction of the effects of the various processes of heat transfer between objects in thermal contact or in range of radiative influence. Heat transfer is the transfer of thermal energy between objects of differing temperature...
the bath water, keeping it warm for longer, and (as a lime soap dispersant) prevents or reduces deposits on the bath tub at and below the water level (called "bathtub ring" and soap scum
Soap scum
Soap scum is an informal term for the white solid that results from the addition of soap to hard water. Hard water contains calcium or magnesium ions, which react with the fatty acid component of soap to give what are technically called lime soaps:In this reaction, the sodium ion in soap is...
, respectively) produced by soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
and hard water
Hard water
Hard water is water that has high mineral content . Hard water has high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. Hard water is generally not harmful to one's health but can pose serious problems in industrial settings, where water hardness is monitored to avoid costly breakdowns in boilers, cooling...
. It can hide the body of the bather, preserving modesty
Modesty
Standards of modesty are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged....
or, in theatre and film, giving the appearance that a performer who is actually clothed is bathing normally. Children find foam baths particularly amusing, so they are an inducement to get them into the bathtub.
Surfactant preparations for this purpose are themselves called "bath foam", "foaming bath", or "bubble bath", and frequently contain ingredients for additional purposes common to bath enhancers. Used at much higher concentration (for instance on a washcloth), such preparations (especially in liquid format) may also be used to wash skin or hair, so they are sometimes marketed for combined purposes; in a few cases, mild household detergents for hand washing of articles have also been labeled for such purposes, or for preventing soap scum on the bathtub (with or without foaming).
Effervescent bath products came into use as effervescent bath salts
Bath salts
The term bath salts refers to a range of water-soluble, usually inorganic solid products designed to be added to a bath. They are said to improve cleaning, improve the experience of bathing, and serve as a vehicle for cosmetic agents...
early in the 20th century; the bath bomb
Bath bomb
A bath bomb is a hard-packed mixture of chemicals which effervesces when wet. They are used to add scent and colour to bathwater.-Composition:Bath bombs' primary ingredients are a weak acid and a bicarbonate base...
became a popular form late in that century. The earliest foam baths were foamed with soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
, which practice came about shortly after soap flakes were marketed. Saponins were also used to foam machine-aerated baths. Foam baths became more popular with later surfactants; an early publicized use of an alkyl sulfate surfactant as bath foam was in the original 1936 production of the play The Women, but it is possible that a similar composition was used to produce foams seen in bath photos since the marketing of Dreft
Dreft
Dreft is a popular laundry detergent in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, the Netherlands and other markets. First produced by Procter & Gamble in 1933, it was one of the earliest synthetic detergents. Upon its inception, Dreft was touted as a significant improvement over the soap suds of...
in 1933. Foam baths became standard practice for bathing children after the mass marketing of products so positioned in supermarkets during the 1960s and thereabouts, Bub http://groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries/browse_thread/thread/2ccffd38fa9c105b/659fe9f97452bd70?lnk=st&q=#659fe9f97452bd70 in the United States and Matey in the United Kingdom having been marketed shortly before 1960. the dubious claim had been made that their normal use (diluted in a tubful of water) would substitute for soap and/or rubbing to clean skin.
Machine-aerated baths originated in the early 20th century for therapeutic use, becoming more widely used with the introduction of the jacuzzi
Jacuzzi
Jacuzzi is a company that produces whirlpool bathtubs and spas. Its first product was a bath with massaging jets. The term "jacuzzi" is now often used generically to refer to any bathtub with massaging jets.-History:...
. Trends merged when the hot tub
Hot tub
A hot tub is a large tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy....
, which originally had still water, with its increasing popularity became more commonly a communal whirlpool bath. By the late 20th century jetted bathtubs had become popular for home installation.
It is possible to produce baths with bubbles simultaneously in and on top of the water (as in a poured beer), but the combination has not been popular. Mechanical aeration of a foam bath may produce much more foam than is sought—the Internet is replete with first hand accounts and sometimes photographs of such experiences—and many mechanically aerated baths are hot tubs which are shared and not drained between uses and so are desired to be kept free of non-maintenance materials. Mechanically aerated baths for tissue debridement
Debridement
Debridement is the medical removal of a patient's dead, damaged, or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue...
of burn victims typically have added anti-foaming agents to counteract the film-forming properties that some medicinal additives have as a side effect, but the anti-foam is sometimes omitted or reduced for children to give them more of a pleasant distraction during debridement. Bath fizzies
Bath fizzies
Bath fizzies are material products designed to effervesce in personal bath water. They come in the form of:* amorphous grains of homogeneous mixture, packaged in a box, jar, or envelope;* single-use envelopes of mixed powders; and...
that also foam tend to produce disappointingly little foam when allowed to do so from their own fizz, and aeration of the water loses the gas from the fizz.