Question

What are the similarities and differences between bath soap and soap for washing clothes?

Answer 1

Hint: Bathing soaps and washing soaps are not the same though both are considered to be surfactants or surface active agents, that means a washing compound which mixes with water and grease. Washing soaps are also called detergents.

Complete answer:
Similarities between bath soap and soap for washing clothes:
Bath soap and soap for washing clothes may contain the same ingredients, for example fats. Both of them can be used for cleaning and laundering purposes. Detergent is simply a soap with some other things added, for example bleach. Both the soaps contain fatty acids and both are used for cleansing.
Difference between bath soap and soap for washing clothes:

Bathing soaps	Washing soaps
Bathing soaps are also called soaps.	Washing soaps are also called detergents.
Soaps are potassium salts of long fatty acids and the anionic group present is $ - COO$	Detergents are sodium salts of long chain hydrocarbons and the anionic group present is $ - OS{O_3}$ or $ - S{O_3}$
They are biodegradable.	They are non-biodegradable.
They are obtained from vegetable oils and animal fats.	They are obtained from coal tar and petroleum.
They do not give lather readily in hard water.	They give lather readily in hard water.
They show weak cleansing action.	They show strong cleansing action.

Note:
Soaps are generally soft and are free from unused alkali. Detergents are generally hard and they contain some residual alkali. Soaps are made up of materials that are found in nature i.e. they are natural whereas detergents are man-made.