Stainless steel soap
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A '''stainless steel soap''' is a piece of [[stainless steel]], usually in the shape of a [[soap]] bar. Its purpose is to neutralize or reduce strong odours from the hands, present from handling odorous ingredients such as [[garlic]], [[onion]] or [[fish]].<ref>[http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/f/blstainlessodor.htm How Does Stainless Steel Remove Odors?]</ref> The shape of a soap bar is purely decorative and any piece of stainless steel, such as a [[spoon]], can be used for the same purpose.
[[Image:Stainless steel hand-soap.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Stainless steel soap]]
There are similar applications, such as stainless steel disks in shoes and dishwashers, that are used to absorb odors.
<ref>[http://www.vitalia-health.co.uk/acatalog/Environment.html Zielonker Smell Killers]</ref>
In the absence of plausible chemical explanations of why this may work, or experiments using controls, it is unknown whether the stainless steel soap is actually effective. Stainless steel soaps are often advertised for use with water; so it is likely that sulfurous compounds either dissolve directly in the water or are catalyzed by the steel, if indeed the odour removal is measurably greater with stainless steel than any other substance.
Stainless steel consists of mainly [[iron]] and [[chromium]], and contains a thin layer of [[chromium (III) oxide]] on its surface. Metal oxides are [[Lewis acid]]s and readily catalyze [[oxidation]]s. [[Iron oxide|Iron]] and [[chromium oxide]]s can be used as oxidation catalysts, effective for industrial-scale oxidation of odorous reduced sulfur compounds at a temperature of 180 C.<ref>[http://www.google.com/patents?id=mKcDAAAAEBAJ&dq=6083471 U.S. Patent 6,083,471]</ref> Another plausible explanation is that a thin layer of grease, containing the odorous compounds, is rubbed off mechanically onto the steel surface. Chromium(III) may also act as an [[adsorbent]].
== See also ==
*[[Air ioniser]]
== References ==
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[[Category:Kitchenware]]
[[de:Stahlseife]]