Brief summary

In the laboratory test at the laboratory in Vilhelmina, we examined how soap affects the cleaning and surface feel of wood. To illustrate the results, we also conducted a practical demonstration in which the same type of wood was compared in three different conditions:

• untreated
• oiled
• soap-scrubbed

The purpose is to show how different treatments affect the wood’s appearance and feel—not to replace the laboratory test.

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Why three different wood surfaces?

To assess the effect, there must be a reference.

Why compare them:

Untreated wood

The reference surface shows what the wood looks like without any treatment.

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Oiled wood

The oil changes the appearance of the wood by giving it a darker tone and a possibly sticky, water-repellent surface layer.

Oiling has a different purpose from cleaning and therefore cannot be directly compared with a soap that both cleans and treats.

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Soap-scrubbed wood

Soap scrubbing cleans the wood surface while the superfatting soap leaves behind natural fatty acids.

In the laboratory, old wood was perceived as significantly softer after treatment with soap compared with untreated wood.

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What does the comparison show?

The test shows how to visually compare the differences between the three surfaces.

Three characteristics in particular become clear:

✓ The surface’s color

✓ The wood’s natural grain

✓ How the surface feels to the touch

Watch the test video here:

This is how the test panel experienced the surface after soap scrubbing