58. Why does hard water not form lather with soap?


Hard water contains salts of calcium and magnesium ions. Hard water does not give lather with soap and forms scum/precipitate with soap. Soap containing sodium stearate (C17H35COONa) reacts with hard water to precipitate out as Ca/Mg stearate.
2C17H35COONa(aq)+M2+(aq)(C17H35COO)2M+2Na+(aq)
(where, M is Ca/Mg)
It is therefore, unsuitable for laundry.