Word.ws English Dictionary

sugar soap

sugar soap noun: an extremely powerful detergent used for washing surfaces prior to painting.

Noun

sugar soap (usually uncountable, plural sugar soaps)

  1. (usually) An extremely powerful detergent used for washing surfaces prior to painting.
    • A detailed discussion of the work of J. Boes and H. Weyland on the value of sugar soap was made by F. G. as had been already pointed out in last year's report.1918, The American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review
    • Sugar soap, states a writer in the "Pharmaceutical Journal," is a soap powder used by painters for washing down purposes before applying new coats of paint and varnish. It owes its name to its resemblance to Demerara sugar crystals, and is retailed in 1 lb. cartons at sixpence or less, and some of...1930, The Chemical Trade Journal and Chemical Engineer

Examples of sugar soap in a sentence

  • Sugar soap, states a writer in the "Pharmaceutical Journal," is a soap powder used by painters for washing down purposes before applying new coats of paint and varnish.1930, The Chemical Trade Journal and Chemical Engineer:
  • Previously painted surfaces should be wiped down with sugar soap solution to remove dirt and grease, and any rough patches or holes should be filled and sanded.2002, Vinny Lee, The Essential Guide to Decorating:

Forms of sugar soap

pluralsugar soaps

Origin of sugar soap

From the resemblance of the dry powder form to table sugar.

Questions about sugar soap

What does sugar soap mean?
Sugar soap means an extremely powerful detergent used for washing surfaces prior to painting.
How do you use sugar soap in a sentence?
Sugar soap, states a writer in the "Pharmaceutical Journal," is a soap powder used by painters for washing down purposes before applying new coats of paint and varnish.
What part of speech is sugar soap?
Sugar soap is a noun.
What is the plural of sugar soap?
The plural of sugar soap is sugar soaps.

Words near sugar soap in the dictionary

  1. sugar sickness
  2. sugar skull
  3. sugar skulls
  4. sugar snap pea
  5. sugar snap peas
  6. sugar soap
  7. sugar soaps
  8. sugar spoon
  9. sugar spoons
  10. sugar squirrel
  11. sugar squirrels

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: sugar soap (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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