Soap's popularity skyrocketed as a result of the technological advances that defined the Industrial Revolution. Throughout the 1800s, advances in plumbing enabled more frequent bathing, while a growing body of evidence linking health to hygiene worked to shift soap's image from a luxury item to a necessity item, putting it squarely in the public eye. Despite the fact that soap makers were able to meet this brisk demand due to increased manufacturing and production efficiency enabled by significant industrial and scientific advances of the time, soap's popularity grew at an alarming rate throughout the century. The removal of the soap tax in 1853, scientific advances resulting in better smelling and gentler s