Soaps are molecules in which the two ends have differing properties, one is hydrophilic that is, it interacts with water, while the other end is hydrophobic, that is it interacts with hydrocarbons. When soap is at the surface of water, the hydrophobic tail of soap will not be soluble in water and the soap will align along the surface of water with the ionic end in water and the hydrocarbon tail protruding out of water. Thus, clusters of molecules in which the hydrophobic tails are in the interior of the cluster and the ionic ends are on the surface of the cluster. This formation is called a micelle. Soap in the form of a micelle, is able to clean.
A micelle will not be formed in other solvents such as ethanol.
