9,10,12,13-Tetrahydroxyl stearic acid (THSA) was synthesized from natural linoleic acid by oxidation and hydrolysis, and the molecular structure was identified by FT-IR, ESI-MS and 1H-NMR. Sodium tetrahydroxyl stearate (STHS) thus was prepared from THSA by saponification, and Krafft point, calcium ion stability, lime soap dispersant requirement, surface tension, critical micelle concentration and foam properties of THSA were investigated and compared with those of sodium soaps of linoleic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid. The experimental results showed that STHS displayed unique lime soap dispersing power and calcium ion stability in hard water, and better solubility in cold water and at neutral pH condition superior to all the other tested sodium soaps. The polyhydroxyl characteristics give STHS the power to easily dissolve not only in hard water and at neutral pH condition against ordinary sodium soaps of all other fatty acids, but also in cold water against sodium soaps of saturated fatty acids, and inoxidizability against sodium soaps of unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, STHS has the potential to act as the new soap-base surfactant formulating of neutral soaps, cold water soaps and hard water soaps.