Is It Antibacterial Soap Effective to Kill Germs?

Hopefully you never forget to always wash your hands after using the toilet, before eating, before preparing food, and after sneezing.

If you have been relying on extra protection from antibacterial soap all this time, you might be surprised to learn that these products actually do not offer specific prevention against germs.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the sale of soaps that contain certain antibacterial chemicals, because the manufacturers of these products have not proven that the products are safe for long-term use or are more effective than water and ordinary soap.

The FDA action includes 19 chemicals which are ingredients in about 40 percent soap, including liquid hand soap and bar soap. The most common chemicals are triclosan, which is mostly used in liquid soap, and triclocarban, the material used in bar soap.

According to the FDA, some data show that from time to time, antibacterial chemicals may have more harm than good. Research shows that long-term exposure to these chemicals can pose health risks, such as bacterial resistance or hormonal effects.

Washing hands with plain soap and running water remains one of the most important and efficient steps that can be taken to avoid disease and prevent the spread of germs to others

DOCTOR DANIEL ALLAN, MD.

80 percent of all infections are transmitted by touch, but we can avoid it by simply washing hands properly. Also if possible, choose warm water to wash your hands. Warm water is the best, because it can release oil and soil in the hands.

Use at least one teaspoon of soap, and lather the soap for at least fifteen seconds before rinsing it well. Then dry your hands using a clean towel.

Research shows that most people wash their hands in less than 10 seconds. Increasing the washing time from 15 to 30 seconds can have a huge impact – this can reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin by ten times.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also recommends washing the wrists, around the edges of the nails, and even to the forearms, because these areas tend to carry large amounts of bacteria.

Special soap is not needed to clean hands. This is because soap alone does not kill bacteria, including antibacterial soap. Instead, the role of soap is to release dirt and germs, and help water remove them from the skin. The level of illness is the same between people who use ordinary soap and people who use antibacterial soap.

If soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be an option, the product is able to kill germs effectively. Research has shown that within 30 seconds of use, alcohol-based hand sanitizers can kill 99 percent of bacteria on the hands, so that it can significantly reduce the chance of getting sick. In this regard, the CDC recommends the use of hand sanitizers or hand sanitizers that contain at least 60 percent alcohol.