The Benefits of Good Old Soap & Water

Many area schools closed recently because various illnesses were spreading among student and staff. I heard that the schools are being sanitized to help stop the spread of germs once the schools reopen. I heard one report that urged parents to stick a bottle of hand sanitizer in their student’s backpack (insert eye roll).The health and environmental risks of antibacterial soap have recently been uncovered, and they’re still not widely known, at least among consumers. Hopefully, that is starting to change, however, as yet another study has shown no significant benefit to using antibacterial soap.In December 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a rule stating that manufacturers must provide data to demonstrate that antibacterial soap is more effective than plain soap and water. A study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy exposed 20 FDA-proposed bacterial strains to plain or antibacterial soaps.The bacterial strains and the antibacterial soap used the same formulation as plain soap, but contained 0.3 percent triclosan (the most widely used antiseptic agent in soap, as the maximum concentration allowed by law). The bacteria was exposed to the soaps in petri dishes for 20 seconds at 22°C (room temperature) and 40°C (warm temperature) in order to simulate hand-washing conditions typically used by adults.The bacteria was also spread onto the hands of study volunteers, who then washed their hands for 30 seconds using either type of soap and warm temperature water. The researchers found: “Antibacterial soap containing triclosan (0.3 percent) was no more effective than plain soap at reducing bacterial contamination when used under 'real-life' conditions.” It was only after the bacteria was soaked in antibacterial soap for nine hours that the triclosan-containing soap killed more bacteria than the plain soap – a clearly useless benefit for the average consumer.Triclosan may also be contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The chemical isn’t only found in antibacterial soap; it’s also used in detergents, body wash, toothpaste, and even cutting boards and lipstick. All of this exposure adds up and may be offering bacteria an opportunity to build up resistance.Washing your hands with regular soap and warm water is a simple way to reduce your exposure to potentially disease-causing germs and reduce your chances of getting sick. Of course, the health of your immune system plays a major role in staying healthy, but hand washing can drastically reduce the germs that get access to your body, especially when you do it at key times, such as before eating or touching your mouth, eyes, and nose, and after using the restroom or visiting public areas.