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It’s probably risky making my first research article about soap, but I’m doing it anyway (in three parts) and praying you’ll forgive my long-windedness. You see, I’m passionate about soap. Most of my closest friends don’t even know this about me, but it’s been a part of my life for a long time. (My husband is aware of this relationship, by the way. 
)
My passion is to educate people about the dangers of antibacterial soaps, really. After conducting my own research in college (see below), I became convinced that antibacterial soaps are nothing more than a marketing technique created to exploit consumers’ fears about cleanliness and our general germophobia. They don’t do anything beneficial, and their naughty side effects are about to alarm you, if I do my job properly.
My soapy quest began with a self-study option for a science course that required me to design and conduct my own experiment. I chose to examine the effectiveness of soap. I bought bar and pump, antibacterial and regular soaps, then touched nasty places in my dormitory’s common restroom and washed my hands (for 30 seconds with warm water, of course) with each soap in turn. I made cultures, let the nasties grow, and took photos. Fascinating stuff! I wish we could all have access to Petri dishes, culture gel, and proper disposal techniques so we could do this with our kids!
Basically, my results echo other published research that proves that antibacterial soap doesn’t get your hands significantly cleaner than regular soap. Plain water and good scrubbing actually resulted in a Petri dish that was pretty doggone similar to all the others, anti-bac and regular soap included. I was pleasantly surprised.
The solution is in the symbiosis: you need soap, water AND friction to get the job done. I tell my son (almost daily) that those three are on a team. Water is the most valuable player, then the rubbing, then the soap as the assistant coach. Your real goal in washing your hands is to get the germs and dirt OFF your hands and down the drain.
Since college I’ve gradually changed the way my family purchases and uses handsoap and other cleaners. The more I learn, the more I filter out. The easiest decision concerned antibacterial soaps and their treacherous ingredient, triclosan. As much as I tried to buy only normal liquid hand soap (other than anti-bac for the kitchen only; apparently even the soap lady has trouble getting over our culture’s germaphobia, especially about raw chicken), well-meaning family members love to give Bath and Body Works fancy-smelling soaps as gifts. For a while I used them because I had them, realizing that pouring the stuff down the drain would only further the community’s water issues. Now I’ve switched over to reserving the anti-bac soaps for after I handle raw chicken and when a family member is sick (even though I know regualar soap and hot water would do the job).
Our Lord, who as the Source of all laughter has an outstanding sense of humor, deigned that I give birth to a child who is also passionate about soap. This is a boy whose favorite Christmas gift as a two-year-old was soap: fancy-smelling vanilla soap in a snowman pump bottle…anti-bacterial, of course, much to his mother’s chagrin. We are inadvertently stationed on opposite ends of the soap spectrum. Thank goodness I’m the one in charge!
Two-year-old Soap Boy and his Mommy: "I'm in charge!"
Part Two: Antibacterial Soap
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I think of your experiment often while washing my hands. :>)
Lenetta @ Nettacow´s last blog ..40 Bags – Bag #1
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thanks so much for you blog. i only found it recently and am very glad I did. I love your little experiments and info, You are amazing!
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