Is Antibacterial Soap Necessary? What You Should Know

For years, antibacterial soaps have been marketed as offering an extra level of protection against germs.

It sounds logical: if regular soap cleans your hands, wouldn't antibacterial soap clean them even better?

For most everyday handwashing, the answer may surprise you.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no demonstrated additional health benefit for consumers from using antibacterial soap instead of plain soap and water for routine handwashing. (FDA, CDC)

At Culleoka Company, we believe understanding the products we use is an important part of making more thoughtful choices. So let's look at what soap actually does, what “antibacterial” means, and when specialized antimicrobial products may be appropriate.

What Does Regular Soap Actually Do?

One of the biggest misconceptions about handwashing is that soap has to kill germs to be effective.

It doesn't.

Plain soap works primarily by helping loosen dirt, oils and microbes from your skin so they can be rinsed away with water.

That's why the CDC recommends washing your hands with plain soap and clean, running water and scrubbing for at least 20 seconds. (CDC)

The combination of soap, rubbing your hands together, rinsing and drying helps remove germs from your hands.

In other words:

Effective handwashing is about removing germs—not necessarily killing them on your skin.

Is Antibacterial Soap Necessary?

For routine handwashing at home and in most community settings, plain soap and water are generally all you need.

The FDA says there isn't sufficient evidence showing that over-the-counter antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than washing with plain soap and water. (FDA)

The CDC similarly states that studies have not found an added health benefit from using antibacterial soap instead of plain soap outside healthcare settings. (CDC)

That doesn't mean antimicrobial products never have a purpose.

Hospitals, healthcare facilities and certain specialized environments may have different infection-control requirements. Products used in those settings shouldn't be confused with the soap most of us use for routine handwashing at home.

Why Isn't All Soap Antibacterial?

Because soap doesn't have to contain an antibacterial active ingredient to help get germs off your hands.

Proper handwashing with plain soap and water is already an effective way to help reduce the spread of germs.

In 2016, the FDA issued a final rule covering certain over-the-counter consumer antiseptic washes. Manufacturers had not provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that 19 specified antibacterial active ingredients—including triclosan and triclocarban—were safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections. Products containing those ingredients could no longer be marketed as OTC consumer antiseptic washes without an approved application. (FDA)

That was an important shift in how consumer antibacterial soaps were regulated in the United States.

Does Soap Kill E. Coli and Other Bacteria?

This is another question people frequently ask.

It's more accurate to think about ordinary handwashing in terms of removing germs rather than claiming that plain soap kills a particular microorganism.

Proper handwashing with soap and water helps remove germs from the hands so they can be rinsed away.

This is particularly important around activities such as:

• Preparing food
• Eating
• Using the restroom
• Changing diapers
• Caring for someone who is sick
• Handling garbage
• Touching animals, animal food or animal waste

Rather than searching for a soap that promises to kill every possible microorganism, focus first on good handwashing technique.

How Should You Wash Your Hands?

The CDC recommends five basic steps:

1. Wet
Wet your hands with clean, running water.

2. Lather
Apply soap and lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.

3. Scrub
Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.

4. Rinse
Rinse thoroughly under clean, running water.

5. Dry
Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dryer.

The process is simple, but doing it thoroughly makes a difference.

What About Hand Sanitizer?

Hand sanitizer serves a different purpose from hand soap.

When soap and water aren't readily available, the CDC recommends using a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol in many situations.

However, sanitizer isn't a complete replacement for handwashing. The CDC notes that hand sanitizers may not remove all types of germs and may not work as well when hands are visibly dirty or greasy. (CDC)

When soap and water are available, washing your hands remains an important first choice.

Cleaning Is Not the Same as Disinfecting

Another important distinction is the difference between cleaning and disinfecting.

These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they aren't the same thing.

Cleaning removes dirt, organic matter and germs from surfaces.

Disinfecting uses products designed and registered to kill specified microorganisms on surfaces when used according to their label directions.

For many routine situations, cleaning is an important first step. There are also situations where disinfection may be appropriate—for example, when someone is sick or when a particular environment requires an established infection-control protocol.

When disinfection is needed, use an appropriate product according to its label directions.

A Thoughtful Approach to Everyday Hand Care

At Culleoka Company, we believe everyday products don't need to be unnecessarily complicated.

Our approach is to provide practical, natural-based solutions while helping customers understand what they're using, why they're using it and how to use it properly.

For routine handwashing, the goal is simple:

Wash thoroughly. Wash regularly. And use a product appropriate for the job.

Culleoka's Foaming Hand Soap is designed for everyday handwashing and provides a simple option for homes, workplaces and other everyday environments.

Explore Culleoka Foaming Hand Soap →

What About Cleaning Around the Home?

The same principle applies to household cleaning.

Not every cleaning task requires disinfection.

Culleoka's Natural Based Cleaner is designed for routine cleaning and helping remove soils and organic matter from a variety of compatible surfaces.

It is important to make the distinction:

Our Natural Based Cleaner is a cleaner—not a registered disinfectant.

When a situation specifically calls for disinfection, choose an appropriate EPA-registered disinfectant and follow its label directions.

Explore Culleoka Natural Based Cleaner →

Simple Solutions Start With Understanding

So, is antibacterial soap necessary?

For routine consumer handwashing, antibacterial soap hasn't been shown to provide an additional health benefit over washing properly with plain soap and water.

That doesn't mean germs aren't important or that specialized antimicrobial products don't have appropriate uses.

It means the solution doesn't always have to be more complicated.

Understanding the difference between cleaning, handwashing, sanitizing and disinfecting helps us choose the right product for the right situation—and avoid assuming that stronger-sounding claims automatically mean better everyday results.

That's part of what Simple Solutions for Life means to us.

Less Toxins. More Life.

God Bless,

~Sonny Hobbs
Founder
Culleoka Company, LLC