Regular soap as effective as anti-bacterial soap

Previous studies have shown that regular soap is just as effective as antibacterial soap, and with a new study published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, researchers in Korea are contributing more data to support that claim.

They tested regular and antibacterial soaps against 20 strains of bacteria in a lab, as well as on people’s dirty hands. The conclusions state: Antibacterial soap containing triclosan (0.3%) was no more effective than plain soap at reducing bacterial contamination when used under “real-life” conditions.

While not involved with the study, Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist Dr. Pritish Tosh says, “The amount of unnecessary antibacterial use has contributed to worldwide problems of antibiotic resistance, and anti-bacterial soaps do not appear to be any more effective than regular soaps.” Dr. Tosh adds, “As such, with no clear benefit and the risk of contributing to an ongoing problem, there is likely no role for antibiotic soaps in routine use.”