MYTH: Antibacterial soap is the most effective way to kill bacteria and prevent disease.
FACT: University of Michigan researchers have found that antibacterial (also referred to as antimicrobial) soaps are no better at germ removal or disease prevention than ordinary soap and water. Further research at Columbia University showed that people who use antibacterial soaps are no healthier than those who don’t.
But that’s not all. The active ingredient in antibacterial soaps (a synthetic chemical called triclosan) may actually be harmful to your health. Triclosan may disrupt normal endocrine (hormonal) function — “particularly thyroid and sex hormones,” says Rebecca Sutton, PhD, staff scientist at the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.–based organization that works to protect public health and the environment. Overuse of triclosan has also been implicated in the rise of “superbugs,” or antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Superbugs are uniquely dangerous, confirms Sutton, because “they don’t just resist triclosan, but a broad array of antibiotics.”
Sutton advises people to avoid triclosan whenever possible. “We can’t always control what soaps are provided in public places, so some exposure is inevitable,” she says. But always opt for plain soap and water at home: You’ll kill the germs without the unhealthy consequences.
I love reading all of these reports singing the praises of ordinary soap and water! These old fashioned hand washing products have done the trick for centuries, without contaminating our lakes and rivers, contributing to superbugs or disrupting our hormones. Sadly, everyone is in a hurry these days, and using a little hand sanitizer is just so much quicker than taking time out to wash correctly. I remember an Oprah episode, in which producers put hidden cameras in the Harpo Studio’s restrooms to monitor hand washing technique… members in the audience were horrified by the short lengths of time most people spent washing after using the bathroom (some didn’t even use soap), and even more horrified to see that the people video’d might be sitting right next to them! Oprah’s guest that day suggested singing through the alphabet song while washing in order to be sure to get adequately clean. Soap, water and the alphabet song. Sounds pretty simple- No triclosan needed!