Antibacterial Soap, Friend or Foe?

Antibacterial soaps are widely used in hospitals, where it is important to control the spread of infection. The problem arises, when these soaps are overused. This causes parasites, bacteria, and other organisms to stop responding to the substances that once killed them. The advertising on most antibacterial soaps (or antimicrobial, as they are sometimes known) suggests that they kill 99% of the bacteria that causes infection. Now, think about it. What happens to the other 1%? If you guessed that this is the bacteria that multiplied, you would be correct! You now have a strain of bacteria that is resistant to the soap.

 Antibacterial soaps historically have been the source of a lot of dangerous chemicals. When the FDA regulated over-the-counter drugs back in the 1970s, they had planned on banning triclosan, which is the main ingredient in a lot of antibacterial soaps. This never happened until 2010, when they were sued by the nonprofit group, Resources Defense Council. Triclosan was very problematic because there were laboratory studies that have shown that bacteria can become resistant to it in the laboratory.1

 These are the chemicals that have been banned in antibacterial soaps:

 §  Cloflucarban

§  Fluorosalan

§  Hexachlorophene

§  Hexylresorcinol

§  Iodine complex (ammonium ether sulfate and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate)

§  Iodine complex (phosphate ester of alkylaryloxy polyethylene glycol)

§  Nonylphenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy) ethanoliodine

§  Poloxamer-iodine complex

§  Povidone-iodine 5 to 10 percent

§  Undecoylium chloride iodine complex

§  Methylbenzethonium chloride

§  Phenol (greater than 1.5 percent)

§  Phenol (less than 1.5 percent) 16

§  Secondary amyltricresols

§  Sodium oxychlorosene

§  Tribromsalan

§  Triclocarban

§  Triclosan

§  Triple dye

 There is no scientific evidence that any of these chemicals help decrease infection.

Before this time, antibacterial soap had become popular and manufacturers were making the soaps for the public and adding antimicrobials to other products such as toys, clothing, toothpaste, mouthwash, lotions, skin cleansers, tattoo care kits, humidifier cartridges, silverware trays, diaper genies, Q-tips, cell phone cases, shower heads, laundry bags, hand sanitizers, and more. People are not even aware of this, so it is easy to see how these antimicrobials could be overused. This is especially true during times of pandemic.

 While hand washing can save lives, it must be understood that repeatedly washing hands with antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers can actually do more harm than good. By excessive use of these soaps, another hazard can be created by the bacteria that is resistant to the soaps. If there is an open cut on the body, these harmful bacteria (or superbugs) can get inside the body and cause life threatening infections. Remember, these are bacteria that are already resistant to antibiotics because they are already resistant to the antimicrobial soap.2

Another thing that exasperates the problem is when antibacterial soaps get washed down the drain. Scientists have discovered that the chemicals they contain can persist in nature decades, and find their way into lakes, streams, oceans, and even into our homes. This has obviously resulted in environmental contamination. When triclosan is treated at wastewater plants, it can be converted to dangerous dioxins. These chemicals are in the same family as PCBs and pesticides and pose significant health threats to humans and animals.3

According to the CDC, the proper way to wash your hands is as follows:

• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.

• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.

• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air-dry them.

1Scientific American “U.S. Bans Common Chemicals in Antibacterial Soaps” by Monique Brouillette Published Sept. 2, 2016

2Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute “Feeding the Superbugs: Why We Need to Wash Our Hands of Antibacterial Soaps” Published March 23, 2021

 3National Library of Medicine

Springerplus “Triclosan in Water, Implications For Human and Environmental Health,” Published Sept. 21, 2016; 5(1):1639 doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-3287-x

PMCID: PMC5031584  PMID: 22722057