Antibacterial Soap vs. Regular Soap: Which Should You Be Using?

The worldwide spread of COVID-19 understandably has scores of people reconsidering their everyday cleaning habits. It’s tempting to reach for what appears to be the strongest possible cleaning product available, which might lead you to wonder if you need to be washing your hands with soap that specifically says “antibacterial.” Will using an antibacterial soap be more effective at fighting the novel coronavirus?

Antibacterial vs. Regular Soap

Antibacterial soap is no more beneficial at destroying COVID-19 than regular hand soap. Why not? And what’s the difference between the two in the first place?

Antibacterial soap “contains extra chemicals designed to kill or inhibit the replication of bacteria,” explains Kasey Nichols, NMD, the medical contributor for RAVEReviews.org. While all that sounds good, those chemicals don’t fight viruses. “Antibacterial soaps target bacteria, and coronavirus is a virus. So an antibacterial soap is unnecessary,” says Morton Tavel, MD, clinical professor emeritus of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine.

The coronavirus aside, antibacterial soap isn’t any more beneficial than regular soap. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to find evidence that antibacterial soaps are more effective than any other type of soap. Regular soap gets the job done — even when that “job” is killing the novel coronavirus.

How Does Soap Kill the Virus?

You might still be skeptical. After all, this virus is so nefarious that it’s easy to doubt that just plain soap could negate it. Well, fortunately, it can!

Technically, “soap is not designed to kill germs on contact, but rather to wash germs away,” explains Dr. Tavel. Essentially, soap does what water can’t — it breaks down the fatty membrane that viruses have around them, causing the whole virus to break down. That membrane repels plain water like oil does. Introducing soap and its ingredients, called surfactants, attracts the contents of the membrane, causing it to break down. “The surfactants in soap lift up and break apart dirt and microbes from your skin, and the friction of rubbing your hands together helps remove the particles so they get washed down the drain,” Dr. Tavel explains.

This process takes time, which is why it’s so important to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. (Also be sure to wash your hands immediately after touching these 10 things.) Pair regular soap with the thorough washing of your hands, and viruses picked up from touching dirty surfaces are washed away — no fancy chemicals needed.

Is Antibacterial Soap Dangerous?

Well, the jury’s still out on that subject. But the FDA found valid causes for concern when using antibacterial soap. One of the most common antibacterial agents is triclosan, which has been shown in some animal trials to alter hormone function. Its effects have been investigated by the FDA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

That’s not all. “There has also been concern surrounding whether or not antibacterial soap chemicals are causing bacteria to become more resistant to these chemicals and other antibacterial drugs,” Dr. Nichols explains. That means these soaps might be less effective over time.

Unless you already buy antibacterial soap, you need not worry about these concerns because antibacterial soap isn’t more helpful against the virus anyway! So stick to regular liquid and bar soaps. And, of course, make sure you’re taking the most important step to prevent the virus: properly washing your hands. Wash for 20 seconds, making sure to scrub everywhere, including the backs of your hands and between your fingers.