Is antibacterial or regular hand soap best for killing germs?
Experts say products labelled as antibacterial are not necessarily substantiated as being any better than regular soap and water. (Pexels)
If you've ever dealt with a sick household, the appeal of hand soap to kill germs is understandable and there are plenty of "antibacterial" and "antiseptic" products promising to do that.
Hand washing is one of the most important ways to prevent the transmission of pathogens between people, says Professor Paul Griffin, an infectious diseases physician and clinical microbiologist from Brisbane/Meanjin.
"Anyone who's worked in health care, child care or had young kids knows how quickly germs spread amongst the household and in those environments," he says.
"Hand hygiene is the best way of preventing that."
We asked three experts whether antibacterial products were more effective than regular soap for preventing the spread of illness, and when hand sanitiser might be beneficial.
Do antibacterial soaps kill germs?
Francesca Short has studied the use of antimicrobial additives in products such as hand soap in Australia.
She says her research has found product labelling "isn't a reliable indicator" of whether that product has these additives.
Dr Short says there are a few different terms used on products:
- Antibacterial — describes products that kill or prevent the growth of bacteria (not necessarily fungi or viruses)
- Antimicrobial — is more of a catch-all, as this includes fungi and viruses as well
- Antiseptic — is used to describe antimicrobial products that are used on the skin, in Australia these products are strictly regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and they contain antimicrobial additives beyond regular soap or detergent
"There are some things that are labelled 'kills 99 per cent of bacteria' or 'removes 99.9 per cent of bacteria', but they don't have any additives beyond just the soap," says the senior lecturer at Monash University's Centre to Impact Antimicrobial Resistance, in Melbourne/Naarm.
Professor Griffin says products claiming to kill bacteria are "not necessarily substantiated as being any better than just usual soap and water would be".
James Plant is the director of environmental health at the Sunshine Coast Public Health Unit on Kabi Kabi lands.
He says antibacterial, antimicrobial or antiseptic hand wash might have a "small amount of specific ingredients that will kill bacteria".
Professor Paul Griffin says it is less about the product you use and more about the correct hand washing technique. (Supplied)
"You might see benzalkonium chloride or benzethonium chloride, sometimes something called chloroxylenol," he says.
"And those are all designed to kill bacteria, but they only form a very small part of the actual antibacterial soap."
Professor Griffin says these additives can be harsh and lead to dryness and cracked skin, which can create a pathway for germs to enter the body.
Our experts say there have also been studies suggesting that the use of soaps with antimicrobial additives can contribute to antibiotic resistance, which is problematic.
"The microbes [on our skin] might be exposed to the antimicrobials in that soap," Dr Short says.
"They'll learn how to tolerate small amounts of them.
"And then in future, if you need antibiotics or if you get sick, then those microbes that just live on your skin will be more resistant to antibiotics."
The concern is that this causes the antibiotics to be less effective.
How effective is regular hand soap?
Regular hand soap is very effective in removing potentially harmful pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites), according to our experts.
Dr Short says it can also kill bacteria and viruses by disrupting "their outer layers" or membranes which allow them to stick to skin.
Mr Plant says "normal soap, water and hand-washing technique is definitely the way to go" for everyday use, such as after the bathroom, before meals, after touching pets, or if you're unwell.
"So, using that water, soap and that pneumatic action to get all of the dirt and grime from your hands and then rinsing is going to be more than adequate to keep you healthy."
Mr Plant says warm water can help with the removal and the dissolving of greases and grimes on your hands, but you can effectively wash your hands with cooler water as well.
Can you use sanitiser to clean hands?
Dr Short says hand sanitiser is a good option if you don't have access to water and soap when you're out and about.
"But it shouldn't be the go-to," she says
Francesca Short recommends using hand sanitiser when hand washing facilities aren't available. (Supplied: Dr Francesca Short )
"When we're talking about hand hygiene, the first thing would be hand washing as the number one method.
"If you've got access to facilities to wash your hands, then you don't need hand sanitiser."
Mr Plant says hand sanitiser won't penetrate greases, oils and grime on your hands.
"It's a surface killer if it's used correctly, but it doesn't kill every pathogen, or every bacterium," he says.
"So, it's obviously not as good as washing your hands with a non-antimicrobial soap."