Antibacterial Hand Soap?

We use regular soap at home. I bring antibacterial soap and hand gel when we are away from home or on school trips.
YMMV
LBC

Antibacterial soap is bad for everyone. The body needs some bad bacteria.

I use Shaklee's Hand Wash Concentrate. It is gentle, non toxic and biodegradeable. It lasts a very long time.

Instead of using an anti-bacterial soap, use a gentle soap and have the kids either count to 10 (1 one thousand, 2 one thousand, etc) or sing the ABCs, their hands will get clean and for the younger kids it is a good teaching tool as well.

Yep--the theory is that we are killing the good stuff along with the bad stuff and our resistance is being lowered.

I like soap in a pump bottle, and I use both types...here and there, depending on what I buy.

Antibacterial soap is one culprit to creating resistant bacteria (as in, can resist antibiotics and other bacterial killing agents).

Use regular soap (either bar or soft soap) and wash with water, rubbing your hands together vigorously for 20 to 30 seconds (sign the ABCs, or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, or Happy Birthday & that will take 30 seconds), and rinse. That should be sufficient to remove bacteria safely.

we do not use anything that is antibacterial. It is really bad for you. we do not use hand sanitizer or even antibacterial cleaning products. We use just regular soap to wash our hands and mostly chemical free cleaners. Your body can build up a resistance to it and you will actually get sick more often and much worse. This is what happened with MRSA. It is immune to a lot of anitbiotics. you need to have good and bad germs to build up your immune system. I will even admit that I don't wash my hands after using the bathroom, but I only get a slight cold maybe 2 times a year.

Soft Soap IS anti bacterial...not sure if u knew that, just thought I'd point that out...

We use regular soap to wash away dirt and regular germs.

plain soap works as well as antibacterial soap.

20 seconds of soap and water is all you need.

good luck-

What I've read is that using anti-bacterial soap is a part of the problem caused by germs immunity to antibiotics. It also prevents us from building up natural immunity to germs.

I've also read that the hand sanitizers frequently contain alcohol which is toxic in large dose. Little ones lick their hands and can become sick.

I use plain soap for everything. I've read that it's actually the friction used when washing that gets rid of most of the germs. The soap cuts thru the oils in our skin which makes the germs more accessible to the friction or something like that.

We use hand soap but not antibacterial. I do use hand sanitizer for all of us after we leave a store and get in the van but that is the only time. My kids are never sick and we don't do immunization or flu shots either. We have not had the flu in probably 20+ years and the kids have not thrown up since they were babies. I think if you get too crazy about this is it could backfire and not let your body fight off what its supposed to. Good luck.

I have a question for LovingLife...we always use Softsoap, and it doesn't say a thing on the container about it being antibacterial. Why do you think it is? I would think they would have to list that somewhere on the label, wouldn't they? In fact, the back of the bottle just says it washes away germs, not kills them. I am just curious, as I don't want to continue using it if it really is antibacterial! Thanks!

**I believe I am able to answer my own question!! I just looked online and was reminded how many different varieties Softsoap has, and yes, some are antibacterial! I just make sure the kind I buy (usually the aquarium series) does not have the word antibacterial on it. I believe Meijer brand also has a regular, non-antibacterial kind as well.

I never use this or regular soap. I use a cleanser that is ph balanced. Regular soap is usually not ph balanced and will also destroy the natural acid mantel on the skin.

It's the triclosan that is the problem, creating antibiotic resistant germs. Soap is just fine...ingesting a few bacteria challenges and keeps our immune systems strong. Now, having said that, many people these days have severely weakened immune systems because they do not eat enough whole/unprocessed foods, specifically fruits and veggies.

Good luck, be well...D.

We just use the good old bar of soap and hot water..

We use regular soap and water (it's actually the scrubbing that gets rid of the germs, you know - that's why you see surgeons spend several minutes scrubbing every part of their hands before surgery). I have little "paper" soaps that we use when we are out and there are not clean restrooms. The thin "paper" sheets of soap are in a package, and you just add water to make it bubbly. Then rinse. I love them!

However, if we are somewhere like a Children's Museum, or other venue that is just crawling with children (therefore bacteria), I will use Purell every once in a while as a safeguard until we can get to a restroom to wash.

Soap by it's very nature is antibacterial. All soap kills bacteria. Just use normal soap and wash normally.

i agree with all the ladies regarding not over-using antibacterial ANYthing. plus, what's the point in killing the germs, if you're just going to wash them off? soap and water is just fine. i use softsoap because i know it won't break out my hands - i am allergic to some soaps (like "gojo", that nasty stuff in offices and stores sometimes) and my hands break out in blisters. SO i stay safe and use softsoap. i even carry it with me at work (gojo is all they use - i swear that stuff is pure chemicals. horrible) i only use antibacterial wipes or that gel stuff, when soap and water are not available.