Ever wondered if regular hand soap does its job as effectively as its antibacterial counterpart?
You’ve probably stood at the supermarket or pharmacy aisle a little longer just trying to decide if you should go with the antibacterial or regular hand soap.
To be honest, there are some differences between them. If you’re still confused, read on to have a better understanding of the differences between antibacterial soap and regular soap. This way, you can ultimately decide which suits you and your family best.
This is how they’re distinctive from one another:
ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP
Antibacterial soap contains antibacterial ingredients, usually triclosan (a chlorinated organic compound with antibacterial properties). Still and all, sometimes antibacterial hand wash soap contains other ingredients too such as alcohol and other antibacterial agents.
If you’ve noticed, some antibacterial hand sanitisers have some of the above components too.
REGULAR SOAP
Regular soaps are no less effective than antibacterial soaps. The only difference is that regular soaps do not contain active antibacterial properties. However, the ingredients in these soaps are useful to lift residual dirt, oil as well as bacteria and germs.
Apart from that, regular soap tends to be a little less expensive compared to antibacterial soap.
SIMILARITIES
Along with proper hand-washing techniques, the ingredients in both soaps are effective at killing bacteria and other germs.
No matter your hand soap choice, more importantly, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds to effectively wash away germs. If you’re not too sure how long 20 seconds take, just sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice and you’re good to go. Hit the right notes when singing and be sure not to rocket through the lyrics, you should hit the 20 seconds of scrub time just right.
Sources: Insider
