It’s a little nuts, really, how a product that’s supposed to be healthful becomes nearly ubiquitous, only to have its healthfulness called into question. We speak, of course, of antibacterial soap: that germ-be-gone substance that’s probably in the bathroom nearest to you at this very moment, but that has acquired a reputation for encouraging bacteria to become more resistant. In the scariest versions of this tale, you’ll hear talk of so-called “supergerms.”
The bottom line, as far as we’re concerned, is simply this: Should a regular gal use the stuff in her home and office, or not? And the answer appears to be no, unless that gal is in the business of health care. A wide variety of medical types tackling this question seem to have a consensus: Everyone who doesn’t wear scrubs to work can trust in old-fashioned soap and water, liberally employed. On the website drgreene.com, Dr. Alan Greene proclaims that “Far more important than the choice of soap is consistent, thorough handwashing.”
If you just have to have a germ-killer in your soap (rather than only a germ-remover) try alcohol-based hand rubs instead.
