Is antibacterial or regular hand soap best for killing germs?

Cleaning up our disinfectants: usage of antimicrobial biocides in direct-to-consumer products in Australia Open Access

"In supermarkets and chemists worldwide, consumers are faced with an array of antimicrobial domestic cleaning and personal hygiene products purporting to kill germs and keep people safe. Many of these proven active ingredients (biocides) encourage the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in microbes and microbial populations, in turn increasing the likelihood of AMR infections. In order to understand and address the selective pressure towards AMR posed by the unrestricted use of biocides, it is necessary to understand which biocides are most frequently found in consumer products and the current regulatory framework that governs their use. In this research we survey the biocidal active ingredients in the major categories of cleaning and personal care products available from supermarkets and pharmacies in Australia, and comment on the regulations that dictate how these products are tested and marketed. Benzalkonium chloride and ethanol were the two most prevalent antimicrobial biocides in this study, while triclosan, which is banned in several jurisdictions, was found in a small number of products. In Australia, many antimicrobial consumer products are regulated for efficacy and safety under the Therapeutic Goods Act, but the potential to drive microbial adaptation and AMR is not considered. Overall this survey underscores the broad use and light regulation of antimicrobial biocides in products available to the general public in Australia, and provides an information resource to inform further research and stewardship efforts." >>
https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/acmi/10.1099/acmi.0.000714.v3

#pathogens #handwashing #culture #HygieneProducts #biocide #disinfectant #antiseptic #AntimicrobialResistance #AntibioticResistance #fragrance #allergy #FragranceFree #perfume

Is antibacterial or regular hand soap best for killing germs?

Washing hands after using the toilet or patting a dog before a meal is crucial to remove feces-borne bacteria and germs. After COVID the message got through to most people. When one is in town looking for a public amenity or a cafe toilet, it is rare to find hot water, hand soap and a clean (paper) towel. But there is always a toilet spray in 1001 fragrance varieties.

In the absence of the ingredients for basic hand hygiene there is always a free plastic bottle of hand sanitizer since the last pandemic. Staff at grocers, bakers and cafes copiously cover their hands in the "antibacterial" and "antiseptic" products. Every product or packaging absorbs the persistent fragrance of the bought items and travels back into the home. The cost-effective chemical 'solution' does not substitute for hot water, soap and a towel.

"Professor Griffin says products claiming to kill bacteria are "not necessarily substantiated as being any better than just usual soap and water would be...These additives can be harsh and lead to dryness and cracked skin, which can create a pathway for germs to enter the body."

'Regular hand soap is very effective in removing potentially harmful pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites), according to our experts. 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."

"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." >>
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-18/antibacterial-versus-normal-hand-soap-preventing-illness/106462854

#pathogens #handwashing #culture #HygieneProducts #biocide #disinfectant #antiseptic #AntimicrobialResistance #AntibioticResistance #fragrance #allergy #FragranceFree #perfume

Image: Fumbling dogs before lunch, Bellingen

“In the natural world, anything that is colored so brightly must be some kind of serious evolutionary badass”*…

There are an estimated 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000) individual insects alive on earth today; they’ve been around for over 350 million years and ihabit nearly every environment, from deserts to snowy mountains. Their total biomass is massive, estimated to be around 70 times more than all humans combined. Often considered pests, only about 3% of species are harmful to humans; the vast majority are crucial for pollination, decomposition, and as food sources for other animals. (More insect data.)

“Loren” (and here) is a microbiologist fascinated by bugs– and ready to share…

I am incredibly fond of insects. They’re small and usually pretty fast, so it’s rewarding to successfully capture a photo of one. from 2017 to 2023, I was fairly consistent about chasing down bugs and sharing the photos on instagram, but sticking them all in a square grid can only do so much for me (or you). Here, I want to have a little more fun with my photos, and share other bug-related things that I like. There’s a lot! I am not an entomologist, merely a bug fan, so this page in its current state skews more towards the entertaining than the informative, but who knows what it may turn into. Right now there’s an entomology textbook sitting on my coffee table, and plenty of time to read it while the bugs overwinter…

Browse and learn: “The Bug Zone,” via Matt Muir (@mattmuir.bsky.social) and his always-illuminating Web Curios (@curiobot.bsky.social).

* Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon

###

As we creep and crawl, we might spare a thought for a man concerned with “bugs” of a different sort, Joseph Lister (1st Baron Lister, OM, PC, FRS, FRCSE, FRCPGlas, FRCS); he died on this date in 1912. A surgeon, medical scientist, and experimental pathologist, he was a pioneer of antiseptic surgery and preventive healthcare. Just as John Hunter revolutionised the science of surgery, Lister’s revolutionized the craft of surgery.

Lister researched the role of inflammation and tissue perfusion in the healing of wounds, and advanced diagnostic science by analysing specimens using microscopes. But his biggest contributions were a function of his application of Louis Pasteur‘s then-novel germ theory. Lister introduced carbolic acid (modern-day phenol) as a steriliser for surgical instruments, patients’ skins, sutures, surgeons’ hands, and wards, promoting the principle of antiseptics. And he devised strategies to increase the chances of survival after surgery by reducing post-operative infections (e.g., segragating post-op patients from pre-op patients who had germ-riddled wounds).

See also.

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The body and its organs are dried in mounds of natron.

This naturally occurring combination of baking soda and other salts absorbs water and is mildly #antiseptic. The drying took about 40 days. Fluids from the body were absorbed, or dripped off the slanted tables.

Control Of Microorganisms By Chemical Agents

#Antiseptic, #Bacteria, #Sanitizer, #Sterilization #Microbiology There are many chemical compounds those have the ability to inhibit growth of microorganisms or to kill them.  Characteristics Of…. Medical Microbiology & Recombinant DNA Technology (RDT) Labs | Read More -

https://micrordt.wordpress.com/2024/05/03/control-of-microorganisms-by-chemical-agents/

This is magic. The fact that it occurred over 150 years ago does not diminish its magic.

https://academyofpelvicsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/LISTER-J-LANCET-ARTICLE-1867.pdf

For a better appreciation of this Lancet article, read our listen to @DrLindseyFitzharris book, The Butchering Art.

#josephlister
#antiseptic
#thebutcheringart