Every so often we have the chance to share something that can genuinely help the planet — even if only one in ten readers adopts the advice (like switching to reusable shopping bags or collecting rainwater). This is one of those moments. Please share this information with friends and family.
We owe this helpful insight to my very smart little brother Dan (affectionately known as Almost-Doctor Dan):
As a quick refresher, Dan graduated from Cornell with the highest GPA in his class and is now a graduate student at Columbia on a National Science Foundation scholarship, working toward a doctorate in chemistry. He’s spent years studying molecules and polymers, and during a recent conversation about cold and flu season he explained why antibacterial soaps are more of a marketing trick than a public-health necessity — and why they can be harmful to the environment.
Most “antibacterial” soaps owe their germ-fighting label to a chlorinated aromatic compound called triclosan. While triclosan doesn’t seem especially toxic to humans, every time we wash our hands it goes down the drain and eventually reaches the environment. Think about how often a bottle of hand soap is used — all of that triclosan ends up in wastewater and then lakes, streams and oceans, where it does not break down easily.
If antibacterial soap truly prevented illness more effectively than regular soap, the environmental trade-off might be arguable — but it doesn’t. Bacteria and viruses cannot penetrate healthy, intact skin. Pathogens on your hands only cause infection when you touch your eyes, nose, mouth, or eat without washing first. Until then, microbes are loosely attached to skin and harmless.
Any ordinary soap, when used with water and friction, dislodges and helps remove bacteria — and it can disrupt cell membranes so microbes are killed or washed away. That makes the “antibacterial” label largely unnecessary for everyday handwashing. Unless you work in settings that require truly sterile conditions (for example, in certain medical environments), antibacterial soaps are an unnecessary expense and an avoidable pollutant.
It’s striking that companies keep using the antibacterial claim to boost sales when plain soap and water are equally effective for routine hygiene — without releasing persistent chemicals into the environment. We’re not trying to be preachy, just hoping a few households will switch away from antibacterial formulas and reduce the burden of harmful pollutants in waterways. Imagine the cumulative impact if even a small number of people changed their purchasing habits over the next decade.
We also heard from Kristin, another “Almost-Doctor” who is completing her PhD in Germany and works with bacteria regularly. She shared additional reasons to avoid overusing antibacterial disinfectants:
Bacteria are everywhere and most are harmless or even beneficial. After washing with antibacterial or disinfectant soaps, skin bacteria typically return to their normal levels within hours or a day. Overuse of disinfectants can damage the beneficial skin flora; this can harm the skin’s barrier and increase susceptibility to infection. When cleaning, view bacteria as a normal part of the environment rather than an enemy to be completely obliterated.
Excessive household use of antibacterial agents can encourage resistant strains of bacteria. Some researchers also suggest that environments that are too clean may increase the risk of allergies because the immune system needs regular exposure to develop properly.
Water and ordinary soap remove about 99% of bacteria. If you want to reduce soap use, a microfiber cloth and water will mechanically remove most microbes — and the cloth can be cleaned in hot water to disinfect it. For typical households and healthy individuals, these approaches are sufficient.
In short: two well-trained scientists on different continents agree — ditch antibacterial soaps for everyday use and wash thoroughly with regular soap and water. It protects your health just as well and spares lakes, rivers and oceans from persistent chemicals. We prefer Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap (the almond scent is a favorite) because it’s plant-based, made from organic oils, and sold in recycled plastic packaging. It’s an easy, more environmentally friendly alternative if you’re looking to change products.
For further reading, reputable public health organizations also support the idea that regular soap and water are effective for routine handwashing.
Here’s to healthy habits this season — and to protecting the planet at the same time.