--- ---  # You Asked: Should I Use Antibacterial Soap? by [Markham Heid](https://time.com/author/markham-heid/) ## Markham Heid Markham Heid is a contributor at TIME. He is the author of The Habit Trap, due out in early 2027. Apr 22, 2015 12:24 PM UTC  Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME by [Markham Heid](https://time.com/author/markham-heid/) ## Markham Heid Markham Heid is a contributor at TIME. He is the author of The Habit Trap, due out in early 2027. Apr 22, 2015 12:24 PM UTC Whoever said “cleanliness is next to godliness” would think pretty highly of modern-day America. Never before has a population so committed itself to rubbing, scrubbing, sterilizing and disinfecting itself from the grit and grime of the natural world. And for good reason: global trade and travel have allowed viruses to hop from country to country via innocent workers and tourists. But while our zeal for cleaning is well-intentioned, our efforts are often misguided. In the case of antibacterials, we may be doing ourselves harm. “Somehow, through marketing or misinformation, we’ve been led to believe that if we get rid of bacteria, we’ll improve our lives and our health,” says [Dr. Martin Blaser](http://time.com/3822950/martin-blaser-2015-time-100/), director of the Human Microbiome Program at New York University and author of _Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues_. “In fact the opposite is probably true.” Microbiologists are fond of pointing out that your body contains more bacteria than anything else; microorganisms populate your skin and gut by the trillions. “We live in a bacterial world,” Blaser says. “And the vast majority of those bacteria are neutral or beneficial. Very few are harmful.” **MORE**: [Antibiotics Overload Is Endangering Our Children](http://time.com/92624/antibiotics-overload-is-endangering-our-children/) While much of his research has focused on the dangers associated with antibiotic drugs, Blaser is also concerned about the use of bacteria-killers in the home, especially where infants and children are concerned. “Early life is a critical time to build immunity and metabolism and cognition,” he says. “There’s more and more evidence that bacteria are a part of that development.” Remove some bacteria, and its possible you could be upsetting or altering that development in unpredictable ways. There could be other consequences. “We’re seeing a greater number of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms over the periods these products have been around,” says Dr. Allison Aiello, an epidemiologist at the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina. Aiello says there are known factors, such as antibiotic use in humans and animals, that have led to this uptick. But antimicrobial soaps containing triclosan may also be contributing to the appearance of these heartier organisms outside of healthcare settings, she says. **MORE**: [Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Are Now In Every Part of the World](http://time.com/82528/antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-are-now-in-every-part-of-the-world/) At this point, there are still many gaps in the data on anti-microbial chemicals. But Aiello says various forms of triclosan—the chemical found in antibacterial hand soaps and body washes—may actually _encourage_ the spread and strength of some bacteria by killing off others. She says there’s also some concern these chemicals may interact with human hormones in damaging ways. Those concerns led the state of Minnesota to ban triclosan from cleaning and personal care products. “The potential risks definitely outweigh the benefits, which are none,” Aiello says. You read that right. To date there is no evidence that washing and scrubbing your body and home with antibacterial products does any good. One study split 1,000 households into two groups. While one of those groups received antibacterial cleaning products, the other got plain soap. Neither the researchers nor the participants knew which type of cleaner they were using. “In terms of infection rates and sickness, we found absolutely no difference between antibacterial soap and regular soap,” says Dr. Elaine Larson, first author of that household study and director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Antimicrobial Resistance at Columbia University. Larson—working with Aiello—has reviewed dozens more research efforts that looked into the efficacy of antibacterials. Again, she and her colleagues found no benefit. This doesn’t mean cleaning is unimportant, she says. Rather, the mechanical force—the act of rubbing your hands together under hot water, or scrubbing a cutting board with a brush—is what dislodges and cleans away harmful microbes; “The idea that soap kills germs is a misconception,” she says. “Soap just helps you wash germs off.” Regardless of the type of soap you’re using, Larson says “the rub is more important.” Of course, there are times when true sanitization is necessary, Larson says. A doctor performing surgery is one of those times. People who have weakened immune systems may also require special consideration. But even in those circumstances, Larson says an alcohol-based sanitizer—not antibacterial soap—is needed to wipe out potentially harmful germs. “This mythology has developed that we can sterilize the world, and that that’s a good thing,” Blaser says. “But the question should be, what’s the benefit? With many antibacterials, there isn’t one.” ### You Asked: Your Top 10 Health Questions Answered  You Asked: Are Cleanses Healthy? Potions that claim to clear your body of toxins might sound alluring, but do they deliver? Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Is Eating Dessert Really That Bad For Me? Bad news for sweet-eaters—except if you end your meals with this kind of treat. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: What’s the Best Way to Whiten My Teeth? Yes, teeth whitening actually works—but here's why you have to dish out major bucks to see results. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Is Meditation Really Worth It? From easing stress to lowering heart disease risk, focusing your mind can do some amazing things for your body. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: What’s the Healthiest Sweetener? Take a taste of the unsettled science of sweeteners. Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME  You Asked: Should I Go Paleo? 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Illustration by Peter Oumanski for TIME Antibiotic Resistance: Should I Use Antibacterial Soap? ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3830176/antibacterial-soap/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3830176/antibacterial-soap/"},"headline":"You Asked: Should I Use Antibacterial Soap?","datePublished":"2015-04-22T12:24:11.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:49:39.315Z","description":"Research shows they offer zero health benefits. 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