There was a scientific study on antibacterial hand cleansers and it was found that they are no more effective than regular soap and water, they both killed roughly the same amount of germs. It has been actually proven that antibacterial soaps are worse, because they kill the wonderful bacteria we have on our skin naturally that helps us fight infections/germs/etc. The the bulk important factor has been featured to be how long you "wash" and the amount of friction you use.

Absolutely! The germs that are not resistant to the antibacterial product will die. The few germs that are resistant will live, breed, and thrive, creating a whole new generation of germs that laugh at antibacterial products.



This has been becoming increasingly true about antibiotics also. Many infection-causing bacteria have become resistant to penicillin due to its overuse. Gonorrhea is one of these.



This is why "nosocomial" infections acquired while you're in the hospital are so dangerous. The few bacteria and viruses that live hospital sanitization procedures simply become more and more resistant.



You may have read about MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) now becoming a community-acquired infection rather than a hospital-acquired infection. MRSA was first discovered in 1961. Now it's a very real threat to hospitalized patients and frequently is acquired in community settings such as gymnasiums. This "superbug" has encoded genes that make it penicillin-resistant.



Unless you're scrubbing for surgery, soap and warm water should suffice to clean your hands. Manufacturers of antibacterial items are simply seen a profitable market for their items (moms worried about their kids getting sick) and have taken advantage of it. You do not need to use antibacterial dish liquid or hand soap. The antibacterial hand sanitizers, such as the Purell Gel, are suitable if your hands are dirty and you're not near soap and water, but they will not kill all bacteria or viruses on your hands.