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Dear Jack:
Sorry to burst your bubble, but regular hand soap isn't worth much as an antiseptic since it
doesn't kill many types of bacteria. However, soap does show off its grime-fighting abilities by
serving and protecting you in other ways. For instance, the very act of scrubbing your hands with
soap and water can work wonders one step at a time. First, the soap gets rid of germs and dirt by
emulsifying, or breaking down, the greasy mixture of dead cells, dust, dried sweat and oily
secretions that normally sits on your skin; then the water moves in to wash it down the drain.
Now that I've told you how soap keeps you clean by getting rid of bacteria, you may be
surprised to learn that it does the same job by encouraging the growth of germs, too! That's
because healthy skin is a bacterial battleground where lots of friendly bacteria roam free. Washing
with soap unleashes a tide of these generous germs from your pores to coat and protect your skin.
These special bacteria then eat your sweat and act as a protective barrier against infection,
defending you from harmful, skin-invading germs that could do real damage. Like most cherished
friends, be good to your soap, and it'll be good to you. So make sure it doesn't get soggy in a
puddle of stagnant water; otherwise, it'll become a real breeding ground for bacteria. Allow it to
drain and dry between uses instead. (You can avoid this problem altogether by using liquid soap in
pump dispensers.)
Signed,
Wendell
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