Lately I have had a lot of people ask about what type of soap is best in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic - antibacterial or regular soap? In this article, we will dispel misconceptions about what antibacterial soap does and whether it is better to fight infection.

First of all, the name "antibacterial soap" says a lot. Coronavirus is a virus not a bacteria. But more importantly antibacterial soap while it does kill off some bacteria, it does so indiscriminately. Meaning it doesn’t know the difference between good bacteria and bad bacteria. We need some of the good bacteria to keep our skin balanced and to protect us. Additionally, antibacterial soaps contain the chemical triclosan, which the (FDA) banned from household and health care products, because research has suggested it may impact hormone levels and bacterial resistance.

What is more effective to remove microbes off our skin is how we wash our hands than which soap we use. To be effective, we need to fully wash, soap, lather and rub our hands/fingers together for at least 20 seconds, which is longer than it seems. This may also be a good time to couple in some reflective meditative thoughts or do abdominal breathing.

When should you wash your hands? Everytime you think should!