Expert Blog

The Best Way to Kill Germs

BY: Dr. Edward Pullen

With cold and flu season in full swing, you may be wondering if washing with antibacterial soaps and using hand sanitizers are better ways to keep germs at bay than washing with regular soap. I see sick patients every day, so I’m attentive to the latest research and have my own ways of preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses. Here’s my take:

Regular vs. Antibacterial Soap
First let’s look at the question of regular versus antibacterial soap. Most antibacterial soaps contain triclosan, which kills not only bacteria, but fungi as well. However, most of the illnesses we try to prevent -- the common cold, influenza, etc. -- are caused by viruses. There is little evidence to show that antibacterial soaps are more helpful in killing germs than plain soap. In fact, a 2003 study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health showed no difference in bacterial counts when washing with triclosan-containing antibacterial soap was compared to washing with regular soap.

Hand-sanitizing Gels
Gels are becoming increasingly popular. They’re used when washing is inconvenient or unavailable, and sometimes they’re used to replace washing altogether. Unlike the use of antibacterial soaps, there’s considerable evidence that using alcohol-containing gels to sanitize hands kills both bacteria and viruses more effectively than washing.

So to stay healthy this cold and flu season, keep the following in mind:

• Soap and water are best for removing dirt, especially germ-harboring dirt. That's why you should always wash your hands with soap and water after activities that get your hands dirty, like using the toilet.
  
  
• Regular soap is fine to use for washing, as there is little or no evidence that antibacterial soap kills germs more effectively.
• Hand-sanitizing gels are great for killing viruses and bacteria, and they’re especially useful for killing germs when your hands aren't particularly dirty. I wash my hands prior to seeing each of my patients, and I use hand sanitizer after seeing patients with any type of bacterial or viral illness.