Is Antibacterial Soap Safe?
What is “triclosan,” and why is it in my soap? Triclosan is a chemical compound that can prevent the growth of bacteria. It’s not just in soap: clothing, furniture, toys, toothpaste, kitchenware and cosmetics also contain triclosan and its chemical cousin, triclocarban. Manufacturers add these ingredients to prevent bacteria from growing in or on their products. That sounds like a good thing. I want my soap to get rid of germs. Everyone does, but triclosan doesn’t get rid of germs any better than regular soap. Study after study have found that all soaps are antibacterial, and hands that are washed with regular soap are just as clean and germ-free as hands washed with soap that contains triclosan. In other words, it does nothing to help clean hands. Then why do manufacturers add triclosan to things like soap? Marketing, for the most part. There is some evidence that triclosan in toothpaste helps to prevent gingivitis, according to the FDA, which also states that “For other consumer prod
