The Truth About Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap
As Bea Johnson says, soap is soap. Now, I don't 100% agree; my face wash does a better job of keeping my acne under control than dish soap. But you don't need a bunch of soap mixed with goop and chemicals in a plastic bottle to get things clean.
According to the
Washington Post:
"Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more
effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence
that they are any better than plain soap and water,” said Janet Woodcock,
director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a
statement. “In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do
more harm than good over the long-term.”
Basically, if you scrub your hand with any sort of soap for 30 seconds (sing the Happy Birthday song 3 times), you're doing the best you can to stop the spread of bacteria and disease. So why not choose soap that's
not in thick plastic bottles?
It's Harder to Waste Bar Soap
This statement is subjective, of course. But in my experience, I'm far less likely to waste bar soap because:
- It literally slips out of your hands if you get carried away. Liquid soap dispensers can easily pump out an unnecessary amount of soap (especially if you have little kids around the house).
- You can use all of it til its completely gone. No packaging means you don't have to squeeze out the last bit of liquid. Or do that thing where you put a little water in the bottle to extend the soap's life until you're not really sure if you have enough soap to be clean.
Bonus points: As a result of using less soap, I tend to
save money when I choose bar soap.
You Can Find Bar Soap Just About Anywhere
It never hurts to call ahead, but I've usually been able to find bar soap anywhere they sell liquid soap. My current supply is from
Whole Foods (it's literally
the only thing I buy there because it has zero packaging) and the farmer's market.
Specialty Items Are Available (for a price)
Living the zero waste life doesn't mean you can't indulge. If you
have the cash to spare, try out these zero waste options: