“It’s the washing action primarily that does it.”
Bingo! That’s the bottom line. Soaps have surfactants that only aid in removal of dirt and germs, but it’s the washing AND rinsing process that actually removes such. However, there are some things that would take a VERY long time to remove without the help of soap or hot temperatures that would burn the hands.
I knew a lady who only used hand sanitizer after changing her baby’s diaper. She claimed that it got her hands as clean as washing them. I told her all she was doing was allegedly killing any ‘germs’ on her hands, but in effect was just smearing around the remaining ‘sterilized’ feces, dirt, and ‘dead’ germs. Without washing and rinsing, all that grime remained on her hands. The concept was too hard for her to grasp.
That lady is an example if why I no longer shake hands with people (I will if I’m agreeing to something)....eeewwwww. The practice of hand shaking with EVERYONE drives me crazy...I’d rather give a hug or bump elbows...and that’s what I tell people (and do) with those who want to shake my hand.
I was surprised at the studies I read. Even cold water and no soap - for one minute under running water - JUST as effective at getting rid of germs.
Antibacterial soap is a scam imho. And hand sanitizers are defiinitely not good substitutes for hand washing.