The Best Hand Soap

Imagine all the things you touch in a day. Doorknobs, light switches, car keys, smartphones – all of these things are crawling with germs. Those germs get onto your hands, and then you touch your eyes, nose, mouth, and hair, effectively transferring those pesky germs all over yourself. In this day and age, being cognizant of germs is essential; that’s why you have to make sure you wash your hands on a regular basis. Using the right hand soap ensures your hands are germ free.

Hand soap works by separating bacteria from your hands so that they can be washed away with water. Hand soaps that have antibacterial qualities also actually eliminate the bacteria completely, while those without antibacterial qualities just wash them away. If you’re particularly concerned about germs, work in an environment where you are in contact with a lot of people, or have immunocompromised friends and family, it’s best to go with a hand soap that is also antibacterial soap.

While soaps are tough on germs and bacteria, they need to be gentle on your skin. After all, if you’re going to thoroughly wash your hands multiple times a day, you may end up with dry, cracked skin that is itchy and uncomfortable. If you want to ensure your hands are moisturized, opt for a hand soap that contains olive oil, coconut oil, glycerin or milk protein, which will help keep your skin soft.

Want to make washing your hands more enjoyable? Consider a hand soap that has a pleasing scent. For example, if you want to encourage calmness and relaxation, opt for a hand soap that smells like lavender or vanilla. For a bright and cheery smell, opt for lemon, lime or orange. You can also hand soaps that are unscented, which are ideal for those who have a sensitivity to smells.

• It’s important to know which ingredients are in your hand soap. Soaps contain surfactants, which are designed to separate dirt and oil and suspend them from your hands so they can be rinsed away by running water. Soaps that have a thick lather effectively clean your hands best because of the surfactants.
• If you want your hand soap to kill bacteria, opt for ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride and chloroxylenol. Soaps that don’t contain these ingredients still remove bacteria from your hands but they don’t kill them.
• Some hand soaps are a foamy consistency while others are liquid. What’s the difference? With foam soaps, you don’t need to scrub your hands for as long to get a lather than you do with liquid soaps. Foam soaps typically use less water than liquid soaps as well. However, it’s possible you get cleaner hands with liquid soaps because you have to scrub them for a longer time.
• Dish soap has a similar consistency to hand soap. While both kinds of soaps are used for cleaning, you should not use dish soap on your hands or hand soap on your dishes. They have different formulas and will not give you the results you are after.
• For many shoppers, choosing eco friendly products is key. When it comes to soap, the water you use may end up released back into the environment, so it’s important to choose a product that does not have any harmful chemicals. You can also look for hand soap packaging that is made from recyclable materials. Where possible, buy hand soap in bulk and fill your own reusable containers to reduce waste.