Antibacterial soap containing triclosan, the most commonly used active antiseptic ingredient in soap, may be no more effective than plain soap at killing bacteria, according to a paper published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Researchers looked at both the effectiveness of triclosan against 20 strains of bacteria and the compared effectiveness of antibacterial and non-antibacterial soaps to remove bacteria from human hands. They found no significant difference between the effects of the soaps.
The authors concluded based on the results that consumer belief regarding the improved effectiveness of antibacterial soap over standard soap needs to be addressed.