Skin produces natural oils on the surface, to which dirt and pathogens can stick. When we wash our hands with water only, as oil and water do not mix, it does not remove the oil, dirt, or pathogens from our skin. This is where soap comes in. Soap works in a couple of ways to clean your hands. First, as you scrub your hands with soap and water, it binds to substances like dirt, skin cells, viruses, and bacteria on a molecular level. These substances remain suspended in microscopic droplets of water. Secondly, when you rinse the soap from your hands, it causes the dirt, pathogens, and other substances to slide right off. Basic soap and water are still the best way to keep our hands and skin clean. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of microbes on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs.
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