Soap Myth Busted

 

SOAP MYTH: Soap with hot water is more effective in killing germs than soap with cold water.

Scientific research has demonstrated that hot water with soap for hand washing is no more effective than cold water with soap. For example, in a report published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (J Occup Environ Med. 2005 Apr; 47(4): 434-5.) it is reported that for subjects who had their hands contaminated with microorganisms and then were instructed to wash their hands with soap for 25 seconds in water ranging in temperature from 4 Celsius to 49 Celsius, the various temperatures had “no effect on transient or resident bacterial reduction.”

One study done way back in 1938 by a Dr. PB Price had similar results. In 80 studies over a period of nine years subjects washed their hands with soap in temperatures ranging from 24°C up to 56°C. He found that the temperature made no real difference in how well the hands were cleansed of germs. The results showed that most significant factor in removing germs were the vigorousness of scrubbing the hands.

A few things to keep in mind when using hot water and soap. Firstly, hot water can make some soaps more irritating to the skin, and can cause contact dermatitis. Secondly, using less heat to produce hot water for hand washing can save money. Thirdly, it is impossible to kill the bacteria on your skin only via the temperature of hot water as the temperature needed to kill bacteria is over 80°C. This is certainly hot enough to scald your skin.

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