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Triclosan's in a lot of products, but you can avoid it by quickly glancing at the ingredients list - and yeah, your hands'll still get clean.

COCKTAIL FACT

C'mon, people: A study by the American Society for Microbiology found 25% of men and 10% of women don't wash their hands after using public bathrooms.

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home ›   tip library ›   Antibacterial Soaps

Are superbacteria something outta science fiction?

The Bite

Take away the fiction part. While it seems like antibacterial cleansers would be more effective than plain, ol' soap, not-so-mad scientists have proven they aren't, and germs are getting stronger because we use so many antibiotics. Natural alts do the job minus the concerns.

The Benefits

  • Getting just as clean. Germophobes rejoice: U of MI researchers reviewed 27 studies conducted between 1980 and 2006, and found that plain soaps are just as effective as those containing the antibacterial triclosan.
  • Not encouraging the monsters. Antibacterial soaps with triclosan can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics; our picks are naturally antibacterial.

Personally Speaking

Heather went to Burning Man 2007 armed with plenty of EO Hand Sanitizer - when you haven't taken a shower in four days, it's a must-have.

Wanna Try?

Mar 20,2008


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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.


Faux Green Burning Man

Middle of the Nevada desert, circa, well, last summer.  45,000 people converge on a barren stretch of desert to camp and celebrate, decking themselves in costume in order to appreciate art, life, love, one another...

If you heard any news about Burning Man 2007, you probably heard about Paul David Addis - the gleeful arsonist who burned the Man five days before he was supposed to burn.

My guess is, that you probably didn't hear about all the triclosan-laden Purell hand sanitizer stations situated outside the porta-potties throughout the camp, completely flying in the face of the green nature of the event.

Now, I'm all for cleaning up after you go.  But in the middle of a celebration purportedly committed to being green - in the middle of a year in which the entire theme of the week was "The Green Man" - it was disappointing to see the Purell each and every time I went to the loo.

My little act of rebellion on that front?  Carrying around my own little bottle of lavender-scented EO Hand Sanitizer.  My hands were clean, they smelled good, and I felt more authentic. 

Besides, the lavender scent went really well with my Poison Ivy costume.

-Heather... off to plan camp for Burning Man 2008 (this year's theme is America Dream)


Biter Comments...
I don't get it - the tip says antibacterial soaps aren't necessary, but then you go on in Wanna Try? to recommend soaps with natural antibacteria-fighting agents. what gives?

Posted by: Rima | March 20, 2008 at 09:09 AM

Heather, please read the label on a bottle of hand sanitizer, Purell or a private-label brand of Purell, and you will NOT find triclosan in the list of ingredients. The main ingredient in hand sanitizers is isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol so you need not feel any eco-guilt about using them. Antibacterial soaps, however, DO contain triclosan, so if triclosan is bad for the environment, you should steer clear of those.

Posted by: Linda | March 20, 2008 at 09:21 AM

Like the first commenter, I'm a little confused by your seemingly saying "don't use antibacterials" and "do use antibacterials" at the same time. I'm no scientist, but does it matter to bugs whether "that-which-does-not-kill-them-but-makes-them-stronger" is synthetic or not? Don't all antibacterials increase resistance? I'm not sure that "natural" is any better...except, of course, in that it's less harmful to the environment and may help to support smaller, responsible businesses rather than big conglomerates. Worthy causes--just wondering about the accuracy of the resistance angle.

Posted by: Lisa | March 20, 2008 at 09:50 AM

Nice Burning Man costume. I've always wanted to go.. maybe next year. Colgate toothpaste has Triclosan in it, and studies (by the toothpaste people) have shown that it is effective in preventing gingivitis. However, does this fall under the same "kill off the weak bacteria, and the strong shall prosper [in your mouth]" idea?

Posted by: Casey W | March 20, 2008 at 11:22 AM

That EO sanitizer sounds nice, but it's not available in my area, and if I were to order it online, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the shipping charges would be more than the $4.00 the bottle of sanitizer cost. The other sanitizers mentioned in this e-mail are WAY out of my price range, especially since I'd have to get them online, which would mean incurring those nasty shipping costs. Sorry, but I'm sticking with my CVS-brand Purell with aloe. We just all need to be as ecologically friendly as we can -- within our means.

Posted by: Linda | March 20, 2008 at 11:24 AM

Hold on just a second...If we are trying to be green and avoid added Triclosan and/or rubbing alcohol why aren't you recommending that old school solution-gasp- bar soap. You avoid ALL the plastic bottle packaging. Most bars I've run across do not contain dreaded Parabens and of course a quick label read will help you avoid added antibiotics. Happy extra---they are WAY cheaper. With soap leaves, mini soap squares and reusable camping bar soap containers surely we can all find one that works.

Posted by: Juliet | March 20, 2008 at 02:19 PM

Has anyone tried CleanWell (http://www.cleanwelltoday.com)? It's supposedly a natural hand sanitizer made from thyme. No alcohol or triclosan. I saw it in a local store, but haven't tried it

Posted by: Chris J | March 20, 2008 at 03:41 PM

Another fact check point I'd like to make, besides the author's error about triclosan, is that Burning Man is not, and has never been, an event "committed to being green," or a gathering to promote sustainable lifestyles and values. It's laughable that hand sanitizer is the green issue you bring up about BM. If you've ever been there, you may have noticed all the propane-fueled fire art and flame throwers, the rumbling of gasoline generators at each camp, the diesel- and two-stroke-engine-powered vehicles running about (which spew greenhouse gases and particulates), the RVs running AC all day, and finally, the ethic of "impermanence"--burning your art so you don't have to take it home. BM is incredibly wasteful and produces sizeable CO2 emissions. This is an issue that it's organizers have tried to improve, especially with 2007's "green man" theme, but the waste is still staggering. You can definitely call BM the wildest, most indulgent party/alternate reality/community you've ever experienced. But don't call it green.

Posted by: Don K | March 27, 2008 at 03:53 PM

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