The Truth About Antibacterial Soap According to Discovery Fit & Health, about 75 percent of liquid soaps claim to be antibacterial. While this kind of soap sounds like a good idea, it is really not more effective than regular soap. Soap in general works by binding with dirt and grime and bacteria. This binding action allows the particles to be washed away easily. Antibacterial soap really does no more than regular soap. In fact, to be more effective than regular soap, antibacterial soap should stay on your skin for about two minutes to do what it claims it can do. Most people do not wash their hands that long. In addition, antibacterial soap may do harm. First it kills both beneficial and harmful bacteria. Second, scientists believe bacteria may become resistant to antibacterial agents over time, especially if they are not used correctly. Finally, antibacterial soap does nothing to viruses. Most of the time, we get sick from viruses, not bacteria. In sum, antibacterial soap does not live up to the hype. You are better off just using regular soap.

Based on "The Truth About Antibacterial Soap," why is antibacterial soap unlikely to work better than regular soap?