Your mum has told you a thousand times — Wash Your Hands.

Probably the most potent, powerful advice for keeping a bunch of diseases at bay. But cleanliness freaks, if your poison for the critters crawling on your skin is ‘antibacterial’ products, it’s time to let go of these dubious products and claims which have been warming your heart for years now.

In a landmark new ruling, the US Food and Drug Administration has banned 19 chemicals which are present in over 76 percent of all antibacterial soaps, stating they are not only ineffective but also harmful.

Wait, what? Then what do we germaphobes do to ward off contagious diseases?

Turns out, good old, regular soap and water are enough to keep you clean.

Why Is US FDA Cleaning Up the Soap?

The US FDA is targeting 19 chemicals, the most notorious of the lot, triclosan and triclocarban, have troubled public health experts for years now.

Effect On Your Health

1. Superbugs: This is the biggest concern — the ingredients which wipe off the bacteria leave an open ground for bigger, badder bacteria to wreck havoc.

2. Cellular Changes: Innumerable studies have shown that these banned chemicals are rapidly absorbed by the skin and can cause changes in the skeletal and cardiac muscle function.

3. Allergies: There are a lot of studies which show that when children live in a bacteria-proof environment, there is a much higher chance of developing allergies, like peanut allergy and hay fever. Most studies conclude that this is because excessive use kills the bacteria necessary for developing a proper immune system.

4. Hormonal Changes: Even if a trillionth per gram of this seeps in your body, it can block your normal thyroid function, damage your brain lining, cause infertility and is co-related to a host of chronic health issues like childhood obesity, diabetes among others.

5. Corrupt the Food Chain: In addition to the above, these nasty chemicals end up in sewage sludge, can damage the soil and re-enter the food chain through the crops that grow on them.

Should You Discard Your Wipes, Soaps Too?

The alcohol-based hand sanitisers (with more than 50 percent alcohol) are safe. They kill germs but not cut through grime.

The FDA is separately evaluating the chemical ones which have less than 40 percent alcohol but until a ruling on them comes out, read our complete analysis on what’s better between soap and sanitisers.

Interestingly, till the early 80s these chemicals were only used in hospital settings, by doctors to scrub before and after surgery.

The world was suddenly riddled with contamination, the solution to everything came in gels, soaps and wipes labelled antibacterial or antimicrobial.

From kitchen tops, floors, walls, toilet seats to door knobs and children (oh they are the messiest, filthiest creatures), EVERYTHING was being wiped clean with a product containing triclosan to kill 99.99 percent germs.

And though the FDA in India has never taken cognisance of such health risks, leading doctors in Mumbai recommend the time-tested advice you’ve heard a gazillion times since childhood — wash your hands with soap and water.

BRB.
*Scrubbing*
Plain, old soap to the rescue!

Also Read: Busted! 7 Places You Didn’t Know Were Germ Bombs