Every year, more people become aware of the benefits of hand washing in an attempt to avoid sickness, especially during the peak flu months. Department of Health officials appropriately encourage proper hand washing as a preventative measure to becoming ill from viruses and bacteria that can be transferred between humans via handshakes or devices.

Is it necessary, however, to use anti-bacterial soaps in hand washing? Are these soaps more effective at cleansing hands over other soaps? A quick search of the internet will produce many articles of varying opinions, but it appears most research concludes that these soaps are not any more effective at cleansing hands than other soaps. Apparently, just washing hands with soap for prescribed time periods with hot water is the most effective elements of hand washing that kill off harmful bacteria and viruses.

Anti-bacterial soaps kill septic system bacteria

For septic system owners, anti-bacterial soaps can cause big problems for both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria: it kills them! Bacteria are the key component that breaks down organic waste in both aerobic and anaerobic septic systems. Killing them off essentially stops the system’s processes that break down organic wastes and can lead to problems such as odor, sluggish flow and more frequent pumping on one end of the problem spectrum to backup and system failure at the other extreme. Is it really worth it to use these products if you put yourself at risk for septic system problems?

In short, the best advice to septic system owners is to avoid using these anti-bacterial soaps. You can keep yourself healthy by washing your hands with other soaps and hot water for the recommended periods of time. Give your septic system’s bacteria a break! How many of you use anti-bacterial soaps and would you consider giving them up after reading this blog?