Preppers: Should You Stockpile Antibacterial Soap?
Kevin Felts 04.14.17
In all honesty, I enjoy the convenience of liquid antibacterial soap. At any given time, there may be several gallons of refills in the bathroom cabinet. Next to every sink is at least one squirt bottle.
The same thing goes for the bug out location. There are several squirt bottles spread around the sinks and gallons of antibacterial hand soap under the kitchen sink.
Using liquid antibacterial hand soap seems to be more hygienic than bar soap, but is it?
In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration asked companies to prove the active ingredients in antibacterial hand soap were safe and effective.
By 2016, out of the companies whom the FDA requested information from, none submitted proof that antibacterial hand soap was more effective than regular bar soap.
FDA Ruling
Due to the lack of proof, the FDA issued the following statement:
Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).
“In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.
As a result of the soap industry being unable to fulfill the FDA request, I no longer stockpile products marketed as antibacterial soap.
The FDA also banned 16 chemicals that are used in certain types of antibacterial hand soap.
the FDA issued a rule banning the use of triclosan, triclocarban and 17 other chemicals in hand and body washes. which are marketed as being more effective than simple soap.
From the date the ruling was issued, companies have one year to remove the chemicals. So, even if you are stockpiling antibacterial soap, it will slowly disappear from store shelves.
In other words, just stockpile regular bar soap.
