Someone tell me how soap works?

AceCuddlerMikeAceCuddlerMike
in General

CDC says a hand sanitizer should be 60% or more alcohol ( just looked at a bottle here in the house and 62% ethyl alcohol). But washing hands with soap for 20 seconds also works? What is it about soap that works? Is it killing germs or is it washing them off your hands and down the drain, alive? : ) Someone please educate me. Can't believe I've never wondered about this until now

Comments

  • geoff1000geoff1000

    My understanding was that a cell is basically a drop of water encased in a film of oil, and soap would break down that film. The 20 seconds is to be sure it has removed all the natural skin oil, so the virus can't lurk there.

    However, now I'm not so sure.

    The key is not to inhale no virus, that may be an impossible task ; but to inhale so little at a time, that the body's defences can deal with it. Like throwing a single lit match on a bonfire, instead of a dozen at once.

    If so, a bucket of soapy water with a few sneezes, would be much less of a risk than those sneezes undiluted.

  • [Deleted User]Bles (deleted user)

    That's correct. Soap has both oil and water loving molecules (or hydrophobic and hydrophilic) that works to mechanically remove bacteria and dirt from the hands. They don't kill germs. It does so by suspending the oil in the water hence loosening up the fats and proteins in the bacteria on your hands. It's far more effective than alcohol. Alcohol does a poor job of breaking down the membrane in the fats and proteins of germs.

    As long as you wash for at least 20 seconds.

  • UKGuyUKGuy
    edited April 2020

    I don't rely on soap, I make sure to wash my hands using hot water. Also a virus is a completely different thing to bacteria.

  • geoff1000geoff1000

    @UKGuy
    I think cold water is a problem, even with soap, because the pores contract, hiding the dirt and bugs.

    However, if one is working a lather into the surface of your hands, the initial temperature of the water probably doesn't have much effect.

  • desi_babedesi_babe

    Viruses are nano-particles held together by a fat membrane (the lipid bilayer). Soap dissolves the fat membrane so that the virus breaks apart. Because a virus needs all its pieces to be infectious, by falling apart it is no longer infectious. Soap also breaks the bonds between the virus and the skin / other surfaces in a similar manner.

    This is an absolutely amazing thread (with illustrations) that goes into more detail:

  • DonLonGDonLonG

    Does anyone remember the Tide Pod Challenge from 2 years ago? Might be time to bring that back.

  • MonkeyNeedsAHugMonkeyNeedsAHug

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.today.com/today/amp/tdna112239

  • NtleLLXNtleLLX

    Here's a very helpful video on the subject.

    https://www.vox.com/2020/3/18/21185262/how-soap-kills-the-coronavirus

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