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How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

pfizer.com

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Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#91

Post by efitz »

okdood64 wrote: post #65
elhudy wrote: post #62

I was always under the impression that the purpose of soap isn’t to kill bacteria/viruses as the article implies, but to wash those thing off of your hands. Was my impression wrong?

Yes. If a pharmaceutical company's article (with better expertise in this area than the average HNer) isn't enough to convince someone here's an article from UNESCO: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/how-soap-kills-covid-19-h...

The article itself has spelling and grammar mistakes in it. The lack of attention to detail does not build confidence in the content.

I was taught about the hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature of soaps and detergents in university decades ago; this is not new information, and is uncontroversial. As others have pointed out, it’s even easy to observe in simple home experiments.

I have never heard of soap disrupting the phospholipid shell of viruses; this is new and “interesting if true”.

The astoundingly bad handling of government communications during the pandemic makes me automatically skeptical of arguments from authority.

However, the takeaway of “wash your hands thoroughly to inhibit disease vector transmission” has amply been proven in the last century.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#92

Post by MichaelMug »

acyou wrote: post #89

More generally, I'm a huge proponent for washing and drying hands after coming home, after using the bathroom and before eating, in order to disrupt a wide variety of infectious diseases. In particular, I consider the fecal-oral route for a wide variety of nasty parasitic diseases. This has had and continues to have major public health benefits. There are some other considerations. Water temperature, water hardness,…

> I'm a huge proponent for washing and drying hands after coming home, after using the bathroom and before eating

Is this not the norm?

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#94

Post by Fnoord »

softskunk wrote: post #22
SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your question has been answered, but addressing this bit: > This is probably the stupidest question many of you will encounter today We should all be so lucky that a well-intentioned but somewhat naive question is the stupidest thing we read all day.

i have respect for people who can ask these seemingly-dumb but valid and good-faith questions, knowing that they may be judged for it. we all have gaps in our knowledge.

True. However it can also be used by asking a question without having looked into it, ie. laziness, having others do the work instead. The tactic is then to come across as (courageously) courteous. The old preface on /. "OK, I got karma to burn [...]". Looking into it before asking for help is easier nowadays than ever before (sapere aude). With the caveat it is also easier to find misinformation and fall into such a cultish trap set up by people thousands of miles away, frolicking around in hostile jurisdictions (IRA comes to mind). I guess the cynicism is high in my post; if we lighten up and assume no harm Saul Goodman.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#95

Post by tim333 »

jawns wrote: post #10

This is probably the stupidest question many of you will encounter today, but: If soap has an extraordinary ability to destroy viruses on our skin ... can eating soap give us some of those benefits for viruses that are already in our bodies? I'm not seriously envisioning chowing down on bar soap or using liquid hand soap as a salad dressing. But are there ways to use the _properties_ of soap that make it good for kil…

The soap would only really get into your gut, not inside the rest of the body. And taste bad.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#96

Post by brailsafe »

s5300 wrote: post #30
brailsafe wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Coffee grounds or that mechanic paste might do pretty well also

>>Coffee grounds or that mechanic paste might do pretty well also “Magic All Natural Industrial Hand Cleaner (with walnut shells)” Is downright the best thing I’ve ever encountered for cleaning anything on the hands. Anything sticky, greasy, non-newtonian… etc. it scrubs right off. Person who’s worked in grimy machine shops for 30 years introduced me to it. Fast Orange is a complete & utter disgrace comparatively. Co…

Haven't heard of walnut grounds, and yes fast orange is meh. Thanks for the suggestion.

Re: How Soap Works: The Science Behind Handwashing

#97

Post by mint2 »

downWidOutaFite wrote: post #34
Kranar wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean yes, technically soap will destroy viruses that are already in your body absolutely. It will also destroy many other cells and proteins in your body as well since soap is an indiscriminate killer. The end result is that both viruses and normal tissue will end up dying which will damage you or possibly kill you.

This doesn't sound right. Soap is considered nontoxic. We all ingest soap residue from dishes and other hygiene and I've never heard anyone concerned about it.

Soap and detergent will kill if concentrated enough. https://www.eater.com/2015/6/18/8805047/restaurant-killed-cu...

unfortunately googling shows that mixups happen every so often, sometime due to what I’d call gross or willful negligence like storing it in a re-used food container in the fridge

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