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19 In fact, a study at the University of North Carolina found that washing your hands with
soap and water is more effective at getting rid of germs than using antibacterial hand wipes. Emily
Sickbert-Bennett, a public epidemiologist and co-author of the study, explains that when you use
soap and water, the germs go down the drain, but with waterless antibacterial hand wipes, “you
never rinse your hands. You are just rubbing a chemical into your hand and letting it dry.”
20 In conclusion, Americans spend millions of dollars every year on products that promise
to “kill germs on contact.” But as we have seen today, the antibacterial craze is a marketing coup
rather than a proven way of stopping either the spread of germs or the incidence of colds, flus,
and other virus–borne illnesses. Worse, these products appear to contribute to health problems,
and they are creating environmental problems in the U.S. water supply. The federal government
should start regulating these products and we, as consumers, should stop throwing our money
away on them.
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