Soap vs. Hand Sanitizer

Drug companies are investing millions to find a way to destroy the Coronavirus once it enters the body.

Supplement companies are selling high priced nutraceuticals that promise to boost your immune system against the COVID-19 virus.

Why?   Because we're terrified.  And for good reason.  Watching the events unfold in Italy over the past number of weeks is enough to scare any of us.  

Since the WHO elevated the outbreak to a Pandemic I have watched walls tumble down.  The stock market, National sports leagues, even our Prime Minister's wife has been diagnosed.

Here at etee we've watched and wondered how we can help without preying on people's fears.

Our answer? 

SOAP:  All-Natural, Zero Waste Soap

According to Pall Thordarson (professor of chemistry at the University of New South Wales, Sydney):

"Viruses can be active outside the body for hours, even days. Disinfectants, liquids, wipes, gels and creams containing alcohol are all useful at getting rid of them – but they are not quite as good as normal soap." (The Guardian) 

Why is Soap better than Hand Sanitizers?

The weakest link in a virus is its fatty 'lipid bilayer'.  Soap kills viruses (actually it's more accurate to say 'makes them inactive' because viruses aren't alive) by breaking apart the fatty bilayer within the virus itself.  

The skin's surface is a great place for viruses to 'latch' onto, in a similar way to velcro.  Soap not only breaks the velcro-like bond, it also 'competes' with the lipids within the virus and destroys it.

Hand Sanitizers and most disinfectants have a high percentage of alcohol, which kills the virus in a similar way. 

"But soap is better because you only need a fairly small amount of soapy water, which, with rubbing, covers your entire hand easily. Whereas you need to literally soak the virus in ethanol for a brief moment, and wipes or rubbing a gel on the hands does not guarantee that you soak every corner of the skin on your hands effectively enough." (The Guardian)

So if you're out an about, of course, hand sanitizers are a good first defence (although we're working on an even better solution, stay tuned), but when you're in the home, the Science suggests that soap is a better bet on your hands, for your dishes, on your clothes and even counter tops.

Looking for some soap? 

Check out collection of liquid & bar, hand, dish, body and stain soaps.