aren’t all the soaps antibacterial? How come some soaps (e.g. Dove) don’t mention anything about its antibacterial properties?
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Washing your hands with soap *does* kill bacteria present, however that doesn’t make the soap antibacterial. Soap works by forming a complex with the plasma membrane of germs, and ripping them open as you add mechanical action and friction. This works for all germs, and is not something pathogens can build an immunity to!
Antibacterial means that if you apply soap directly to the germs, like on a petri dish, it will kill the germs or stop them from growing. Soap does not do this, as you need a lather composed of soap and water plus the mechanical action I mentioned previously to cause the membranes to rupture. This is why soaps sanitize things but are not antibacterial!
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