ELI5. Why does frequent use of soap and/or hand sanitizer not make the germs on our hands mutate?
In: Biology
Soap is an example of an amphiphilic molecule. It has parts that are attracted to water and parts that are attracted to oil. That is how soap removes dirt – the oil-loving part dissolves in the dirts and oils and the water loving-part dissolves in water. As a result the dirts and oils get dissolved into the water and rinse off of you.
Cell membranes, including bacteria, are [bi-lipid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipid_bilayer) which is also amphiphilic, except they are arranged to separate the cell contents from the outside world.
The soap interferes with the bacteria’s cell membrane, damaging it. When the bateria’s cell membrane is damaged enough, that cell can no longer carry on its functions and dies.
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