Washing hands with water alone, a common practice around the world, is significantly less effective than washing hands with soap.Proper hand washing requires soap and only a small amount of water.Using soap works by breaking down the grease and dirt that carry most germs, facilitating the rubbing and friction that dislodge them and leaving hands smelling pleasant. The clean smell and feeling that soap creates are incentives for its use. With proper use, all soaps are equally effective at rinsing away disease-causing germs.
