Advantages: None Whatsoever.
Disadvantages: Harmful to health, increase bacterial resistance.

...An increasing number of products are advertised and sold based on their antibacterial properties. Can using such items be counter-productive in fighting bacteria? Do they contain harmful substances? In addition, is good old soap and water just as effective? Dishing the Dirt on Antibacterial Cleansers In the last ten years, antibacterial cleaning products have become commonplace in many households. It is estimated that around 70% of all liquid soaps contain antibacterial agents. In fact, a scan along the supermarket household cleaner shelves will bombard the eyes and the brain with the word "antibacterial" on most products. A marking ploy? With all these antibacterial agents available, surely we are much cleaner now than we ever have been before. The Science Bit (regular readers should have known this was coming!) *Soap* Soap... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Kills all known germs
Disadvantages: creates stronger germs

...Antibiotics are our main weapon against bacterial infection and up until a few years ago their use was almost exclusively confined to the medical sector. However about 10 years ago they started to appear in products used within the household, initially in the form of washing up liquids and other household cleaning products but later they also started to appear in soaps and other personal hygenie products. The theory is that by adding antibiotics to these products we will kill more germs; therefore we will get ill much less frequently. Before I go on its worth noting the difference between standard soaps and anti-bacterial soaps (other than the obvious). Soaps are not designed to kill germs. They never have been. The way a soap works is to allow dirt to be lifted off a surface such as your hands and allows that dirt to be 'held... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Kills Bacteria in the short term
Disadvantages: Strengthens Bacteria in the long term

...to take the issue. Finally further research has su