How does soap kill germs?
Quick Answer
Soap molecules pry apart the fatty outer layers of many germs and trap dirt and microbes in tiny bubbles called micelles, which rinse away in water.
The Full Story
Each soap molecule has a head that loves water and a tail that loves fats and oils. The tails wedge into the fatty membranes that surround bacteria and enveloped viruses, such as flu and coronaviruses, breaking them apart. At the same time, soap molecules surround grease and germs, forming micelles that water can wash off your skin. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends scrubbing with soap for at least 20 seconds. In 1847 the Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis showed that handwashing in a Vienna hospital dramatically reduced deaths among new mothers.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why Soap Beats Germs — The Chemistry of Handwashing"