How Does Soap Work To Kill Viruses?

bacteria covid-19 pandemic wash your hands

This is a strange time we are going through right now, and if you have been feeling a little lost with heightened anxiety/stress levels then please know that we are right there with you, you are definitely not alone in this!

We know it can feel terrifying to turn on the tv or even scroll social media, as we are constantly confronted with yet another piece of news about COVID-19 and it can all feel a little overwhelming.

That’s the last thing we intend to do in this article, we just wanted to share one simple tip that can go a long way in keeping you and your loved ones safe as we navigate our way through this time.

And that is simply to wash your hands!

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To avoid you stumbling across any potentially scary articles on your way to googling “how to properly wash my hands to kill viruses” we decided to make a post on it so you can learn how it’s done without feeling more stressed than you already are.

Let's dive in and get sudsy!

How can soap kill coronavirus and other viruses?

It may seem too simple, but good ol’ soap and water is all you need to wash any nasty virus-causing germs off your hands!

The good news is that coronavirus can’t enter your body through your skin, since your skin is slightly acidic and prevents most pathogens from entering, phew!

However, it can sit on your skin and enter your body through your eyes, nose or mouth, should your hands find their way to your face. Being mindful of avoiding your face and washing your hands every chance you get is your best defence against contracting or spreading the virus. (We like to indulge every chance we get so we love washing with Cocoon Apothecary's Kahuna hand wash - it's like a 2-minute tropical getaway!)

National Geographic explains it better than we ever could!

Soap works so effectively because its chemistry pries open the coronavirus’s exterior envelope and cause it to degrade. These soap molecules then trap tiny fragments of the virus, which are washed away in water. Hand sanitizers work similarly by busting apart the proteins contained in a virus.”

Hmm, makes sense, right!

But you need to make sure you are washing your hands correctly in order for all traces of the virus to be gone. 

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How to effectively wash your hands

You need to wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds and you need to really get in between your fingers. Little things like drying them with a paper towel and using a paper towel to turn off the tap are very important too.

This video shows exactly how it’s done, it’s super easy yet super effective and your best line of protection against coronavirus or any virus for that matter, you should always keep your hands clean!

We hope this article makes sense and explains things to you. We will get through this! Even though we may be apart from each other physically, we are actually more connected than ever right now. 


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