Sir, – Regarding the item on regulating antibacterial hand soaps (World News, December 17th). All soaps are antibacterial by their very nature. When water and oil are emulsified with the use of a caustic substance, the result is saponification: soap and soap is alkaline. Bacteria thrive in an acid environment, but alkalinity is deadly to them.
The addition of further alkaline substances is unnecessary and only succeeds in selling soap because the average person is ignorant of the nature of soap. – Yours, etc,
JUDITH HOAD,
Inver,
Co Donegal.
