UCHealth Expert Says Soap Beats Hand Sanitizer for Killing Viruses

Steamboat Springs —Does hand sanitizer really kill viruses as effectively as soap?

It’s a question many locals ask, especially given the convenience of the small bottles tucked into car visors and gym bags. The short answer, according to Dr. Daniel Pastula, a UCHealth neuro-infectious disease expert, is no. While alcohol-based sanitizers are useful, they lack a specific physical mechanism that soap provides.

Pastula, who practices at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, explains that the difference comes down to basic chemistry. Soap molecules have two distinct parts: a hydrophilic head that mixes with water, and a hydrophobic tail that binds to oils and fats. This dual nature allows soap to disrupt the "sticky bond" between pathogens and your skin.

“Soap disrupts the sticky bond between pathogens and your skin, allowing the pathogens to slide right off,” Pastula said. “Not only are you neutralizing the virus with the soap, but you’re also physically knocking it off your hands. Hand sanitizer doesn’t do all of that.”

The math holds up, even if the process feels tedious. Public health experts recommend washing for at least 20 seconds. It’s not about scrubbing until your hands are raw; it’s about giving the soap time to break down the lipid envelopes of many viruses and lift them away with the water.

That depends on who you ask regarding the best type of soap, but Pastula is clear: it doesn’t matter.

“It can be fancy mall soap. It can be a 50-cent generic unscented soap. It doesn’t need to be antibacterial soap. All soaps work the same,” he said.

This is a relief for folks on a budget. You don’t need to buy the premium, scented bars marketed specifically for hygiene. The standard, inexpensive soap found in any grocery store is sufficient. The active ingredient isn’t a special additive; it’s the structure of the soap molecule itself.

Even healthcare providers, who rely heavily on sanitizer for speed, recognize the limitation. Pastula admits that while he uses sanitizer multiple times a day between patients, he makes a point to head to a sink whenever possible.

“It’s just better,” Pastula said. “If I have the option, I use soap and water. I use hand sanitizer as a backup.”

The distinction matters for daily life. If you’re at a restaurant, a clinic, or a public building, look for the sink. The sanitizer dispenser is there for when the sink is out of reach, not as a permanent replacement. Understanding the mechanical advantage of soap helps explain why the simple act of lathering and rinsing remains the gold standard for removing germs.

To hear them tell it, the effort is worth it. As Pastula puts it, the goal is to ensure the pathogens are gone, not just neutralized.

“I use hand sanitizer as a backup,” he concluded.