Traditional soap is a surfactant and works in exactly the same way that the surfactants do in our Caring Hand Wash – by breaking down lipids including those surrounding enveloped viruses. When combined with the correct hand washing technique, it helps to remove pathogens from your skin. It’s important to note that soap doesn’t just mean traditional bar soap but surfactants as a whole, including hand wash, shower gel, shampoo and washing-up liquid – as they all work in exactly the same way. You may find these articles from Queen's University Belfast and the New York Times interesting in how surfactants work on viruses.