Is washing your hands without soap as useless as not washing your hands at all?

I saw a girl in the restroom washing her hands without soap and then just drying them. Is that better than not washing your hands at all? Obviously washing with soap is the best.Is washing your hands without soap as useless as not washing your hands at all?
Using just water helps too, it rinses off quite a bit of the dirt. Liquid soap works better but bars of soap are a terrible breeding ground for bacteria when shared with many people; it's very rare to see bars of soap in a public restroom now since this is well-known, but if you do happen to go somewhere where they have bars, use just water instead.Is washing your hands without soap as useless as not washing your hands at all?
You answered your own question when you added your last sentence. However, let me ask you; would you rather wash your hands without soap or not at all?
Water is the best solvent so it does help a lot without soap.





Soap is really good at killing germs. The soap molecule has two ends, one pointed and the other round. One side is water loving, hydrophilic and the other side hates water hydrophobic. The water vibrates the water loving side and the other sides sticks to the outside of the germ. Eventually tearing it to pieces. They cannot evolve against soap.
No, if you rub your hand together under the water, then your hands will be pretty clean. Some soaps only leave a residue that smells good and your hands are actually 'dirtier' than if you'd just used water.
I suspect there is not much difference


I always use soap and I hate it when it's over
Soap is important but when you wash hands with soap what really kills the bacteria is the friction you use when rubbing your hands together.
It has to be better than nothing, but soap is the way to go.
Well, washing with just hot water gets rid of physical contaminats, such as solid poo and food gunk on your hands. But to really get them clean you need an antibactieral soap and hot water (as hot as you can stand).





Also you should wash your hands while singing the ';Birthday Song';. At least thats what I learned in my Food Safety Class.
Soap breaks up the oils that bond dirt to your hands. Water and thorough rubbing IS better than nothing.
No
While washing with soap is certainly better, not using soap, but still wetting the hands is better than nothing at all. I base this on the fact that water tends to dilute things. Just like some people rub there hands against a paper towel to wipe off there hands, water can tend to wipe away some germs.





Also, now more and more we hear of super germs, which are being created by the overuse of antibacterial soaps, so who knows, maybe she will be less susceptible.
No, it's better than not washing at all.
well , you got alot of conflicting answers on this one, now is the truth, washing your hands without soap, is better then nothing, soap will kill 99% more germs and you will be cleaner, but even still, the water will wash off alot of germs by itself.answer is they both work, but one is better then the other
i definetely agree with you that the best way to wash your hands is with a soap.. but incase you dont have it, try to have a sanitizer or alcohol...
I have to agree with you. Everyone should wash their hands with soap. I've read that you should use soap and lather it on your hand until you finish singing 'happy birthday' song. Some people don't even wash their hands. How nasty! =)
she might as well have not washed them at all. Water doesn't do anything.


The way soap worls is the germs get caught in the lather/bubbles and slide off. they don't slide off with water.
its better than nothing, but will not kill the bacteria... so almost useless.
yep!!! u should wash your hands with soap every time or use hand sanitizer like purell it kills 99.99% of germs but is useless when u have dirt on them.
why you need japanese to teach you to wash your Axxxe?
Well, it is certainly less helpful, but bacteria, germs, and wayward pee do get washed off with just water.
Water is better than nothing. :)
atleast soap kills bacteria!