The end of soap?

"Despite all our efforts, we haven't been able to change the behavior of people to wash their hands properly. So if we can't change the behavior, we change the water."

A new invention could completely eliminate the need for soap.
(Image credit: iStock)

Conventional wisdom says that if you want clean hands, you have to wash with soap and water. For best results, the water should be warm, and you should get a good sudsy lather worked up before rinsing.

The problem with this method is it doesn't always get rid of the germs. And it relies on the assumption that soap is available, which isn't always the case.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.