The 10 Best Hand Soaps of 2024

Your hygiene is the most important thing you can think of when you wake up in the morning. Therefore, you should not take it for granted whatsoever! This is a basic necessity to eliminate all germs and stay free of diseases.

To achieve this feat, you need the best hand soaps that money can buy. Whether you want to settle for a simple, budget-friendly soap or splurge on a flashy-looking bottle, there are numerous options out there at your disposal.

But choosing the right-hand soap among dozens of brands on the market can be a daunting task. And if you are not careful, you may end up spending your money on substandard products that you may come across from unscrupulous vendors on the streets.

With the right knowledge and first-hand information about different types of hand soaps, you will not go wrong when shopping for these hygienic products. That is the reason we are here to guide you accordingly. Learn more about the best hand soaps of 2020 in the buying guide below.

Best Overall: Mrs. Meyer’s-Liquid Hand Soap Refill

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Mrs. Meyer’s Liquid Hand Soap is a must-have hand washing detergent for everyone in your family. With its 98 percent plant-based ingredients, this soap provides you with a natural cleansing that is far better than artificial chemicals.

The gentle formula used in making this soap is something to behold. The formula allows you to experience a multitude of cleaning your hands and clothing as well. This means that you can use this hand soap to clean your delicate clothing items besides washing your hands.

Since the formulation of this soap is not meant for moisturizing, you can rest assured that it will remain safe on your body all day long. Sadly, you should not use it if you know you have dry skin.

Nevertheless, this hand soap is made with less than 40 percent plastic and is free of triclosan, phthalates, parabens and artificial colors. In other words, Mrs. Meyer’s Liquid Hand Soap is environmentally-friendly in addition to being an effective hand soap for your hands.

Best Value: Aesop Hand Soap

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If you are looking for a uniquely scented hand soap, look no further than the Aesop Hand Soap. This product is created by infusing different ingredients to give you the best handwashing results. With the infused fresh citrus and earthy woody fragrance, this soap leaves your hands thoroughly clean, invigorated, supple and sleek.

When it comes to exfoliation, you don’t need to look elsewhere if you have this hand soap within reach. That is the reason it contains Pumice in its milled form to gently exfoliate your hands and other parts of your body.

As if that is not enough, this product boasts of blending Bergamot Rind and Petitgrain to promote purification action after cleaning your hands.

Most importantly, this soap uses high-quality ingredients that deliver desired results within a short time of using it. At least, you can be sure of getting value for your money as soon as you start washing your hands with Aesop Hand Soap.

Best Pick: Bath & Body Works Hand Soap

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Here comes Bath & Body Hand Soap with all the best ingredients not found in any other soap. This hand soap combines your favorite set of five foaming soaps for you to choose what you like the most. Each soap comes in a bottle of 8.75 ounces to take care of all your personal hand washing at home.

As a buyer, Bath & Body Works Hand Soap allows you to settle for five foaming hand soaps to wash your hands well. These include the Kitchen Lemon, Peach Bellini, Eucalyptus Mint, French Lavender and Cherry Merlot.

Each of the five foaming hand soaps combines the softening Shea Extract and Aloe Vera with nourishing Vitamin E to deliver a rich lather that washes away all dirt and germs. This leaves your hands feeling fresh, soft and supple throughout the day.

Best mild: Mrs. Meyer’s Clean-Day Liquid Hand Soap (Six Pack)

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Here is another product from Mrs.Meyer’s brand of hand soaps. This item comes in a six-pack combination of different scents to suit your different hand washing needs.

Speaking of scents, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean-Day Liquid Hand Soap comprises Rosemary hand soap, Basil hand soap, Geranium hand soap, Honeysuckle hand soap, Lavender hand soap and Lemon Verbena hand soap.

Each one of these combinations is made up of superior ingredients that make your hands softer, cleaner and more supple than before. That is why these hand soaps contain a well-designed recipe of olive oil, aloe vera gel and a blend of essential oils. All these ingredients are included in the making of these products to deliver the best results in a timeless manner.

Best environmental protection: Method Foaming Hand Soap (Six Pack)

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The Method Foaming Hand Soap contains up to six packs with ten different fragrances. This foaming hand soap is made to make your hands not only clean but soft, supple and moist all the time. Besides, each one of the fragrances in this product is carefully selected to leave you sublimely scented.

Given that it is a naturally derived foaming hand-wash, it does not cause any skin irritation or other complications. This explains why it is considered triclosan-free, fluoride-free, formaldehyde donor free and petroleum-free. On top of that, it is biodegradable, meaning that it is 100percent recyclable (plastic bottle).

Best mold removal: Dial®️ Gold Antimicrobial Hand Soap

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The Dial®️ Gold Antimicrobial Hand Soap gives you a reason to smile as you clean your hands. As a matter of fact, this hand soap plays a significant role in eliminating unwanted dirt, bacteria, and residue from your hands.

To be specific, the product is effective against mold, yeast, gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. This way, you are pretty sure that your hands are free of dangerous pathogens.

Also, this hand soap is designed to take good care of your skin. That is the reason it contains several skin conditioners for your mild skin.

In other words, you will not get worried about skin irritation when using this product to clean your hands. Finally, this hand soap uses recyclable packaging, making it one of the few hand soap products that are biodegradable.

Best Foaming Soap: Dial Antibacterial Hand Soap

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Dial Antibacterial Hand Soap was designed for you and your entire family. This is because this hand soap contains a formula that is gentle to your skin but tough to germs. In fact, this soap can eliminate 99.99 percent of germs including bacteria from your hands.

In addition, the product boasts of a multi-pack which includes the most popular and effective Dial Complete foaming soap with a pleasant scent. The scent comes in two categories; fresh pear scent and spring water scent. This gives you an option to choose either of the two to keep your hands well scented throughout.

Best for Sensitivities: Everyone Hand Soap

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Everyone Hand Soap soap is a product made to serve everyone; your family members and friends including yourself. This is attributed to the way it blends different ingredients to deliver only the best results.

The product consists of a creamy coconut that blends with pure and fresh lemon scent to keep your skin smooth and soft. It also contains pure essential oil to nourish your skin, leaving you comfortable and confident about yourself.

Collectively, these ingredients make this product your ideal choice of a shampoo, a body washes and for a better option for a bubble bath.

With this hand soap, you are sure of the safety of your skin. This is because all ingredients used have been EWG verified to ensure that they don’t trigger allergies or cause other skin complications.

Best Moisturizing: Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap ( pack of six)

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Softsoap liquid hand soap comes in a pack of six to provide you with six different scents. Each scent is carefully selected to suit almost everyone’s needs. This pack of six scents helps you to save some cash for other uses.

Given that the soap has a hydrating formula, you can trust that it will take good care of your hands and for a very long time. Besides, this formula includes antibacterial properties to eliminate bacteria and other harmful germs from your hands.

Also, this hand soap has a rich lathering foam to make your hand not only soft but supple as well. To make it more effective in cleaning, this product includes a light and fresh scent to give you an enjoyable classic fragrance.

This leaves your hands smelling nice long after washing them. Most significantly, the soap is dermatologically tested and proven to be gentle on your hands.

Best Budget: Simplehuman Lavender Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap

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Simplehuman Lavender Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap brings you only the best in terms of cleanliness, scent, and gentleness on your skin.

Having said that, this hand soap comes in a pack of six different scents to choose from. For instance, the lavender scent provides you with an alluring aroma that combines fresh herbs and rosewood. The same is true with other scents under this brand of hand soaps.

The consistency for this soap’s sensor pumps provides a perfect flow that prevents drips and clogs. This means that you can only get the correct amount of hand soap quickly and consistently.

With its simple, sensible and cleaning ability, this hand soap is just right for your hands and skin in general. This is because it is made of sensible ingredients with a new formula that is biodegradable and hypoallergenic. In addition, the whole product contains no traces of parabens or DEAs.

Needless to say, this hand soap is sulfate-free, making it gentler to your hands and tougher to germs. You can refill and reuse it to save your money and protect the environment. With Simplehuman Lavender Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap, you should expect only the best out of it.

The Best Hand Soaps of 2020 Buyer’s Guide

There are several factors to consider when purchasing your ideal hand soap. Without these factors, you are likely to settle on a substandard product. Such a product may turn out to be harmful let alone costing you money and time to buy it.

Since you don’t want to commit such a terrible mistake, read on to find the topmost factors to consider when looking for the best hand soap.

• The Type of Ingredients Used

It is advisable to buy a product that uses 100 percent natural ingredients. Hand soaps made from all-natural ingredients are known to be hypoallergenic, meaning that they are safe for different types of skins.

Apart from that, these products don’t have unpleasant scents that might upset some users. But the most important thing about them is their ability to remove dirt and eliminate bacteria.

• The Scent of Each Brand

  Hand soaps come in different colors, quantities, and scents. This is attributed to different ingredients used in making them. Therefore, ensure that you settle for the hand soap with the scent that you like the most.

  These scents include the lavender, vanilla, citrus, water spring, mandarin orange and so on. If you feel that these scents don’t work for you, you can choose the liquid hand soap with a neutral scent that is not overpowering.

  Regardless of your choice, make that the scent does not stay unusually longer on your hands to interfere with the natural smell of anything you touch.

• Packs or Single

  You can choose liquid hand soaps that are in packs or settle for those that are single. If you have a big family, then you can choose packs. If not, then a single type of hand soap will be quite perfect for you.

  The main reason for buying these products in packs is to take care of everyone’s needs within your family. Additionally, packs are more affordable than buying singles. Anyway, the choice of these products depends on you as a person and your skin type.

• Active Ingredients

  Before placing your order for the hand soap, you should consider the type of ingredients used in making them. Some manufacturers claim that their products consist of only natural ingredients but that is not true.

  Certain hand wash products contain harmful chemicals or substances that can trigger skin reactions and side effects if used over an extended period. To avoid such cases, consider buying your hand wash products from a trusted brand or reputable manufacturers who only use organic ingredients.

• Ability to Moisturize the Skin

  The main reason for using hand soap is to keep your hand clean and free of bacteria. But you may consider buying a product that will nourish your skin and moisturize it after cleaning your hands.

  Lucky for you, most hand wash products come with moisturizing properties that keep hands soft and smooth throughout. In this case, take your time to check different brands so you may find the one that has the best moisturizing ingredients for your skin.

• Consider Going Green

  Going green is not only easy but also an inexpensive way of keeping the environment safe. This is due to the fact that every hand soap will just go down the drain when cleaning your hands.

  Eventually, the contents of these hand soaps will find their way into the soil and plants. For that reason, choose a hand wash product that is biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

• Choose Larger Refills

  Settle for hand soaps that have larger refills to help save time and money in the future. Such products will lower down the risks of your dispenser getting running dry. At the same time, they will lower the maintenance costs of the same dispensers not mention cutting down on waste.

• Go for Recyclable Packaging

  Most institutions and households are embracing the idea of recycling programs to save money and protect the environment. As such, this should be treated as a logical rule for everyone.

  Choosing a hand wash product that is designed using recyclable materials will help in waste management. So, avoid buying hand soaps that come in none recyclable bags.

How to Make Your Own Foaming Hand Soap

Foaming and liquid soaps are more hygienic and easy to use than the ordinary bar soaps. These handwashing products keep away bacteria as well as preventing skin infections.

Most of these hand wash products are sold in bottles which are somehow costly and a threat to the environment.

This calls for an alternative solution to keeping your hands clean and safe. And the best way to do so is by making your own hand soap. At least, you will save some money and time. So, how do you go about this?

1. Recycle or Purchase a Bottle (Empty) with a Dispenser Pump

You can get empty bottles from supermarkets at affordable rates if you have to. Or, you can become an environmental conservationist by recycling old bottles with dispensers rather than buying new ones from the stores.

Choose a bottle that is still in good working conditions. Keep in mind that you are going to use the same bottle for a longer period.

Test a few bottles to make sure that their pumps are working perfectly. Consider taking a sturdy bottle that can withstand falls on the floor.

2. Buy the Best Bottle for the Gel Refill

Sometimes washing hands can damage your skin. This is the case especially if you are suffering from irritation, hand dryness, itching, and cracks.

To avoid such skin problems, look for a scent-free or hypoallergenic hand soap. And this is what are you are supposed to do:

• Look at the label to know the type of ingredients used in making that particular product. The most common allergic reactions are triggered by ingredients such as iodophors, iodine, chloroxylenol, chlorhexidine, alcohol, and triclosan.
• Look for a hand soap that has a moisturizer to protect your hands.

3. Mix the Ingredients

Put clean water into the empty hand soap bottle up to one-third full. Add the gel hand soap refill up to another one-third of the space left previously by water. Shake gently to mix the water and soap gel to form a soapy liquid. Tighten the dispenser pump onto the soap bottle before carrying out the following:

• Start by adding water first to prevent the soap from foaming up.
• Don’t fill the bottle to more than two-thirds of its volume to avoid overflowing.
• In case the dispenser pump isn’t working as required, apply some petroleum jelly on the stem to make it move freely.
• Make sure to dilute the mixture so it flows freely.

Hand-Washing

Hand washing is a very significant step when it comes to preventing infections. This is a habit that you should adopt throughput if you want to stay clean and free of germs.

More often than not, your hands get germs and bacteria when you touch people, objects or surfaces. These bacteria can pass into your body system through the nose, eyes, and mouth. Therefore, washing your hands regularly is a better way of keeping them at bay.

Wash Your hands Before Doing the Following:

1. Before touching and preparing food
2. Looking after the sick
3. Giving medicine to the sick
4. Handling your eye contact lenses

Wash Your hands After Doing the Following:

1. Handling food
2. After visiting the washroom
3. Changing your baby’s diaper
4. Touching animals
5. Handling toys
6. Sneezing and blowing your nose
7. After treating the sick and the wounded
8. Handling garbage
9. Shaking hands with different people
10. After coming home from outside

Better still, clean your hands if they look dirty or whenever you feel they are dirty to avoid contamination

The Best Way to Keep Your Hands Clean:

1. Water your hands using hot or cold water
2. Apply bar or liquid soap to the hands
3. Foam well and wash them thoroughly to remove all types of dirt
4. Rub and scrub your hands for about 20 seconds
5. Then scrub the backside of your hand and face as well
6. Rub between your fingers, wrists, and fingernails
7. Then wash your hands well to get rid of all the dirt

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is cleaning your hands with soap better than using water?
A: Absolutely yes! Soap is more effective in removing dirt and germs from your hands than just washing them with water.

Q: What is the best time to wash your hands?
A: You are supposed to wash your hands frequently and at any time especially after visiting the washroom, changing your baby’s diaper, when preparing food and so on. According to the CDC, you must wash your hands immediately after touching pet food, blowing your nose, sneezing, coughing or touching garbage.

Q: What is the right way to clean your hands?
A: You should use the recommended hand soap and running water. Start by wetting your hands, followed by applying soap on them, scrubbing them well for about 20 seconds and rinsing them with clean water. Then dry your hands using a clean piece of cloth or towel.

Q: Which is the right water temperature that I should use to clean my hands?
A: Warm water is recommended for washing hands every time they get dirty.

Q: Do you think hand sanitizers are more effective when washing your hands than using soap?
A: Hand sanitizers are used when there is no access to water and hand soap. But washing your hands with soap is always the best option because hand sanitizers are not able to remove dirt.

Q: Bar soap versus liquid hand soap, which one is better?
A: This is one of the common questions regarding bar soaps and liquid hand soaps. The answer to the question revolves around numerous debates about the two handwashing products in a bid to find out which one of the two is better than the other.

But studies point at bar soaps as containing harmful or dangerous microbes compared to liquid hand soaps. That is the main reason why the CDC recommends the use of liquid hand soap because it reduces the risks of spreading bacteria or germs.

But some people think that both types of soap are effective in cleaning hands. Unfortunately, the CDC disapproves the use of bar soap while emphasizing on washing hands using the liquid hand soaps.

Q: Can I shower using hand soap?
A: This is a very important question especially to those using the liquid hand soap for the first time. If you are one of them, then you should know that you can use this hand wash product to clean the rest of your body while in the shower.

However, it is recommended that you use a shower gel instead of turning to liquid hand soap. The shower gel contains the right ingredients that work best for the other parts of the body besides the hands.

Q: Can I apply my hand soap to the broken skin?
A: This is another question that needs a lengthy explanation regarding the use of hand soaps on broken skins or wounds. The truth of the matter is that you can use your hand soap to wash the broken skin or wounds for two most important reasons.

First, most hand soap brands have antibacterial properties that help get rid of germs and bacteria. So, when you apply your hand soap to broken skin, it will help kill all germs, leaving the wound at no risk of becoming septic.

Secondly, the hand soap is capable of cleaning or removing all dirt from the wounded area. With this information at the back of your mind, you can possibly apply hand soap to the broken skin to help it heal fast.

Q: Can I use this refill hand soap in place of dish soap?
A: Remember, this is just a hand soap and is only made to keep the hands and other areas on the body clean. It wouldn’t work as good as dish soap when cleaning your utensils.

Q: Will the liquid hand soap work with foot-brush (the type you normally stand on while in the shower?
A: The answer is no!. The liquid hand soap is not designed for your feet although you may use it in the shower.

Q: Can I use the liquid hand soap to wash my underwear?
A: Absolutely yes! The liquid hand wash, regardless of the brand, can be used to wash underwear. This hand wash product has numerous ingredients that make it mild to your skin but effective in eliminating bacteria and other germs.

Conclusion

Even though there are hundreds of hand soaps on the market today, none can match our top selection. These products come with all necessary ingredients not only to protect your hands from germs but to make you feel comfortable long after use.

Each brand is carefully manufactured to work best on different types of skins without causing allergies or discomfort to the user. This means your safety cannot be compromised every time you wash your hands using any of the above-mentioned hand wash soaps.

With that in mind, it is time to take your hygiene to the next level by keeping your hands clean throughout using our top ten hand wash soaps of 2020.