When Was Antibacterial Soap Invented

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It may surprise you to find out that antibacterial soap was invented according to all records in 1984. It could be easily assumed that this type of soap has been around a lot longer than three decades due to its easy integration into each person’s daily lifestyle. Soap in itself has been around longer; however antibacterial soap is actually the combination of any soap product with added antimicrobial ingredients to kill off bacteria.

There were two gentlemen that patented the recipe for Antibacterial Soap; David Poshi and Peter Divone whom filed their patent in December of 1984. There is some evidence that while Mr. Poshi and Mr. Divone did file a patent for the first antibacterial soap it was technically not the first antibacterial soap.

Dial Corporation

Mr. Poshi and Mr. Divone are credited with creating the first modern day antibacterial soap by adding a chemical to the soap called Triclosan which is an antibacterial but Dial bar soap for many years before was also sold as an “antibacterial” although the term “antibacterial” was not used in advertising.

The Dial corporation introduced their bar soap in the late 1940’s which was advertised as a way to get your body super clean because it killed odor causing germs on your skin. They were one of the most successful bar soap options for 25 years.

The Dial bar soap contained a chemical called “Hexachlorophene” which was never actually established as a germ killing agent but it was established that it can cause brain damage in infants so in the 1970’s Dial was ordered to stop using this chemical in their bar soap and it was relegated to strictly being used in the hospital environments for sterilization and cleaning. Since the discontinuation of the Hexachlorophene in the Dial bar soap it has been proven to be in fact a very powerful antibacterial agent.

Modern Day Antibacterial Soap

Mr. Poshi and Mr. Divone spent long hours testing the effects of Triclosan on various familiar bacteria that is found on the skin before their patent was approved. Oddly enough Dial Corporation was one of the first companies to use the new patent in their soap products and re-introduce the idea of a soap that would kill germs on contact.

Today it is difficult to find soap that does not make the claim of being an antibacterial soap. Most brands offer at least one line of antibacterial products.

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