How soap kills coronavirus | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Monday
July 21, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Get the Paper
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
MONDAY, JULY 21, 2025
How soap kills coronavirus

Bangladesh

Md Mazharul Hasan Nur
19 March, 2020, 11:20 am
Last modified: 19 March, 2020, 01:50 pm

Related News

  • Elton John has COVID, postpones U.S. tour dates
  • Tushar Khan in ICU
  • Covid-19: Bangladesh rolls out booster dose in Dhaka
  • Omicron cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with local spread - WHO
  • Health costs during pandemic pushed over half a billion people into poverty

How soap kills coronavirus

Soap contains fat-like ingredients known as amphiphiles, some of which are structurally very close to the lipids in the virus membrane

Md Mazharul Hasan Nur
19 March, 2020, 11:20 am
Last modified: 19 March, 2020, 01:50 pm
Photo: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

During the current coronavirus pandemic, the most effective thing to do in order to keep yourself safe is frequently handwash using soap water. Naturally a question arises that if no drugs can kill this deadly virus then how the soap water can do that job.

Before continuing the discussion, let's get a brief on how the coronavirus spreads. When we cough, or specially sneeze, tiny droplets of water come out of our body and can fly for up to 10 metres. These droplets carry the viruses which then deposit on the surfaces of the objects around. The virus can survive on such surfaces for up to several days.  Then if we touch such surface, our hands get contaminated with the viruses and furthermore when we touch our eyes, nostrils or mouth with our hands, these organs get in touch with the virus.

Human skin is an ideal surface for a virus. As human skin is organic, the proteins and fatty acids in the dead cells on the skin surface link with the virus. This way our body gets infected. To curb the spread of the virus we need to either wash our hands with soap or sanitize our hands using alcohol-based solutions.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

According to the opinion of Pall Thordarson, a professor of chemistry at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, published in The Guardian, most viruses consist of three key building blocks: ribonucleic acid (RNA), proteins and lipids. A virus-infected cell makes lots of these building blocks, which then spontaneously self-assemble to form the virus. There are no strong covalent bonds holding these units together, which means strong chemicals are not necessarily needed to split those units apart. When an infected cell dies, all these new viruses escape and go on to infect other cells. Some end up also in the airways of lungs.

Washing the virus off with water alone might work. But water is not good at competing with the strong, glue-like interactions between the skin and the virus. Water is not enough to efficiently combat the virus.

Pall says, soapy water is completely different. Soap contains fat-like ingredients known as amphiphiles, some of which are structurally very close to the lipids in the virus membrane. The soap molecules compete with the lipids in the virus membrane. This is more or less how soap also removes normal dirt from the skin.

The soap not only loosens the "glue" between the virus and the skin but also the Velcro-like interactions that hold the proteins, lipids and RNA in the virus together. This way soap dissolves the fat membrane and the virus falls apart like a house of cards and dies. "Dies" means the virus becomes inactive.

The alcohol based solutions, best known as the disinfectants, can kill the virus in a similar manner. The most of the solutions contain 60 to 80% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol which is effective in killing the viruses. Between alcohol-based products and soap water, the soap water is more effective for only a little amount of soap water can do the work efficiently and it can kill most of the viruses as well as other germs from the hands. On the other hand, you need to dip viruses into alcohol for a significant amount of time to kill it. Also there is no guarantee that you can rub off all the viruses from every part of your hand using alcohol.

Nevertheless, do use alcohol based sanitizer if it is not possible to wash the hands with soap water as our ultimate goal is to stay germ free.

Md Mazharul Hasan Nur, a freelance blogger and a Mathematics Teacher at Mastermind English Medium School, Dhaka.

Coronavirus chronicle / Top News

soap / corona virus

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • TBS Illustration
    US tariff: Dhaka open to trade concessions but set to reject non-trade conditions
  • Representational image. Photo: TBS
    High US dependence may bring over 250 RMGs to edge as high tariff looms 
  • Photo: Collected
    BNP alleges arrests, harassment of innocent civilians in Gopalganj's Kotalipara

MOST VIEWED

  • Photo: Mohammad Minhaz Uddin
    Ctg port to deliver 16 more products via private depots to ease congestion
  • A roundtable titled ‘US Reciprocal Tariff: Which Way for Bangladesh?’, held at a hotel in Dhaka on 20 July 2025, organised by Prothom Alo. Photo: TBS
    Things don’t look good for Bangladesh: US brands warn exporters amid tariff hike
  • Infograph: TBS
    Liquidation of troubled NBFIs may cost govt Tk12,000cr in taxpayer money
  • File Photo: Debapriya Bhattacharya, head of the White Paper Committee, speaks at a press conference at the planning ministry in Dhaka on Monday, 2 December, 2024. Photo: Collected
    Govt’s NDA signing a first of its kind in Bangladesh’s history: Debapriya on US tariff talks
  • Infograph: TBS
    Dhaka to seek G2G coal import, investment in solar plants during CA’s visit to Jakarta
  • On behalf of the Bangladesh government, Director General of the Directorate General of Food Md Abul Hasanath Humayun Kabir signed the MoU, while Vice President of US Wheat Associates Joseph K Sowers signed on behalf of the United States. Photo: Courtesy
    Bangladesh signs MoU to import 7 lakh tonnes of wheat annually from US for 5 years

Related News

  • Elton John has COVID, postpones U.S. tour dates
  • Tushar Khan in ICU
  • Covid-19: Bangladesh rolls out booster dose in Dhaka
  • Omicron cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days in areas with local spread - WHO
  • Health costs during pandemic pushed over half a billion people into poverty

Features

Despite all the adversities, girls from the hill districts are consistently pushing the boundaries to earn repute and make the nation proud. Photos: TBS

Despite poor accommodation, Ghagra’s women footballers bring home laurels

6h | Panorama
Photos: Collected

Water-resistant footwear: A splash of style in every step

8h | Brands
Tottho Apas have been protesting in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka for months, with no headway in sight. Photo: Mehedi Hasan

From empowerment to exclusion: The crisis facing Bangladesh’s Tottho Apas

1d | Panorama
The main points of clashes were in Jatrabari, Uttara, Badda, and Mirpur. Violence was also reported in Mohammadpur. Photo: TBS

20 July 2024: At least 37 killed amid curfew; Key coordinator Nahid Islam detained

1d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Hasina government's close associates are giving up ownership of property in the UK

Hasina government's close associates are giving up ownership of property in the UK

4h | Others
Sculptor Hamiduzzaman Khan's death marks the end of a colorful life

Sculptor Hamiduzzaman Khan's death marks the end of a colorful life

5h | Others
News of The Day, 20 JULY 2025

News of The Day, 20 JULY 2025

5h | TBS News of the day
Are good relations being developed between political parties?

Are good relations being developed between political parties?

4h | TBS Stories
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net