How does stainless steel soap work? I have read the detailed explanation on Wikipedia, but their desciption seems skeptical on the actual chemical process that may take place from using such an item. Is there an actual scientific explanation to how stainless steel soap is able to clean your hands, when it is only a piece of metal?
Many metals have germicidal qualities. Silver is the strongest germicide of the metals, but a sterling silver bar of soap would be expensive and it would tarnish. The tarnish would actually not affect the silver's ability to kill bacteria, but it would look bad and the tarnish would turn your hands black, so people wouldn't want to use it. Many people even take silver internally in the form of Colloidal Silver, but Colloidal Silver is very controversial. Yes, it kills many bacteria, but it can also cause a person's skin to permanently turn blue...a condition called Argyria. Brass actually is a better germicide than stainless steel...but again this is a cosmetic problem. Brass tarnishes, so people wouldn't want to use it. Stainless steel is actually a very weak germicide, but even steel has some ability to kill germs. Stainless steel also removes fish odor. My son has a stainless steel bar that he takes along when he fishes to remove the fish smell from his hands. There's nothing magical about the bar...a stainless steel spatula would would just as well, but the bar is more convenient to carry. I'm not sure if this is scientific enough or not. -
