The packet says "mild antibacterial cleansing solution that kills germs and bacteria". I keep a handfull of these in my car and truck at all times. I use them when I need clean hands for a sack full of tacos at the drive-thru.


I also use them for intimate encounters at rest areas, bookstores and parks. You never know when you might get someone elses juices on your hands, be it dick juice or ass juice. So the question is: Do these things work? Would wiping my hands on my pants be just as effective? Can I pick my nose after having my finger up some truckers ass and still feel good about it?

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Dude, this is the funniest statement I've read in a long time! Gotta love it...

The answer is... probably, but use caution anyway.

My vehicle is pretty well stocked with just about anything I might need for any given situation. I also have antibacterial hand gels, a few moist towelettes, paper towels and napkins, road flares, a GPS unit, a camera, ALTOIDS at all times, CDs and audio books, an umbrella, car wash supplies, pen and notebook, some Skittles and/or Starburst, a snake bite kit, a toothbrush, mouthwash, rags, a bottle of alcohol, two gallon jugs of water -- and the list goes on. It is all, however, neatly packaged and organized. We don't need to tell anyone that I have two small teddy bears hidden in there, too...

Anyway, here's the thing. Most of these antibacterial products use simple ALCOHOL as their active ingredient (not all, but most). This will easily and effectively take care of the "standard" germies you'll come into contact with during daily life and various sexual encounters.

As I'm sure you already know, these antibacterial products aren't going to do a thing for some of the SERIOUS stuff that's out there, and they sure aren't going to offer protection against the vast majority of viruses. For the most part, you'd have already been infected with an STD before you could wipe off any skin surfaces anyway.

But I know your question is not about using these products for STD protection, just wanted to toss that in there for the kiddies out there.

Using the example you gave which I enjoyed so much, about nose picking after finger fucking... It all depends. Antibacterial wipes may not be sufficient to kill all the bacteria in hard to reach places, such as under fingernails. Generally, though: they'll help sanitize your hands just fine. Since mucous membranes in the nose are delicate, if you were to scratch them with your nails and allow for bacteria to enter... it might not be the best idea in the world to go digging for that annoying booger right after the hot trucker.

I once described a similar situation, with a dude who shoved my finger in his (unclean) ass. We're talking VISIBLE mess here. Even after having doused myself with SeaBreeze and antibacterial gel, AND washing my hands in a nearby restroom with soap and water, I STILL waited until I got home to wash again before touching my own face.

Generally, we are told that washing WELL with soap and water is all we need to do, but in situations where these are not available, antibacterial products come in handy.

My own nails are always extremely short, so they are easy to clean, but as long as we just use our common sense and wash up well after a messy encounter, we'd be fine (exceptions made to those who need to take extra precautions, those with weak immune systems, etc.).

Some products use triclosan (sp?) or another chemical as an active antibacterial agent. I am too lazy right now to look up the difference in effectiveness between these and alcohol, but I suspect the resulting boring bar graphs would be quite similar.

Perhaps Dr. Danny can answer that off the top of his head, but it's kind of obscure.

However, he may be able to answer this: would Hibiclens be the best possible product for killing bacteria in hard to reach places?

This shit is awesome and extremely powerful stuff -- surgeons and medical professionals use it clean their hands. I keep this in my shower for a kind of strange reason, which I'll discuss later if anyone wants to hear.

Only problem is that it requires water to rinse it off, so it can't really be used in out of the way places. Also, it is NOT a good idea to get use it above the neck or get it into any bodily opening, nor use on the genitals. "This is NOT a toy..."

It's also pretty expensive, but it does last a LONG time.

Bottom line, after all my blather: wash up well, using whatever methods are available to you at the time.

My own personal choice for cleaning up -- I douse my hands with pure alcohol, then wash with soap and water if available (only in messy situations, not on a daily basis).

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I recall reading a medical study that measured the bacteria levels after people washed their hands with soap and water.

They concluded that anti-bacterial soap was no better than plain old soap, but the key variable was how long and vigoursly you washed your hands.

Apparently, this is why surgeons are trained to do a very thorough washing. And even then, the study pointed out, bacteria often remains.

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That's true, I read a similar report.

But we're talking about antibacterial quick-wash waterless products here, which are still quite handy and effective in a pinch.

Surgeons also use antibacterial products, such as the Hibiclens I mentioned, but you're correct, of course: they wash for a long time and have to follow a standard procedure while doing so. They also use scrub brushes to exfoliate skin and get under their nails.

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I'm glad I could give you a little chuckle Scruff. Sounds like your vehicle is as well stocked as mine. I have almost everything you listed plus a saw, cordless drill, jumper cables and air compresser. The one thing you have that I don't is a snake bite kit. I didn't mention it when I responded to the "snake in the grass" thread a week or so ago but I was bitten by a snake about five years ago. A snake bite kit wouldn't have helped me then because I didn't know I'd been bitten until a doctor told me the next day when my arm was as red as a tomato and swollen.

Back to antibacterial soap, gels and such. I read somewhere that use of these products promotes super bacteria. The weakest are killed but the stronger ones live on to multiply or reproduce or whatever it is they do.

It's funny that the very places that need soap and water the most are the ones that often have nothing at all. ABS's, park restrooms etc.

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There's tons more shit in my vehicle, but I thought I should truncate the list. I do not have an air compressor, though! I'm jealous. I do have jumper cables. Cordless drill stays at home, though I've been thinking of taking it for a Sunday drive one of these days. Perhaps the ratcheting screwdriver would like to come along as well, make a day out of it.

The quick story on the snake bite kit is this: I picked it up years and years ago for sexual purposes. Though I'm not into all that nipple expansion and stuff, I was curious to see just how strong the little suction cups were, and if they provided any worthwhile sensation. Turns out the answer was "not so much." So when I first moved to Florida and encountered my first snake on the dunes at the beach, I thought it might be wise to carry it with me in case I ever needed it for its actual and intended purpose. I'm pretty sure I've read that there are more poisonous snakes in New York than in Florida, but since it is nice weather all year here, I suppose one's odds of running into a snake is increased as they are not hibernating much -- or at all.

OK, enough chit chat bullshit from me.

About those super-bacteria, etc....

Keep in mind that using antibacterial products from time to time isn't going to harm anyone or suddenly create a mutant colony of deadly bugs.

The concern is that the recent trend toward super-antiseptic lifestyles could lead to problems in the future, though we HAVE seen some examples that this might be an issue right now. Take the ABX-resistant staph we discussed a few months ago, for example. Not cool.

It's overkill when they start selling EVERYTHING with some sort of antibacterial property. Hell, even certain plastics now have antibacterial counterparts. Dish soaps, bar soaps, shampoos, floor cleaners, window cleaners -- it's freaking ridiculous. There's no need for these products: they are just a marketing ploy to be ignored... kind of like "Carb Solutions" and all that trendy bullshit.

Yet people buy into this stuff, figuratively and literally, becoming afraid of naturally occurring bacteria that have been on planet Earth far longer than we have.

Fact is, we NEED bacteria. Most bacteria are beneficial or harmless. We get along with them, they get along with us, though admittedly they don't make for the best companions at parties, often being rather poor conversationalists and having a tendency to hog all the spinach dip.

Superinfections in humans can and DO happen. If someone takes antibiotics for extended periods of time, or if they ignore the prescription instructions to finish the course of treatment, certain infections can actually get much worse and stop responding to ABX therapy.

But if just use common sense and listen to our doctors' advice, there's little cause for alarm.

On a large scale, there is some reason to be concerned about the over-use of antibacterial products: we can't stop everyone from going wild with this stuff. The best we can do is to do our own part and NOT abuse these products. Maybe also try to quell the fears of those who believe they might be better off living in a plastic bubble...

So just go about your life and do whatever. Use your hand gels and moist towelettes when situations call for them. A perfectly appropriate situation would be immediately following an encounter with some trucker's ass. And of course, having moist towelettes handy in case you ever run across an opportunity to partake in some good Southern BBQ won't hurt, either.

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well some good news: there are only about 4 kinds of venomous snakes in the us, they all like to avoid humans, and unlike the trouser snake, they don't generally like to be petted (or licked).

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