Last year I found myself seated up front --I think I was on US Scareways-- next to a senior scientist from a soap manufacturer. We got to talking; and I asked her about what the deal was with antibacterial soaps.

She told me that because of convoluted FDA rules, any soap that contained certain compounds that were considered antibacterial were allowed to market and label their soap 'Antibacterial'. The problem is that in order for the compounds to actually be antibacterial, they need to be delivered in a certain manner.

So, just as soap fails to clean without the introduction of water, the antibacterial qualities of many soaps will not be activated without it being delivered mixed with air, as a foam.

For what it's worth, the only antibacterial soap she would personally vouch for was Dial Complete.