# Can you catch a virus from a bar of soap?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-catch-a-virus-from-a-bar-of-soap/461869>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 3, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-catch-a-virus-from-a-bar-of-soap/461869 "2008-09-03T14:22:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-catch-a-virus-from-a-bar-of-soap/461869/1 "2008-09-03T14:22:40Z")

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I expect that bars of soap might be hostile environments for viruses, but what do I know. Does the act of washing and rinsing your hands remove any viruses that might have been on them? Surely you can’t get rid of them all. When I thought of this question this morning in the shower, I was specifically thinking about herpes.

Thanks for your help,  
Rob