How does soap make things clean?

Rub-a-dub-dub! You've probably been told a thousand times that it's important to wash your hands regularly with soap and water. So... how exactly does soap work??

The reason soap is able to make things clean is that the little particles which make up the soap stick to dirt and germs, but not to water! When you rub your dirty hands with soap, the soap latches on to the germs and dirt, and then the water washes them away together!

Many doctors and scientists say that hand washing is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of germs and illness, especially before or after activities like going to the bathroom, eating, playing outside, touching pets, and sneezing or coughing. Germs are too small for you to see, but that doesn't mean they're too small for you to wash away! Keep yourself healthy by washing often!!