Actually, washing your hands for too short a period is sometimes worse than not washing them. You expose the germs to the anti-bacterial agent in the soap, but not long enough for it to kill them. The result is germs with immunity to that agent.
Exactly, SOAP is anti-bacterial, one needs nothing more. All these hand sanitisers do nothing but breed resistance in bacteria to antibacterial agents. Bacteria have never been and never will be resistant to high concentrations of ionic surfactants (soap). Soap with additional
redundant and possibly dangerous anti-bacterial agents? Good waste of money.
Where do you find the largest numbers of resistant strains of bacteria? Hospitals. Where do you find the most "anti-bacterial" agents? In hospitals.
Note however that, I have soaked
pseudomonas ariginosa on steel in 95% ethanol for a week and they survived. Biofilm. Polysaccharide exudate of bateria that protects them (xanthan gum food additive is the same stuff - bacterial slime - tooth plaque is another). All these alcohol based sanitisers will have similar effectiveness on hands without using any soap or a good scrub.
Plain old soap and mechanical abrasion are the most effective antibacterial agents. Antiibiotics are a downward spiral.
You see we also have an immune system that protects us. (as well as a very agressive digestion process) The less our immune system is exposed to stuff the weaker it becomes. I have not had a bacterial infection (many bacterial colonies in us are beneficial) in many many years, yet I am not a fanatical hand washer, nor do I have the sanitation paranoia that has consumed our society.
Note, I am an analytical chemist and cleaner by trade. I know clean and I know when it matters.