What's the best hand soap for your kitchen? We tested 11 popular brands and found the best antibacterial, moisturizing, natural and foaming options.
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As we move into cold and flu season, handwashing is more important than ever. It means that we’re going through soap more quickly and we’re thinking about the sorts of hand soap we will keep stocked at home. After all, if you’re going to be washing up, you may as well use the best hand soap.
But more often than not, hand soaps can leave our hands overly fragranced, chapped (that’s when we reach for these hand creams) or just not quite clean enough.
We scrubbed up over and over and over again to find the very best in soaps. We know that no one option is right for everyone, so we kept your needs in mind to find the best foaming, natural, antibacterial and moisturizing options.
If you’re looking to thoroughly sanitize your hands, you’ll want a soap with antibacterial power. In our tests, we found that Dial Complete was the best antibacterial hand soap.
This soap worked into a nice lather and easily washed away tough kitchen odors like onion and garlic after a good wash (about 30 seconds with warm water). And the germ-fighting properties are great for setting your mind at ease after handling meat or washing up after being out and about.
The Dial Spring Water scent was mild and refreshing. After washing up, hands looked and smelled clean—though the fragrance didn’t linger long so you can get right back into kitchen tasks.
These days we’re washing up more than ever, and that means we’re often left with dry, chapped hands. To keep dryness at bay while getting clean, you want the best moisturizing hand soap out there: Dove Nourishing Hand Wash.
A pump of this velvety soap leaves your hands feeling clean and soft thanks to five kinds of moisturizers, including almond oil. Wash after wash, our testers’ hands felt clean and moisturized. No chapping, no cracking; just supple, spotless hands.
You’ll find this moisturizing soap in a few scents, but the subtle coconut-almond milk variety was a Test Kitchen favorite.
If you prefer to fill your home with eco-friendly products, you’ll probably want a great natural hand soap to compliment your coterie of green gear. There are lots of options out there, but Native Hand Soap is our top pick.
Native rolled out their line of hand soap in July of 2025 and it was well worth the wait. It’s formulated with just 11 plant-based and naturally-derived ingredients. That means this wash is great for sensitive skin and is almost 100% natural. Native hand soap is also dye-free, cruelty-free, paraben-free and free of sulfates and Benzalkonium Chloride.
But how does it work? Well, this natural hand soap was definitely gentle on hands. It sudsed up nicely and didn’t leave our hands feeling dry after repeat washings. “I tried four scents and each one was very mild and fresh,” says staff writer Marisa Hillman.
Marisa also adds that while this soap isn’t marketed specifically for sensitive skin, it’s extremely gentle and non-irritating. “One of my children has sensitive skin and her hands, especially, tend to get very cracked and irritated with frequent washing,” she explains. “After spending so much time outside during the summer, we’ve done loads of hand washing and this soap hasn’t bothered her at all. Winter time will be the true test for us but I’m confident I’ve found our miracle soap.”
Enjoy the frothy feeling of foaming hand soap but don’t know which brand to snag? Our testers recommend Method Foaming Hand Wash.
This hand soap left hands feeling so fresh and so clean. Even after repeated washings, hands weren’t cracked or chapped. As for the fragrance, Method does a great job at subtle scents that don’t overpower. The gentle Sea Minerals scent is crisp and refreshing. Method also has plenty of other perfectly understated fragrances that are ideal for the kitchen like Waterfall and Lemon Mint.
One other bonus: The bottle for our best foaming hand soap pick is sleek and stable. It looks nice perched on the edge of any sink and blends in easily with your decor.
With your favorite hand soap at the ready, you can take a little refresher course on hand washing. Remember to use hot water, suds up liberally and get into all the nooks and crannies. 20 seconds is just right for scrubbing away germs.
To find the very best soaps, our Test Kitchen put a whopping 11 brands to the test over the course of several weeks.
Our testers scrubbed up after prepping recipes, working in the garden, cleaning the house and anytime they needed to freshen up. Testers took diligent notes for judging and kept these criteria in mind:
The best hand soap is gentle, hydrating and effective at removing dirt and germs. Look for formulas with moisturizing ingredients like aloe, glycerin, or shea butter.
Dial and Dove are among the most doctor-recommended hand soap brands for their gentle cleansing and skin-friendly formulas.
Luxury hand soaps from brands like Aesop, Byredo, and Le Labo are popular among the wealthy for their elegant packaging, fine fragrances and high-quality ingredients.
Dermatologists often recommend CeraVe, Vanicream and Dove Sensitive Skin because they’re fragrance-free, non-irritating and help maintain the skin’s natural moisture barrier.
At Taste of Home, we delight in sharing products that will make your life easier and healthier. And testing those products? That’s literally our job—and one we take very seriously! We thoroughly vet products through fair, accurate testing methodologies. Our team has combined decades of experience in all things house and home.
We also aren’t new to testing this product category. In addition to several hand soaps, our team has reviewed hand soap for home cooks as well as cleaning products and laundry detergents to keep your home fresh and clean.
