Washing your hands or washing your hair are not everyday tasks that are likely to cause harm to your health. But a new study in mice by a team of researchers has found that long-term exposure to an antibacterial agent commonly found in hand soaps, shampoos and other personal care products - triclosan - can cause cancer and cirrhosis of the liver.

When shopping for soaps and body washes, you may have seen products labeled “antibacterial” and chosen them in the hope that they would keep your family safer. You may have thought that these products would reduce your risk of getting sick, spreading germs, or getting an infection. But do antibacterial soaps really provide such benefits?