Does antibacterial items lose their potency after time has passed, or if tops aren't put back on containers?

Question

Does air or time effect the potency of antibacterial agents in products?

Answer 1

Yes, please disregard the earlier person. Any chemical, antibiotic or antibacterial topical agents degrade with time and exposure to air. They can become less effective. If you have an ointment, that has an antibiotic, the carrier ointment may need to stay moist in order to preserve the effectiveness of the agent. if you leave the top off and it drys out, then that may decrease it's potency.
Antibacterial resistance comes from overuse of antibiotics (like when people want them for the common cold, which is a virus), or from failing to take the completed regimen of antibiotics as prescribed (you stop taking the pills when you feel better, as opposed for the full 7 or 10 days it was prescribed). Soap and water is as effective in killing germs as antibacterial soaps and gels. So you are better off washing your hands often, esp before eating or touching your eyes or nose or any other mucous membrane.
Oxygen, in particular, is a very active molecule, and binds easily with many molecules.

Answer 2

No that is the main problem with anti-bacterial chemicals, is they do not break down or they biodegrade very slowly. This is why there is an increase in resistance from Bactria to these products and antibiotics. Remember anti-bacterial item do nothing more for fighting germs then just washing your hands. The N.I.H. standard for hand washing is (rub, time, temp) no soap. That is rub your hands together for a period of 20 seconds under water that is 105 - 110 degrees.