What is the best antimicrobial?

The best antimicrobial depends on what microbe you are targeting, where the infection is, and whether you need to kill microbes inside the body or on surfaces, as no single antimicrobial works best for everything. For bacterial infections inside the body, prescription antibiotics are the best and most proven antimicrobials, with broad-spectrum antibiotics like amoxicillin-clavulanate and ceftriaxone being highly effective for many common infections, while targeted antibiotics based on culture are best for resistant infections. For overall killing power on surfaces, bleach, sodium hypochlorite, is considered one of the best antimicrobials because it kills bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores quickly and is cheap, though it is too harsh for skin. For hand hygiene, 70 percent ethanol is one of the best antimicrobials, killing most bacteria and viruses rapidly. For natural options, Manuka honey is considered among the best natural antimicrobials due to FDA approval for wound care and activity against MRSA. For air, HEPA filtration combined with good ventilation is best for removing airborne microbes rather than killing them, as chemical antimicrobials in air can irritate lungs. The concept of best also includes safety and resistance, overuse of strong antimicrobials creates resistance, so best practice is to use the narrowest effective antimicrobial for the shortest needed duration, as determined by a doctor for internal infections, and to use physical methods like handwashing and air purification to reduce need for chemical antimicrobials.