The present invention relates to a rinse-off antimicrobial cleansing composition comprising from about 0.1% to about 5.0%, by weight of the cleansing composition, of an antimicrobial active; from about 6% to about 16%, by weight of the cleansing composition, of an anionic surfactant, wherein at least about 67% of the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of Class A surfactants, Class C surfactants, and mixtures thereof, wherein the ratio of Class A surfactant to Class C is from about 100:0 to about 1.5:1; from about 2% to about 4%, by weight of the cleansing composition, of a proton donating agent having a Biological Activity Index, Z, of greater than about 0.75, wherein the proton donating agent is such that the composition is essentially free of C4-C20 alkyl fatty acid, and wherein from about 0.15% to about 2%, by weight of the cleansing composition, of the proton donating agent is salicylic acid; a mildness enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of from about 20% to about 70%, by weight of the anionic surfactant, of a mildness enhancing cosurfactant; from about 0.1% to about 1.0%, by weight of the cleansing composition, of a mildness enhancing polymer; and mixtures thereof, and from about 35% to about 95.75%, by weight of the cleansing composition, of water; wherein the composition is adjusted to a pH of greater than about 3 and less than about 6. The invention also encompasses methods for cleansing skin and providing residual effectiveness versus Gram negative bacteria using these products.