Infections by pathogenic bacteria have been threatening several fields as food industries, agriculture, textile industries and healthcare products. Layered double hydroxides materials (LDHs), also called anionic clays, could be utilized as efficient antibacterial materials due to their several interesting properties such as ease of synthesis, tunable chemical composition, biocompatibility and anion exchange capacity. Pristine LDHs as well as LDH-composites including antibacterial molecules and nanoparticles loaded-LDHs were proven to serve as efficient antibacterial agents against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. The achieved antibacterial effect was explained by the following mechanisms: (1) Direct contact between the materials and bacterial cells driven by electrostatic interactions between positively charged layers and negatively charged cell membranes, (2) Dissolution and gradual release over time of metallic ions or antibacterial molecules, (3) Generation of reactive oxygen species. Display omitted •LDHs antibacterial mechanisms are: direct contact, dissolution and ROS generation.•Direct contact is improved with surface charge, roughness and smaller particle size.•Release of antibacterial molecules depends on their type and intercalation method.•Release of metallic ions depends on molar ratio, stability and intercalated anion.•ROS generation needs a suitable irradiation source and more experimental evidences.