The restroom is one of the most germ-ridden places you can find in a building. It is where traffic flows in and out of all day, especially if it’s the only one. So much traffic in such a small space means more germs collect as the day goes on, until the next cleaning cycle. You may think: I can wash my hands. But it may be impossible to get your hands thoroughly cleaned because the faucets have germs all over them. There are so many obstacles after washing your hands by the time you leave the bathroom–it’s like you didn’t wash them at all. Touchless restrooms can fix the unknown of the germ-infested restroom.
Many surfaces collect germs from the touch of each individual: toilet seat, toilet handle, faucet, air dryer handle, paper towel dispenser, floor, door, light switches, and more. Why not minimize all touching in a place that is full of germs? With the increasing knowledge of technology, some companies have adopted a “touchless” approach in the bathroom. Doing this means no more touching the soap dispenser and turning the faucet on, only to wash your hands and dirty them up again by turning it off. If your company is struggling to decide whether or not to go “touchless”: this blog will give you some reasons why you should.
Fighting Germs
With so many surfaces to touch in the bathroom, the buildup of germs is inevitable. The more exposure each individual has to germs/bacteria increases the chance of them getting sick. Employee safety should be at the top of the checklist of the decision-maker at any company. Defeating the purpose to touch these surfaces leaves the bathroom a lot cleaner and less contaminated by germs.
Bathrooms can have touchless flushing, a touchless soap dispenser, sink, and paper towel dispenser. They can even have a touchless door opening by installing a foot handle, so individuals don’t have to use their clean hands to exit the room. Eliminating these touchpoints can create a healthier restroom experience for everyone who enters.
Easy to Use and Efficient
Ease of use is essential because individuals don’t want to spend more time in a public restroom than necessary. Fewer touchpoints speed up the process and create a more smooth-running system in the bathroom. A touchless bathroom requires minimal effort. All you have to do it get near the device, and it will do the work for you. Creating an efficient process in the bathroom will show your employees that you care about their health and wellbeing.
Environmentally Friendly
Touchless restrooms decrease the amount of waste in the workplace. They run off of sensors that can detect when a person needs soap, paper towels, hand drying, water, flushing, etc. Turning on only for these tasks and turning off right after, touchless dispensers save resources that people would otherwise waste.
By controlling the number of paper towels, soap coming out of the dispenser, and water used, touchless dispensers reduce waste significantly. Without these, people could grab endless amounts of paper towels, leave the water running or dispense way too much soap. Doing this contributes to some of the most wasted products in the workplace. Less waste creates a space that is much more environmentally friendly.
Cost Savings
While a touchless restroom is helping the environment, it is also helping the pockets of any company. Waste reduction naturally compliments cost savings within a business. With the controlled use of resources in the bathroom comes savings over time. Maintenance required is also reduced when you opt for a touchless restroom. Minimizing the handles and dispensers that often experience rough use decreases the demand for attention by a maintenance professional, therefore reducing maintenance costs.
Convenient
Touchless sensors are convenient for everyone. They provide ease of use to employees during their busy workdays and make the process run smoothly for any customers using the restroom. The easier the dispensers are to use in the bathroom, the more likely it is that individuals will participate in proper handwashing. Handwashing in the bathroom is necessary to avoid the spread of germs further into other areas of the workplace. Properly washing hands can avoid spreading germs to your desk and computer, breakroom, copy room, etc.
Adopting a “touchless” approach may seem like a lot of work. Many companies stick with the old fashion dispensers and faucets because they don’t want to commit to changing something that’s worked for so long. With all of the benefits and increasing rate of technological change, there’s no reason not to go touchless in your restrooms.