Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Five Reasons To Go "Touchless" In Your Restroom

  • By Neal Duffy
  • 07/01/14

If there were a magic bathroom experience utopia, users wouldn’t need to touch a single surface — which isn’t as unattainable as it seems.

The concept of touchless has been around for more than 10 years. Touchless not only limits users from coming in direct contact with germs, but reduces time spent on refills and maintenance — all while saving money. Here’s a breakdown of some of the benefits:

Prevent the spread of bacteria
Viruses and bacteria such as staphylococcus, E. coli, hepatitis A, the flu and the common cold lurk on bathroom surfaces like doorknobs, countertops, soap pumps and toilet seats. Offering touch-free alternatives helps keep users healthy.

Waste reduction
Touchless controls the amount of product used, which reduces waste. An automated towel dispenser, for example, delivers a specific amount of paper, reducing waste and time on refilling.

Efficiency
People don’t want to spend more time in a public bathroom than they have to. Touchless systems create a smooth-running bathroom by delivering the right amount of product without direct contact.

Cost reduction
Touchless helps save money. By limiting the amount of product used, you spend less time on refilling and less money ordering new product. Facility managers can manage spend, and maintenance staff will spend less time cleaning and refilling, saving money.

Convenience drives compliance
When people encounter soiled, bulk-fill soap dispensers or non-automated fixtures, they may not wash their hands. Providing a sealed, sanitary and touchless solution encourages them to do so. This better accomplishes your goals and will reduce absenteeism.

Automated towel, soap, sanitizer dispensers, as well as touch-free fixtures such as automatic flushers and sinks can help. These will reduce touch points in the most germ-filled parts of a restroom. For facilities that have not gone touchless yet or are only partway there, consider why the upgrade warrants the investment.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Neal Duffy, senior manager, Facility Solutions, Staples Advantage (www.staplesadvantage.com), is a 30-year veteran of the janitorial and sanitary maintenance industry with manufacturing and distribution experience.

Featured

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part I

    We asked, you answered, and the results are in! Last year, we put out a call for submissions to collect our readership’s opinion on trends and predictions for K–12 and higher education facilities in 2026.

  • Texas State University Completes Stadium Renovations

    Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, recently announced that it has completed a series of additions and renovations to its football stadium, according to a news release. Formerly known as the Bobcat Stadium End Zone Complex, the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center is an 85,000-square-foot expansion featuring hospitality spaces, banquet spaces, exterior concourses, and upgrades to the field house.

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • Stanford Completes Construction on Graduate School of Education Facility

    Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., recently announced the end of construction on a new home for its Graduate School of Education, according to a news release. The university partnered with McCarthy Building Companies on the 160,000-square-foot project, which involved two major renovations and one new construction effort.