When it comes to choosing a range of dispensers for your own washrooms or specifying for a client it can be a difficult decision. There are a myriad of designs available, countless claims and a wide range of costs, so where do you start?
There are a number of areas to consider, the priority and importance of each which will be influenced by your project.
How many visitors are you anticipating using your washroom? Is the traffic going to be steady and relatively constant for example in an office? Or are there peak times, for example shift break patterns or intervals in leisure activities. Most well-made washroom dispensers will stand up to steady use but you may need to consider a more robust unit in areas where there is a sudden intensity of use.
You also need to consider the consumable and the service interval, if you have partnered with a hygiene services provider ensure the service frequency you are paying for is what you require, too long and your visitors face an empty dispenser, too short and you could be paying too much. Talk to your provider and ensure they are providing the right service for you. If your team are refilling, build regular checks into their routine to ensure the dispensers are always full.
Predicting how many times your staff and visitors may use the facilities is tricky but a good guide is to assume 2 – 4 visits per person per day to ‘away from home’ toilets during a working day and 1 – 2 visits in a leisure facility.
Whilst presenting an attractive washroom is important in all settings, some are undoubtedly more important than others. A customer suite or high end restaurant will have higher demands than perhaps a factory or school. But take care not to be swayed by style over function, the most stylish commercial soap dispenser will still be a disappointment if drips or clogs even if it does look great!
Shiny chrome dispensers undoubtedly look stylish but they are prone to fingerprint marks and so your cleaning teams might not love them quite as much as you do! Take advantage of new technologies in the market such as lacquers that helps prevent fingerprint marks, your cleaning team will thank you!
With so much choice available in the market take the time to challenge the norm for example, in a school setting consider bright, fun colours to encourage good hand hygiene.
We’ve all faced the frustratingly empty soap dispenser, paper towel holder and the dreaded empty toilet roll. Whilst the consumable may run out the dispenser itself should always be operational. Look for dispensers where the manufacturers have gone through rigorous quality testing on all moving parts. Review the motor life for hand dryers etc. As with all things in life, if the price looks too good to be true it probably is and a short term saving upfront can often lead to additional costs in the long term and unhappy washroom users.
At Dudley Industries we have developed our expertise in washroom dispensers over the last 70 years and we’ve learnt a thing or two along the way. We pride ourselves in our quality ensuring every one of our products goes through rigorous testing before being released. Our range provides a solution for all environments from our traditional ‘Classic’ range through to our innovative and stylish ‘Platinum’ range. Take a look at our ranges or contact a member of our team who will guide you through.