An Essential Part of Any Business Washroom
A quality soap dispenser is an essential – but often overlooked – part of any modern washroom. You may think any old dispenser will do, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Each dispenser will be used dozens or even hundreds of times a day, and while people might not think about it when it works, they’ll certainly notice when it fails. This means choosing a soap dispenser you can rely on is really important. If you already know what you’re looking for, browse the categories above and pick a model that works for you. If you aren’t sure, keep reading – we’ll help you make the right choice so you can get the most for your money.
Durability
As we mentioned above, your soap dispenser will be used a lot. And, unless it’s an automatic soap dispenser, that means they’ll be pushing its button or lever all day, every day. Wear and tear on the soap-dispensing mechanism builds up very quickly, so you need to make sure your unit is robust enough to deal with the amount of use it’ll get. The outside of the unit needs to be tough too, especially in a public toilet that could be prone to vandalism.
If you work in a small office of around 5-10 people, you might not need a more expensive stainless steel model. Larger offices or customer-facing areas with a high footfall, on the other hand, might need something a bit more robust. Our most durable dispensers are the top-of-the-line Ophardt Hygiene models, which have a lifespan of around 20 years! Think about how many people will use your dispenser every day before you buy.
Size
The size of your dispensers also matters. If you have larger dispensers, you won’t need to replenish them as often, but they will take up more space on your wall. This is an important balancing act to consider if you have several sinks in your washroom, as you’ll likely need to fit more than one dispenser on your wall.
Type of Soap
There are two main kinds of soap; liquid soap and foam soap. Some dispensers will only work with one or the other. Other models may be able to dispense both. Make sure the dispenser you’re looking at is compatible with your chosen hand soap before you buy.
Liquid Soap vs Foam Soap
The differences between liquid soap and foam soap are minor and are mostly down to personal preference. The main benefit of liquid soap is that it provides a more intense clean as you need to work it into a lather when it’s in your hands. This makes it better for highly hygiene-sensitive areas, or in businesses where workers will often have very dirty hands (such as garages).
Foam soap, on the other hand, is agitated into a lather by the dispenser. As a result, it’s more cost-effective, as it only takes a tiny amount of soap to generate a blob of foam. If you want your soap to go further, a foam soap dispenser is the one for you.
Hand Sanitiser Dispensers
Some soap dispensers can also double up as hand sanitiser dispensers. Hand sanitiser gel is much thicker than soap, so you need a more powerful dispensing mechanism that’s capable of squeezing it out of its bottle. Not all soap dispensers are capable of doing this, though, so double-check before you place an order.
If you want all your dispensers to match, choose a model that’s compatible with both soap and hand sanitiser. This is a great way to lend your washroom or workplace kitchen a more professional look.
Manual Refills vs Cartridges
When it comes to refilling your soap dispenser, there are two main ways to do it; bulk refills and cartridges. Bulk refills need to be manually poured into the dispenser from a larger bottle of soap. Cartridges simply need to be swapped out whenever they run empty. This is much quicker and easier than a bulk refill, although bulk refills tend to be more cost-effective and produce less waste. Neither option is objectively better than the other, and making the right choice is more about what works best for your business.
Shower Gel Dispensers
Gyms, hotels, and other businesses that provide showers to customers and staff should consider using a shower gel dispenser. They make your shower area look more professional and show that you’re taking your customer’s hygiene seriously. They also allow you to control the amount of shower gel people are using. If you provide loose soap bottles of shower gel, people are more likely to use more than they need. A shower gel dispenser delivers small, precisely-measured blobs of gel, so people are likely to use it in moderation.
Shower gel is usually a little thicker than liquid soap, but most soap dispensers can double up as shower gel dispensers. If you’re unsure about this, ask us before placing your order.
How Many Soap Dispensers Do I Need?
You need one soap dispenser next to every sink. This means people can wash their hands without dripping water all over the floor. If you have two sinks directly next to one another, you can use one soap dispenser in between them, or one for each sink.
Automatic Soap Dispensers
In the modern age, everything is becoming automated. This goes for soap dispensers, too! The big advantage of an automatic soap dispenser is that a user never has to actually touch the unit when washing their hands. As the majority of people will be using their soap dispenser while their hands are still dirty or immediately after using the toilet, manual soap dispensers do need to be regularly cleaned to prevent cross-contamination. For most businesses, this isn’t an issue as cleaning is part of a regular maintenance routine. For hygiene-sensitive businesses or very busy public washrooms, though, you may need the extra hygiene of an automatic dispenser. This will improve hygiene and make cleaning your washrooms that little bit easier.
