Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, hand washing and personal hygiene, always important, has become even more relevant in our everyday lives. 

The fear of contracting coronavirus has exposed how easily germs could be transferred from person to person, even whilst in a seemingly ‘clean’ environment. The Covid-19 pandemic has hugely increased how aware the average person is of their hand hygiene. During the pandemic, over 54% of people changed their hygiene habits by washing their hands more frequently and thoroughly than they had done before.

Consumers are more concerned about hand hygiene than ever before

As restrictions ease and life begins to return to normal, it seems likely that these messages of handwashing and personal hygiene will remain in consumers’ minds and that these behavioural changes will be permanent. Indeed, a recent survey found that 83% percent of those who changed their habits during the pandemic said that they will keep their new habits forever, the most important two being frequent handwashing and avoiding touching potentially contaminated things with bare hands.

Consumers want to feel safe and as hygienic as possible after the trials of the coronavirus pandemic and so businesses need to adapt accordingly. In particular washroom design needs to change to accommodate consumers’ new requirements for enhanced hygiene. Hand operated taps and shared soap dispensers are no longer sufficient.

Hands-free sensor technology is worth considering for all organisations

Fortunately there is a large range of hands-free, sensor operated taps and other products on the market these days. Organisations, whatever their budget, can find hands-free products to suit and such technology has moved on in leaps and bounds from the times when you would wave your hands under a sensor hoping that the tap might spring into life. Sensor technology is extremely reliable, low maintenance and obviously significantly more hygienic than the alternatives.

For example, Conti+ sensor activated taps offer a totally hands-free activation method and prevent the transfer of bacteria and build-up of germs through the use of bacteriostatic materials, whilst saving up to 70% of water used in traditional taps. Alternatively, the FX-M washing station unit is a compact and modular washroom unit designed for semi-public and public sanitary rooms which includes touch-free activation of water, soap and air all from a single unit, giving the user a hygienic washing experience, all inside a sleek and modern design.

Hands-free taps contribute to a more positive impression of your washrooms

On top of the cleanliness and safety of a washroom, how the client views their experience is incredibly important for businesses. In a recent survey, almost three quarters (73%) of all respondents agreed that a bad restroom experience implies poor management and indicates that the company does not care about their customers. In addition, Cannon Hygiene found that 86% of people wouldn’t return to an establishment if the washroom was dirty or unhygienic. This clearly shows that what the room looks like contributes massively to how the client views its hygiene and can create a more pleasant experience with a sleek design.

Hands-free sensor taps are more environmentally friendly

Consumers are also growing ever more concerned about the environmental credentials of the organisations they buy from or work for. An additional benefit of hands-free sensor taps is that they are much more efficient than traditional manually operated taps, using much less water as well as needing less energy to heat water.

How your washroom looks, feels and operates has never been more important. Consumers want the most hygienic, pleasant and environmentally friendly washroom experience possible. That’s why hands-free technology is the ideal solution for businesses looking to save water and keep customers safe. Talk to us today about the hands-free options that might work for your organisation.