The sanitising station you choose to provide for your customers, is a direct reflection on your business. These days 84% of people expect to see a hand sanitising station available in public spaces such as schools, public events, fitness centres, restaurants and shops. People also expect that the hand sanitiser on offer is alcohol based and high quality.
Potential health risks
A recent study has found potential health risks with a relatively new practice related to hand sanitising dispensers, a practice that started when businesses had trouble getting hand sanitiser among the peak of the pandemic in 2020.
To meet the hand sanitiser demand, some businesses resorted to “bulk style” dispensers, which can easily be refilled with any large bottle of hand sanitiser. Since 2020, this habit has continued to be used by business owners. A research study took place, in partnership with Valisure LLC, an independent lab and leader in consumer drug product analysis.
“We sampled hand sanitisers from these “bulk” dispensers in dozens of community settings – public places like schools, restaurants, and stores. The results of this study were recently published in a leading, independent open-access scientific journal, PLOS One.”
Samples from the study
Several issues were found, including toxic impurities, low alcohol content and incorrect labeling. During the study, 30% of the samples revealed potentially dangerous chemicals like acetal, which is a respiratory tract irritant and acetaldehyde, which is a potential carcinogen.
Of all the samples in the study, 9% had alcohol levels less than the CDCs recommended 60%. The use of bulk style dispensers was linked to alcohol evaporation and thus lowering the levels of alcohol. This was either due to the design itself or misuse of a dispenser.
The hand sanitiser you provide is a direct reflection of your business
By topping up dispensers with bulk refills, it can offset the balance of the contents and result in the label featuring inaccurate information about the alcohol percentage. As many as 70% of dispenser samples used within the study, lacked appropriate labeling with the manufacturer, contents and expiration dates etc. Many dispensers simply read “hand sanitiser” on the front, which doesn’t educate the customer at all. Customers reply on hand sanitiser to clean their hands while out and about.
For the past few years, consumers have heard public health experts stress the importance of using hand sanitiser that contain at least 60% alcohol when sinks are not available. Customers expect that businesses they visit will provide hand sanitiser that is effective against germs. A watered down sanitiser, or poorly maintained sanitiser, reflects poorly on a business and their cleaning standards.
Dispensing systems that use factory-sealed refills will help prevent cross contamination, which is a critical problem with bulk style refills. Along with high-quality hand sanitisers, business owners should make a point to keep sanitising stations clean and well maintained.
Considerations for hand sanitiser
The hand sanitiser that you provide for your customers and guests to use, is an opportunity to show them how much you care about their well-being. Here are some things to consider when looking for a hand sanitiser for your business.
Select a hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% ethyl alcohol or 70% isopropyl alcohol for proven efficacy against germs. These percentages will be clearly listed on most labels.
Always ensure that the original packaging is intact and nothing has been altered.
Check the expiration dates, which is usually a few years after the products manufacturing date.
A lot of make shift brands of hand sanitiser crawled out of the wood work during the peak of 2020, some of these produce poor-quality products, and in some cases use harmful ingredients. If you are unsure, use a well-known proven brand. You can also check brands and products on government sites to see what is recommended for use and recommended to avoid.
Which products are best?
Purell has been a well-known and trusted brand, long before the events of 2020. That is one reason, why at Virtue Plus, we stock a wide variety of sizes and dispensing options which can cater to all staff and customer needs. Purell has been designed to kill 99.99% of common germs that can cause illness. It also contains skin conditioners and is made with 100% naturally renewable ethanol.
Greet customers with a touch-free dispenser
The TFX Touch Free Dispenser is touch-free and trouble free. It features a large sight window for at-a-glance monitoring. The pod refills are sanitary sealed to help prevent contamination. Together the dispenser and a pod offer an actuation per shot of 1.1ml, which allows for 1090 shots per refill pod.
The LTX 7 Touch Free Dispenser is smart and trouble fee. It also features a large sight window for checking refill levels. It can be locked and is fully ADA compliant. The hand santiser is provided in a SMART-FLEX™ bottle design, which uses 30% less material than HDPE and can be removed from pump for easier recycling. Together the dispenser and a pod offer an actuation per shot of 1.1mL, which allows for 636 shots per refill pod.
Make hand sanitiser handy for all!
Purell hand sanitiser is available in a wide selection of sizes and dispensing options. Consider adding a Purell 350ml pump bottle to desk areas or front desks.
Provide staff with 30ml hand sanitisers that feature a jelly wrap that connects onto keyrings and handbags.
Purell wipes are non-linting and ideal for office areas and health clubs. Wipes measure 15.2cm x 20.3cm.
