COVER STORY HYGIENE AND MAINTENANCE lic environment, particularly when it comes to hand washing. Dolphin Solutions reports.
the air. This can then make its way into the soap especially when a bulk fill tank is opened and refilled. The use of antibacterial soap can help although these tend to be harsher to the users.
The science bit Most soaps contain preservatives which are designed and proven to fight off a given level of microbial contamination. The amount of preservative which can be added is governed by the cosmetic regulations. This preservative will be able to overcome a normal level of microbial contamination from the environment, but it can become ‘used up’.
In very broad terms one molecule of the preservative kills one cell of bacteria. The preservative cannot be regenerated whereas the bacteria can have exponential growth given the right conditions. Once the bacterial growth has overcome the preservative then the topping up practice just provides more ‘food’ for the bacteria already within the dispensers’ chamber.
Catalyst conditions • Heat accelerates bacteria and fungi growth
as the standards become more and more relevant to the commercial washroom.
Making soap clean again
One area that is often neglected is the maintenance and topping up of soap dispensers. The potential to create bacteria through blocked filters, gauzes and pipework and the resulting congealed soap is surprisingly high. Once contaminated it is extremely difficult to eliminate symptoms; suspended stringy light strands (Biofilm),
thickening of soap, darkening colour, appearance of dirty dish water and foul smells.
Bacteria growth in soap is notorious in top up dispensers when the soap becomes contaminated with environmental bacteria. This is usually due to bacteria being introduced through the topping up process. Bacteria is present on host particles in the air such as dirt, hair, dust etc. Commercial/ public washrooms contain a lot of these particles, particularly dust from toilet roll and paper towels.
People spread bacteria and fungi onto these products and during use they give off vast amounts of dust particles into
www.tomorrowsfm.com • Top up dispensers are prone for introducing bacteria
• Built in systems that are not cleaned or replaced regularly
Sealed for hygiene A sealed cartridge system is the best way to remove the topping up element and the risk of exponential microbial growth.
Sealed cartridges dramatically reduce the risk of bacterial contamination by removing the topping up process and the need to expose the soap. A higher level of hygiene and reduced risk of congealing means the system and attached dispensers will maintain a higher efficiency/ function for longer and require less maintenance. Connecting a new cartridge is also quicker, cleaner and avoids spillages that can occur when decanting soap from one container to another.
This type of system has been recognised within the WELL Standards v2 as being the best system for discouraging bacteria growth. In response, Dolphin are to launch the DS800 Dolphin Cartridge Foam Soap Multifeed System on 15th August 2019, which can be installed under counter, behind a hinged mirror or in a service duct/cupboard. With a pending patent (application no. 1314060.3), this product is designed to meet the WELL Standards’ requirements whilst also being easier to maintain than other bulk fill systems.
https://www.dolphinsolutions.co.uk/en/product/dolphin-cartridge-foam-soap-multifeed-system www.dolphinsolutions.co.uk TOMORROW’S FM | 21
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