FEATURE CUTTING SUMMER INFECTIONS


Paul Mulready, Marketing Manager at Northwood Hygiene Products Ltd, talks about how we can reduce summer infections with a good washroom provision.


Summer is a time for having fun, but the season also invites various germs and bugs to multiply with warmer weather, greater social interaction and contact with more environments all making it easier for germs to multiply.


Infectious diseases like sickness bugs, Chicken Pox, Measles and Meningitis can all spread more readily and make people ill. And viruses, such as norovirus and flu, also spread easily via contaminated surfaces. Even Covid-19 can spike in poorly ventilated or inadequately cleaned spaces.


That’s why handwashing becomes particularly important during the summer season.


It might be a bit boring to think about handwashing, but clean hands really are your first line of defence against the microbes that can make us poorly.


These microbes can multiply in warmth and moisture, meaning the activities we enjoy in summer can bring us into closer contact with surfaces and foods that help them spread.


Breeding grounds Public washrooms and shared toilets in places like shopping centres, service stations, campsites, playgrounds and beaches are particularly vulnerable. These high-traffic areas can become breeding grounds for bacteria like E coli, salmonella and campylobacter bacteria – the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK.


Washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using public toilets is therefore essential. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhoea-related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections, such as colds.


Even in places like hospitals and surgeries, where hygiene is a must, people often miss this basic step. A 2025 study led by the University of Surrey revealed that nearly 50% of hospital visitors skipped handwashing after using hospital toilets.


Failing to wash our hands increases the risk of illness. The CDC estimates that approximately 80% of common infectious illnesses are spread through hand contact.


Good hand hygiene is easy, cheap and effective – and essential in summer. So, what can FMs do to encourage people wash to wash their hands?


Stock up Handwashing products should be readily available in washrooms and soap and paper dispensers should be quick and easy to operate. Dispensers should be well- stocked at all times and be easy to refill to avoid run-outs, which are common in the summer.


Soap dispensers should be high capacity and deliver a generous shot to encourage single, efficient use. They should ideally be non-drip to help keep spaces clean and


each new soap cartridge should include a new nozzle to minimise the likelihood of bacteria harbouring.


Hand drying Dispensers should provide a long-lasting supply of paper towels to enable people to dry their hands thoroughly.


The type of paper towel dispenser is important too. For instance, dispensers for folded towels will run out more quickly, so maintenance staff may be tempted to overfill dispensers with more than the recommended towels which can make it difficult for people to pull out a single towel from the bottom. C-fold towels can frequently dispense in clumps, meaning users can often take multiple towels to dry their hands which can be wasteful option.


A mechanical hands-free roll towel dispenser could be a better alternative. As well as optimising hygiene because the user does not need to touch the unit, these dispensers tend to offer a higher paper capacity than folded towels.


Reducing waste FMs should choose controlled-use dispensers that restrict the use of consumables and prevent overuse. Sealed and splash-proof dispensers keep products safely stored inside, helping to prevent the contents becoming contaminated.


Northwood’s high-capacity North Shore premium proprietary system of washroom dispensers and consumables is often specified because it is designed to deliver zero waste and volume in use. Providing industry- leading capacity and supreme cost-in-use benefits, it is easy to install and maintain, as well as being durable, hygienic and environmentally sustainable.


www.northwood.co.uk 08 | TOMORROW’S FM twitter.com/TomorrowsFM


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