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Matching Soap Types with Your Dispenser

When planning your public bathroom design, your choice of soap dispenser is essential when it comes to maintaining hygiene standards in an area used multiple times a day by a wide variety of different people. 

It is also crucial that the type of soap you choose to use matches the intended use of your dispenser - it will quickly become an issue if your dispenser is not working as intended.

In this article, we will be exploring the importance of matching the type of soap to your dispenser in order to maintain hygiene standards and keep your dispenser in working order.


Choosing a Soap Dispenser

When it comes to soap dispensers, there are several considerations to take into account. As well as the type of soap you would like to use, you may want to think about durability, particularly if you don’t want to use an automatic dispenser. Soap dispensers experience a large amount of wear and tear on the dispensing mechanism through prolonged use, so ensuring your unit is strong enough to deal with frequent use is essential. In addition, the external shell of the unit should also be strong enough to handle potential vandalism or unintentional damage in public places with a large level of footfall.

Size also matters - you need a dispenser big enough that you won’t need to replenish as often, but doesn’t take up too much space on the wall. Consider if one large dispenser, or several smaller ones, is more suitable for your needs. 

Types of Soap

The two main kinds of soap you could use in your dispenser are liquid or foam. Some dispensers may be capable of handling both, but some will only work well with one or the other. 

Liquid soap usually produces a deeper clean as the user works it into a lather. In places with higher hygiene requirements, such as a kitchen, or where hands are more frequently getting dirty, such as a workshop, liquid soap may be the ideal solution. To help prevent corrosion and extend the service life of this soap dispenser, liquid soaps should be chloride-free and pH-neutral.

On the other hand, foam soap is more cost-effective, as it only takes a tiny amount of soap to create sufficient lather. This makes it ideal for toilets in areas with heavy footfall, such as a public bathroom with large amounts of customer traffic. 

Matching Soap Type To Your Dispenser

Although some soap dispensers will be able to handle both liquid and foam soap, for most, different types of soap won’t be interchangeable. Foam soap will need to be aerated in the pump, and using the wrong kind of soap can damage your dispenser and void any manufacturer warranties. 

Additionally, you will also want to avoid using harsh chemicals, such as disinfectants or alcohol-based hand sanitiser in your soap dispenser, as this will destroy the rubber seals inside the pump over time and cause the dispenser to leak. 

It is crucial to ensure you are following the recommended usage guidelines for your soap dispenser in order to keep it in working order and prolong its lifespan. 

Finding The Right Soap Dispenser

Not sure what kind of soap dispenser best suits your needs? At Washware Essentials, our team of experts are on hand to help guide you. For more information, please get in touch for advice and support.


Posted by Paul Thorn
8th March 2024

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