Should You Still Install Gel Dispensers in Your Business Even After COVID?

During and after the pandemic, gel dispensers were a familiar sight throughout all sectors – found everywhere from supermarkets to restaurants and offices. The familiar glob of cold gel on your hands after entering any premises was a universal experience. 

Although the threat of COVID-19 may never go away completely, we’ve now entered a more manageable phase of the virus.  Many businesses have removed the antibacterial gel dispensers from their premises in response. 

But is it still worthwhile for businesses to have gel dispensers available to their customers and staff? Here, we’ll look at the reasons why companies might still consider installing gel dispensers, as well as which sectors benefit the most from them. 

How Do Gel Dispensers Help Fight Germs? 

As we all know, antibacterial gel isn’t only useful to help limit the spread of COVID-19 – it's valuable for curbing the transmission of bacteria and viruses in general. 

Of course, washing with good ol’ soap and water is still one of the most effective ways to keep hands clean, but there’s something to be said for gel dispensers that can be placed more freely around a business than hand washing stations. 

Whether you work in an office with employees or a store with a high footfall of customers, there will always be a number of “touch points” at any company. These are surfaces that are frequently touched by more than one person.  

Along with regular surface cleaning, frequent use of antibacterial gel can help reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses that could otherwise happen through contact with infected surfaces. 

Which Business Will Most Benefit from Gel Dispensers? 

Let’s begin by saying that it’s unlikely any business will be negatively affected by installing a gel dispenser. Encouraging employees and customers to sanitise their hands will never be a bad idea! 

However, there are some businesses and spaces where it makes the most sense to continue using gel dispensers – in particular, those with a high turnover of people throughout the day, spaces with vulnerable individuals, and areas where virus transmission may already be more likely. 

Gyms & Leisure Facilities 

Even before COVID, gyms tried to encourage members to wipe down equipment with antibacterial spray after use for hygiene reasons. Gel dispensers offer another defence against germ transfer. 

Gym facilities and leisure centres have an extremely high number of touch points from people using, and moving between, different equipment. In the warm, often humid atmosphere of the gym, bacteria can thrive and other nasties – like fungus – can also spread. 

The antibacterial gel in dispensers will help kill bacteria, viruses, and fungus. Having dispensers around will encourage people to use them – after all, we’re all in the habit now! 

Medical Facilities 

Naturally, medical facilities have always been focused on controlling the spread of bacteria and viruses. This is particularly important to keep on top of because medical facilities are a place where people with viruses will be found in the first place. Plus, there are a high number of people and vulnerable people found in these locations.  

The intimate nature of medical work could also exacerbate the spread of germs, so any additional methods that can be used, on top of hand washing, will always offer a good line of defence. 

On top of this, gel dispensers can offer visual reassurance to visitors that hygiene is highly important to the facility. 

Care Services 

Care services frequently work alongside vulnerable people; this could mean elderly residents in a care home, or those with a weaker immune system who are more susceptible to illnesses, viruses, and infections. 

Again, washing hands with soap and water will always be an effective way to stop bacteria transmission, but the presence of gel dispensers in care facilities can also encourage visitors and staff to sanitise their hands more regularly.  

This, in turn, will help protect service users and can also reduce staff sickness. 

Schools & Educational Facilities 

Schools and educational institutions naturally encourage a large congregation of people in one place, with high numbers of both students and staff. Most of the time, these large numbers of people also move around the establishment several times a day, increasing the likelihood of germ transmission through touching different surfaces. 

Although it may be difficult to encourage children to use gel dispensers to sanitise their hands, these stations can offer teachers and staff with an additional line of defence. This could also help prevent staff from getting ill. 

Should You Still Install Gel Dispensers After COVID? 

No matter what company you’re running, installing gel dispensers is still a great way to encourage staff, customers and service users to sanitise their hands between washes. Ultimately, the more frequently hands are sanitised, the less likely it is for germs to get transferred between surfaces. 

At Commercial Washrooms, we stock both gel and soap dispensers, making it easy to encourage hygiene across your premises or business. 

Take a look at our full range of dispensers. For more information, give us a call on 01202 650900 or send us a message and we’ll get back to you!