Many supermarkets or shops have placed hand sanitiser dispensers at the entrance to their premises to show their customers: "You are safe here. We do everything we can to fight harmful germs." However, where open containers are used, mistakes are often made.
The consequences of incorrectly refilling sanitiser dispensers.
Many dispenser systems are refilled over and over again – often with whatever product had the lowest proce or best availability at the time. In most cases, the container is not even taken out and cleaned before refilling. Instead, the new product is poured into the container on top of the remains of the old product.
This can have unpleasant consequences. If old product remains in the system, it may expire and affect the efficacy of the rest of the mixture. Mixing two different products is problematic for other reasons, too. If two disinfecting gels are mixed together, unforeseen things can happen. For example, the effectiveness of the mixture may be reduced and skin irritations may occur.
Foul-smelling or sticky hand sanitisers: the causes
You also may have noticed that some hand sanitisers that are provided in open places smell quite bad or are sticky. This can also be caused by mixing two products together and will definitely lead to a bad user experience. Will customers ever sanitise their hands using public facilities again? Probably not! The negative consequences for pandemic control certainly do not have to be emphasised at this point.
Another problem associated with improper refilling of dispenser systems: those who use large bottles that cannot be completely resealed after refilling the dispenser run the risk that some of the alcohol contents will evaporate. Since alcohol is the effective ingredient that kills harmful pathogens, if the alcohol level falls the gel becomes less effective.
How to control these issues? Just follow these tips:
- Where possible, use hygienically sealed refillpacks for dispensers.
- Do not mix hand sanitisers from different manufacturers.
- Rely on the expertise of established brands.
Which dispenser system is the right one?
As hygiene experts, we also recommend placing robust hand sanitiser dispensers at entrances and exits in shops, where they can be easily seen by customers. PURELL ADX dispensers offer exceptional reliability, easy maintenance, and a design that looks good in any environment. Our high capacity 1200mL PURELL dispenser is ideal for high traffic areas like shops and stores. Meanwhile, the large sight window, skylight and crystal-clear refill bottles make it easy to check fill status in all PURELL and GOJO dispensers.
Stay healthy!
