Hand washing and drying stations: What are they and why are they the best method for hand hygiene?

The four friends repeated with one voice the formula dictated by D'Artagnan: "All for one, one for all"

What a great motto Alexandre Dumas constructed in "The Three Musketeers", one of my favorite novels. This mythical phrase is a symbol of what teamwork, loyalty and effort represent for many in their daily lives.

This philosophy, transferred to the world of hand hygiene, means approaching and tackling such an important process as hand washing and drying in a totally integral and transversal way, in order to radically improve its effectiveness and efficiency.

It is for this reason that hand washing and drying stations such as the "All-in-One" by Mediclinics, S.A. are revolutionizing the world of hand hygiene by offering this integral and transversal solution for the entire hand washing and drying process in public bathrooms.

Let's take it step by step: What is a hand washing and drying station?

A hand washing and drying station is an innovative solution that allows soaping, rinsing and drying hands at the sink itself, without changing position and without having to move around in the bathroom, making the hand washing and drying process much easier, safer, quicker and faster for the user, as well as much cleaner for the facility itself.

These hand washing and drying stations include an electric warm air hand dryer, a soap dispenser and a water faucet, all of which are automatic. Each of these elements can be concealed under the bathroom countertop, behind the wall or behind a mirrored cabinet, leaving only the relevant faucet that supplies air, soap and water in view. These faucets can be located on the bathroom countertop itself or wall-mounted, just above the countertop.

But what are the benefits of a hand washing and drying station?

As mentioned above, all the elements that make up a hand washing and drying station (hand dryer, soap dispenser and water tap) are automatic. This means that, to start them up, the user does not have to physically interact with any of them. They do so by means of infrared detectors that detect the presence of hands when they approach the faucets and automatically turn them on.   Hence the first of these benefits: the impossibility of contracting an infection through cross-contamination. As there is no physical contact between the user and the faucets, there can be no transmission of germs from the faucet to the user's hand and therefore there´s no contamination by contact.

The second benefit is the safety and physical integrity of the user. In a traditional public toilet, in most cases, each element involved in the hand washing and drying process is in a different location and sometimes far away from the washbasin itself. It is not surprising that there is only one soap dispenser for several sinks, or that hand dryers or paper dispensers are also far away from the respective sinks. This means that the user performs each phase of hand washing in a different space within the washroom and therefore has to move around. Hence, soap and water inevitably splash on the floor, with the consequent risk of slips and falls that could lead to an accident. With a hand washing and drying station, this risk is reduced to a minimum since, as all hand washing and drying operations are carried out at the same hand washing station, the water and soap do not fall to the floor, thus preventing slips and accidents.  

Energy, soap and water savings. This would be the third benefit of an automatic hand washing and drying station. The latest generation of Machflow hand dryers, which is the one incorporated in the Mediclinics All-in-One station, is energy efficient. They consume 80 to 90% less electrical energy than a traditional hand dryer. On the other hand, the use of paper towels is reduced, which also saves a lot of money and makes the washroom much more sustainable. Hand washing and drying stations like All-in-One are therefore good for the environment, for the user and for the business.

A hand washing and drying station allows architects, space planners and interior designers to design much more open, minimalist, elegant and tidy collective bathroom environments. This would be the fourth benefit we would like to highlight. A hand washing and drying station allows us to get rid of some of the barriers characteristic of collective bathrooms, since objects such as hand dryers, paper towel dispensers, bins or soap dispensers disappear from the walls and floors, making the most of the space and, therefore, achieving much more spacious, functional and barrier-free collective bathrooms. Mobility inside the collective bathroom will be easier and simpler.

Last but not least: the fifth benefit of a hand washing and drying station is the time saving for the user. An All-in-One solution allows you to spend less time in the bathroom, as the user has all the necessary elements for hand washing and drying integrated in the washbasin. For this reason, and as seen previously, the user does not need to move around the entire bathroom to carry out the complete hand washing and drying process (it is done at the hand washbasin itself) and, in addition, hand drying is carried out with a high-speed hand dryer. This greater speed helps keeping busy public bathrooms free of users queuing to wash and dry their hands.

Where to install a hand washing and drying station?

Public bathrooms with a high volume of use, such as toilets in shopping malls, airports, hotels or sports facilities, are ideal locations. In all these places, where the influx of people is very high, hand washing and drying stations fit perfectly because, apart from providing an excellent service, they allow us to create unique experiences by ensuring that every corner of the washroom conveys the same language and is equipped with those tangible and intangible "winks" so that our customer wants to come back. With All-in-One it is possible to generate differential and sustainable spaces, helping to create green buildings with an efficient use of resources and materials.

Washing and drying your hands properly can save your life and protect your loved ones. With our effective and efficient All-in-One hand washing and drying system, we help everyone achieve this goal. All-in-One: "All for one and one for all".