Touchless Fixtures

One strategy to help with hygiene in all types of restrooms is to install touchless fixtures. Sensor-activated handwashing and drying equipment addresses infection control, hygiene, accessibility, ease-of-use, maintenance, consumer demand, and cost-effectiveness. Cross-contamination of germs in restrooms can be reduced by using touch-free fixtures for everything from soap, faucets, hand dryers/towels, doors, and flushers. The hands-free concept is growing in popularity with restroom users and facility maintenance staff, especially since the pandemic.

When handwashing, easily activating soap and water with a simple hand motion─without having to touch a handle, button, or lever─keeps users from touching germy surfaces, and limits the spread of germs, fingerprint marks, and extra wear and tear. “Under any circumstance, using touchless fixtures helps to inhibit the spread of germs in restrooms and buildings,” says medical microbiologist Michael P. McCann, Ph.D., professor of biology, Saint Joseph's University. “The more we avoid restroom touchpoints, the healthier and easier our operations will be.” The most important touchless restroom features are faucets, soap dispensers, flushers, and restroom entrance doors.

Fortunately, as the demand for touchless fixtures has increased, the mechanical parts used in sensor technology have been greatly improved. While some older touchless models include sensors that deliver spotty soap and water activations, current designs incorporate advanced sensing technology ensuring continuous and reliable washing.

Jon Dommisse, vice president of marketing and strategy at Bradley Corp., reinforces the advantage of touch-free systems by noting "Our research shows that two in three people use a paper towel to avoid touching restroom door handles, flushers and faucet handles. This evasive action further demonstrates why touch-free restroom fixtures resonate so much with restroom users."

Photo courtesy of Bradley Corporation

Integrated “all-in-one” fixtures, such as the one shown here, combine touchless dispensing of water, soap, and hand drying all in one fixture over a coordinated, elongated washbasin.

Handwashing Design Choices

A significant design element in all commercial restrooms is the handwashing area. These are places that users experience directly through the senses of sight, sound, and touch. Moreover, a uniform, cohesive look neatly ties the design of the entire space together. In response, products have become available such that designers no longer have to settle for unsatisfying product design─rather, new coordinated washroom collections and accessory offerings elevate the design while providing an improved user experience. These products fall into several distinct categories as follows.

• All-in-One Handwashing Typical restrooms often incorporate separate fixtures for dispensing soap, water, and hand drying. However, innovative “all-in-one” handwashing fixtures are now available that incorporate a soap dispenser, a water faucet, and a warm air hand dryer all in one streamlined wash bar unit. They address the demand for touch-free handwashing with an integrated and streamlined design that keeps soap, water, and dryer elements all in one touch-free and easy-to-access- and-use fixture. Such all-in-one units are available in a range of finishes, shapes, and options to fit different project needs and can include a top-fill multi-feed soap system. As for washroom cleanliness and safety, they are also specifically designed to better contain water to keep it from dripping from hands onto the user, walls, and floors, thus helping to reduce messiness, slips, and falls.
• Matching Soap Dispenser and Faucet Sets If all-in-one handwashing isn’t appropriate for a given project, then well-coordinated separate fixtures may be a good choice. Well designed, matching soap dispenser and faucet sets, can unify and harmonize the look of washroom spaces, eliminating separate mismatched deck mounted soap dispensers and faucets. These identical touchless handwashing sets are available in popular touchless styles─graceful arcs, refined curves, bold angles, and a range of finishes.
• Basin Materials Designers can pair any model of all-in-one handwashing fixtures or coordinated soap and faucet sets with streamlined cast-formed basins made of a choice of materials. Currently, many designers are choosing to use resilient natural quartz-based materials or customized solid surface basins that are available in a range of sizes, styles, and popular colors. Matte-finished quartz is a fresh new option with a stone-like appearance for commercial handwashing basins. These expanded surface material options support cleanliness and flexible design since they are nonporous, smooth, and resilient with seamless construction. These qualities help prevent bacteria and mold accumulation and growth. They can also be more easily cleaned, disinfected, repaired, reused, and have a longer lifecycle than laminated products. For multi-user restrooms, new washbasin designs made of solid surface material with increased space between the handwashing areas allow for social distancing while washing hands. Such materials are sustainable, with some achieving GreenGuard certification.

Photo courtesy of Bradley Corporation

Handwashing options can include separate but matching soap and faucet sets and a range of wash basin materials and appearances.

Coordinating Accessories

To finish off the look of handwashing and restroom design, using a complete collection of related washroom accessories from a single manufacturer is the logical way to go. The alternative is that separate, disparate, accessories from different manufacturers or vendors will be installed which may or may not provide the desired aesthetic or consistent performance. A coordinated design approach with matching style, reliable operation, and a single vendor helps assure design consistency, performance levels, and user satisfaction.

For example, one manufactured line incorporates a Euro-style pill-shape design into an entire collection, bringing in smooth curves and soft edges. The collection includes the full set of restroom accessories such as grab bars, paper dispensers, receptacles, shelves, soap dispensers, and even LED mirrors, all offered with a harmonious and sophisticated aesthetic. The minimalist design of such accessories can seamlessly integrate into any commercial washroom setting whether a boutique hotel, eclectic coffee shop, high-end retail store, upscale restaurant, or corporate office.

Photo courtesy of Bradley Corporation

A collection of coordinated washroom accessories can be paired with other washroom elements to create a complete, cohesive, and elevated design.

Handwashing Accessories

In addition to water, all handwashing stations need several other features to be functional and useful.

• Soap Dispensers If matching faucet/soap dispensers aren’t selected, then soap is usually provided from a separate wall mounted dispenser. These essential accessories are sometimes deferred to the maintenance staff with the idea that they will get them “for free” from the vendor who supplies the soap. Not only is that often a false economy, it belies the effort for a coordinated design. Selecting dispensers that are designed to complement the rest of the accessories while offering a comfortable user experience is almost always a more appealing solution. They are available in hands-free (touchless) surface-mounted models as well as recessed manual options. Most commercial dispensers can accommodate bulk liquid or foam soap or gel sanitizer.
• Hand Drying Once hands are washed, most people prefer to have them dried promptly and are often unhappy if there are no paper towels in a dispenser to do so. Sometimes, there is a conscious decision by owners to be more sustainable by using only high-efficiency air dryers and avoiding paper towel usage (and resulting trash removals). All-in-one touchless solutions which include air-powered hand drying are particularly appealing in this regard. If all-in-one fixtures are not used, then a separate drying solution is needed. Wall-mounted, touchless air dryers can be selected in some cases that match the style and appearance of the rest of the accessories and provide the needed performance characteristics. If paper towels are selected for use, either instead of or in addition to air dryers, then not only are towel dispensers needed, but trash containers as well, preferably in matching style and finish to the rest of the washroom. In some cases, combination towel and trash units that match the rest of the accessories are also available which can be more unifying than disparate or purely utilitarian choices.
Mirrors Almost all handwashing stations include a mirror above the sink or wash deck. That mirror can be a random choice, or it can be coordinated with other accessories, so it enhances the overall design. Keep in mind that a full-size/60-inch mirror hung vertically can solve ADA access to the mirror if it can’t be mounted at the right height over the sink. Stainless steel frame mirrors are readily available in a variety of sizes plus the option of a shelf below them to provide both an attractive amenity and functionality. Frameless mirrors with soft rounded corners are available on some product lines too which can complement the curves of a collection of accessories. Frameless mirrors provide the appearance of floating on the wall creating a weightless, refined look. They are also available in multiple sizes and with an optional shelf.


Photo courtesy of Bradley Corporation

Washroom mirrors with perimeter LED lighting can provide a superior look and plenty of light for applying make-up or other sink-related actions.