Sensor Taps: A Hygienic Solution for Workplace Bathrooms

With workplace hygiene being more important than ever before, businesses have been turning to sensor taps to make bathrooms as touch-free as possible.

Now that many of us are returning to work after lockdown, our workplaces are starting to see small changes that are likely to become the ‘new normal’. A hugely important area in which changes are already being seen is the bathroom.

One of the few places in the workplace where it’s difficult to keep things sterile 24/7, bathrooms feature numerous points of contact where bacteria and viruses can be indirectly spread from person to person.

Toilet seats, toilet roll holders, flushes, doors and basin taps are all likely to be touched by several people during a standard working day. All of which can harbour and pass on harmful germs.

Regular and repeated cleaning of these areas is essential, but to make things even safer we’ve started to look into ways to limit the need touch things.

With this in mind, the humble sensor tap has suddenly become a highly sought-after upgrade.

How can a sensor tap help to keep you and your colleagues safe?

Recent studies indicate that handwashing between 6-10 times could reduce the risk of infection. This has led to plenty of emphasis being put on the importance of washing our hands regularly at work.

However, simply touching your workplace’s taps could be putting you at risk. Sensor taps, also known as infrared taps, help to eliminate this risk by allowing you to wash your hands without touching the tap at all.

These innovative commercial taps use infrared sensors that allow the tap to be activated by a simple wave of the hand. This means that, no matter how many times they are used in a day, sensor taps won’t become a hotspot for dangerous bacteria to thrive on.

In addition to their hygienic qualities, sensor taps can be utilised as a savvy way to cut down on utility bills; with motion activation means that users can’t accidentally leave taps running, which could substantially reduce your water usage costs. This, in turn, could lead to savings on your company’s heating bill too, with less energy being used to heat water.

Our top commercial taps with sensors

To help make things easier, we’ve handpicked our top 3 favourite commercial taps with sensors to make your business that bit more hygienic.

1. Grohe Essence E Infra-Red Basin Mixer Tap - A sturdy and stylish chrome sensor tap, the Grohe Essence E is our pick for those wanting to make a statement. This tall and contemporary mixer shows that hygienic commercial taps don’t need to be eyesores. A discreet sensor positioned at the tap’s round base allows for hygienic touch-free handwashing. The feature-packed tap even has a thermal disinfection mode to protect against Legionnaires’ disease.

Tucked away at the side of the tap, you’ll find an adjustable limiter giving you precise control over the set temperature of your tap. This could be used to keep energy costs down and prevent scalding in the workplace. An on-trend combination of gentle curves and a chrome Grohe StarLight finish make this stand out as one of our most visually appealing sensor taps, too.

2. Grohe Eurocube E Infra-Red Basin Mixer Tap - Another stellar Grohe sensor tap option, the Eurocube E effortlessly blends high-tech internals with a striking modern look. Easy to install with 7 pre-set programs, a cleaning mode and an approximate lifetime of 7 years (based on 150 activations a day), it’s easy to see why the Eurocube is a popular choice in discerning workplaces.

Similarly to the Essence E, the Eurocube E also boasts a Grohe StarLight finish; a high-end plating process that drastically enhances scratch resistance. This, when combined with its contemporary angular design, will ensure your tap maintains its flawless looks through years of heavy commercial use.

3. Arezzo Matt Black Infrared Sensor Tap - An alternative-looking budget option, the Arezzo matt black infrared sensor tap can provide your business with hygienic touch-free handwashing at a highly competitive price point. Designed to be wall-mounted, this option is best suited to commercial bathrooms with a minimalist aesthetic.

While not as feature-rich as pricier taps, the Arezzo features an effective infrared sensor underneath the spout that will instantly activate when hands are placed underneath; and stop the second that hands are removed.

What about other points of contact?

While any of the aforementioned sensor taps will massively improve your commercial bathroom’s hygiene, there are a handful of other tweaks you can make to further reduce the chances of spreading bacteria and viruses.

Consider adding other items such as sensor flush toilets, touchless soap dispensers, and hot air hand dryers. All of which can be found in our extensive commercial bathrooms range.