Industrial soap dispensers are key to the health and well-being of employees and customers. A good commercial soap dispenser dispenses soap in an efficient and sanitary manner that allows the user to clean his or her hands and minimizes the spread of dirt and germs to other users.

There are many industrial soap dispenser types and styles, ranging from an automatic soap dispenser to an industrial foam dispenser. As you begin looking for an industrial soap dispensing device, consider which of the following best suits your needs:

1. Standard plastic liquid soap dispenser

2. Decorative soap dispenser

3. Commercial touchless soap dispenser

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Browse for a standard commercial soap dispenser

You know the standard style of industrial soap dispenser. You've probably seen it in countless public restrooms throughout your life. It is typically made from white or beige plastic and has a dispensing mechanism that the user pushes or pulls. Yes, it is utilitarian, but it is inexpensive and it does the job well.

I recommend: Take a look at the styles of plastic industrial soap dispensers that are available from SPORTSMITH. Also, Rand Materials Handling and Packaging Supplies displays several styles of commercial soap dispensers, including stainless steel dispensers and dispensers that can be mounted on a counter surface or on a wall.

Check out decorative industrial soap dispensers

Decorative industrial soap dispensers stand out. When paired with matching room decor, they tell your customers and employees that you are a business that cares about fine detail and quality. Often, decorative soap dispensers will be recessed in a countertop, but some styles are hung on a nearby wall.

I recommend: Fixture Universe, from Allied Trade Group, is an excellent place to check out dozens of styles of decorative soap dispensers. Some are freestanding, while others need to be mounted on a wall or countertop. PlumberSurplus.com has a good selection of soap dispenser styles that can be recessed in a counter.

Consider an automatic hand soap dispenser

These days, the desire for a sanitary sink area is leading more and more businesses to install automatic industrial soap dispensers. The user of a commercial touchless soap dispenser does not have to actually touch the device. Instead, a sensor determines when the user has placed his or her hand underneath the dispenser, and soap is automatically dispensed into the user's hand. This style of electric soap dispenser also reduces waste and soap spillage. Automatic dispensers cost a bit more than other styles, but many businesses believe the benefits are worth the extra price.

I recommend: Touch-Free Concepts is a good place to view several styles of automatic soap dispensers. SoapDispensers.com explains the differences between styles of automatic soap dispensers.

Industrial soap dispensers dispense more than soap. They're indispensible for workplace sanitation, whether you operate a retail store, restaurant, factory, medical facility or any other business. When you install a hand soap dispenser, you're following the advice of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), which states that hand washing is one of the best ways to guard against the transmission of germs. Hand washing protects the health of both customers and employees, and could boost the health of your bottom line by cutting down on illness-related employee absenteeism.

Choose a commercial soap dispenser tailored to your workplace needs and budget. Look for:

1. Manual pump soap dispensers for employee washrooms, food preparation areas and other cleanup sites

2. Decorative soap dispensers (including commercial touchless soap dispenser models) for customer restrooms

3. Foot operated industrial soap dispensing for medical exam rooms and surgical preparation

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Economize with a manual pump-style industrial soap dispenser

Pump-style industrial soap dispensers are the most common style of soap dispenser, and a good choice for settings where you need to offer inexpensive cleanup facilities in quantity. Manual pump soap dispensers can be freestanding or mounted on walls or countertops.

I recommend: Global Industrial carries a wall-mounted stainless steel industrial soap dispenser that is rustproof and corrosion resistant. Fixture Universe stocks a very large assortment of commercial soap dispensers from wall-mounted to countertop, manufactured in plastic and stainless steel. MyKnobs.com provides a generous selection of decorative soap dispensers suitable for use in customer areas.

Provide easy access and convenience with a commercial touchless soap dispenser

Give your customers the convenience of automatic soap dispenser systems. Electric soap dispensers help save you money on soap by controlling quantities dispensed. In public restrooms, battery-powered touchless soap dispensers, which use infrared technology to sense the presence of a hand, allow customers to wash their hands without touching dispenser handles. Touchless options are also good for industrial soap dispensing in shop areas, avoiding the need to touch manual pumps with greasy hands.

I recommend: Touchless Products features commercial touchless soap dispensers that mount on the wall, with a 6-month limited factory warranty. Autoflushers.com stocks an electric soap dispenser that uses foam soap. A benefit of foam soap is that it is lather-ready and uses less water.

Focus on sanitation with a foot operated hand soap dispenser

In medical facilities, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations mandate touchless soap dispensing to avoid cross contamination. Foot operated soap dispensers use a pressure system to force soap out of a reservoir at the touch of a foot. For medical examination rooms, patient rooms and surgery suites, choose foot powered touchless soap dispensers with the capacity you need, and check for OSHA compliance.

I recommend: AmeraProducts Inc. carries a foot operated soap dispenser with a 32-ounce capacity. Highland Labs offers several styles of foot operated soap dispensers including the standard wall-mounted and countertop, as well as a freestanding model that can be easily used in exam and patient rooms.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Refills for a hand soap dispenser come in liquid, foam or powder form. Make sure that you choose an industrial soap dispenser with a large enough reservoir that you will not have to refill it constantly.

Today's industrial soap dispensers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes colors and styles -- offering something for every decor and need, whether plain and simple, fancy and feature-rich or somewhere in-between. On the fancy side, you can choose a touchless soap dispenser or electric soap dispenser; on the plain side, you can simply choose a plain commercial soap dispenser that dispenses liquid soap with the manual press of a button or lever.

Whatever type of hand soap dispenser you choose for your particular business, you need to understand both the installation procedures and the suggested routine maintenance associated with industrial soap dispensing. When considering industrial soap dispensers installation and maintenance, it's important to keep the following in mind:

1. Whether on the wall, in the wall or as part of the sink, industrial soap dispensers must be installed according to manufacturer directions to avoid safety issues.

2. Proper maintenance and regular inspection of industrial soap dispensers is important for both health and safety reasons.

3. Different industrial soap dispenser types require different maintenance and refill techniques.

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Follow commercial soap dispenser installation instructions to a the letter

It may look easy or seem simple enough that you don't even have to reference the installation instructions enclosed with your industrial hand soap dispensers, but doing so is key. Even if the 'hanging' part seems obvious, there likely are guidelines about distance from the sink, from the floor, between two items, etc. that could play a major role in whether the job gets done right the first time.

I recommend: Although every hand soap dispenser obviously comes with its own set of installation instructions, you can get a good idea of what it takes to install one on or next to the sink at Sloan Valve Company. To get a glimpse of what's involved in mounting a smaller hand pump type, look over the installation instructions at Commercial Soap. Another installation option is a simple bracket like the one at Lyn Distributing, which holds removable bottles of soap.

Keep your commercial soap dispenser in good working order

It's important to check your liquid soap dispenser regularly to ensure it's in tip-top shape -- meaning no leaks, cracks, dirt, build-up, dead batteries or otherwise broken or non-functioning parts. Leaks could lead to a slippery floor surface; other issues could lead to unsanitary conditions for a product that's intended to have the opposite effect.

I recommend: The soap recommendations and dispenser maintenance guidelines at Bradley Corporation are general enough to be adopted for maintaining most other traditional liquid soap dispensers. Industrial soap dispensers that use foam, boxed/bagged refills or are touchless typically require less maintenance -- although the senor or touchless types need to have their batteries checked on a regular basis. For some insight into what can happen when soap dispensers are not properly maintained, read the informative article on contaminated soap at Building Services Management.

Remember to recheck and refill industrial soap dispensers regularly

Most if not all soap dispenser manufacturers offer a variety of refill options to go with their soap dispensers. An industrial foam dispenser or a commercial touchless soap dispenser requires a different refill than a regular liquid soap dispenser. Know which type of refill your industrial soap dispenser takes, and keep plenty in stock.

I recommend: Touchless industrial cleaning soap dispensers typically require special refills such as the ones offered at Supply Hero. For dispensers that use a replaceable bag or box of liquid soap, like the ones at Uline, refilling is easy and mess-free, while likely a little more expensive. Foam refills such as the Gojo brand are available at TouchFree Concepts. For plain or antibacterial liquid soap that you simply pour into your existing dispenser, check out the selection at River Island Enterprises.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're looking to install new industrial soap dispensers or replace existing ones, it would be wise to consider the touchless variety. They're the wave of the future because of their ability to prevent the spread of germs.

It's been proven over and again that hands are the primary transmitter of germs, and that frequent hand washing is effective in getting rid of and preventing the transfer of such germs. It goes without saying that knowing industrial soap dispensers key terms is a must to outfit any public restroom, kitchen or healthcare environment.

There are many makes, models and styles of industrial soap dispensers on the market today. From manual to automatic, from wall mounted to counter mounted, from liquid to foam to gel, there's a product for every need in the soap dispenser market. Here are some terms should learn before shopping for industrial soap dispensers:

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Pump style

Pump-style soap dispensers are also called push-button dispensers. They are traditional dispensers that dispense soap with the push of a button or lever.

I recommend: BuyOnlineNow offers pump-style soap dispensers in a variety of styles and colors.

Foam soap dispenser

Foam soap dispensers dispense soap in a lather form rather than a liquid form. Foam soap is said to be superior to liquid soap in a number of ways, including handwashing effectiveness and soap expense.

I recommend: Visit Autoflushers.com to see a modern foam soap dispenser and learn about the advantages of foam over traditional soap.

Foot operated

Foot-operated soap dispensers are designed for use in sterile environments, primarily healthcare. They can also provide a benefit for industrial applications where hand-operated dispensers would collect dirt, grease and grime.

I recommend: See what a foot-operated soap dispenser looks like and learn about its features and benefits at Highland Labs.

Cartridge style

Cartridge-style dispensers dispense soap from either a bag or a box. They require specific refill soap cartridges, which can help eliminate waste during a refill.

I recommend: See the handful of types and styles of cartridge soap dispensers available at AmeraProducts.

Touchless

Touchless soap dispensers, also referred to as automatic or touch-free, are battery operated dispensers that operate via motion sensor technology. They can help reduce disease transmission by eliminating a high-touch, pump-style dispenser button or lever.

I recommend: In keeping with the trend toward creating more hygienic and germ-controlled public spaces, Air Delights offers a variety of touchless soap dispensers.

Counter mount

A counter-mount soap dispenser is mounted on the counter by the sink rather than on the wall. The soap supply typically resides out of sight beneath the counter.

I recommend: See a good example of a counter-mount soap dispenser at The Betty Mills Company.