Advances in restrooms help germaphobes' plight

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Advances in restrooms help germaphobes' plight

By HELENA OLIVIERO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/31/08

Germaphobes, rest easy.

Public bathrooms are joining your dedicated battle against the bugs.

Joey Ivansco/AJC photo illustration

(ENLARGE)

Fearful of germs in public restrooms? New advances may help you make a clean getaway.

FMatthew Fulkerson

(ENLARGE)

The SanitGrasp, created by Matthew Fulkerson of Cumming, lets you leave the restroom without your hand touching the door.

[ Post your comments below. ]

With self-dispensing soap, towels and faucets now standard, we're just a few products shy of attaining the germaphobe's Holy Grail — an untouchable experience in a public bathroom.

Chick-fil-A, for instance, is testing a new L-shaped-handled door that can be pulled with the wrist or forearm, designed for a germ-free getaway. And Georgia-Pacific, which already makes an automatic paper towel dispenser in three sizes, is testing touch-free products that would dispense soap and TP by a simple hand wave.

Combine these services and we may soon be able to get from point A to point B without touching a single bathroom fixture.

Which is a relief for a growing number of people who now make a considerable effort to avoid flesh-to-germ contact in a place many consider the epicenter for contamination.

"Years ago, I don't ever remember seeing a waste basket by the door, but now if you don't have one, you'll have a pile of towels by the door," said Tom Banks, director of marketing for Georgia Pacific's Commercial Division. "Awareness about hygiene is growing. There is more concern, and it's manifesting itself."

Almost half of people surveyed won't use their hands to open a public restroom door. They either grab a paper towel or use their elbow instead, according to a 2007 Kelton Research survey of just more than 1,000 adults.

Sean Randall, an Atlanta father of four, would consider himself one of those adults. Whenever he and his children enter a public restroom, he has simple instructions: "I tell them, 'Don't touch anything!' "

At his favorite pub, Highland Tap in Virginia Highland, Randall was surprised recently by a new, waterless urinal. The Falcon Waterfree Technologies toilet for men has seen a 50-percent increase of metro Atlanta sales of waterfree urinals since the Georgia drought, according to the company.

Pub staff gave Randall a "pee green" pin as part of a mini campaign promoting the new product. He attached the pin to his long-sleeved shirt, but water conservation was not on his mind.

"Nothing to flush, nothing to touch," he said. "Nice."

Not all untouchable

About two years ago, Georgia-Pacific created a team of researchers to study bathroom habits and cleanliness to steer product development.

They studied everything from paper towels in pull-down machines to the automatic versions. And they scrutinized research on hand washing at ballparks.

They discovered a mix of paranoia and utter slackers. (Researchers for the American Society for Microbiology found only 57 percent of guys observed at Atlanta's Turner Field washed up, compared to 95 percent of women.)

Still, hands-free may not always be the best solution — at least in the case of toilet paper.

"To be honest, it's one thing to have wet hands because no paper towels come out, but if you wave your hand for toilet paper and it doesn't work, there's a much bigger risk. And you are stuck in there," Banks said.

So automatic TP is still under review at Georgia-Pacific.

Germs fly at airports, too

While doctors emphasize the importance of common sense and proper hand washing in bathrooms (the CDC recommends at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water), they also believe some of the bathroom jitters may be misdirected.

Often times the culprit of an infection is not a hard surface such as a toilet seat or door handle. It's other people, they say.

"While I can't say zero, I would say the risk [in the bathroom] is very low," says Robin Dretler, infectious disease specialist at DeKalb Medical Center. "The surfaces are hard and cold, and they don't live there that long."

Although little data is available about bathroom disease transmission, doctors say germs can survive on hard surfaces for minutes or even hours. But sneezing and touching someone's hands is typically an easier way to spread disease.

A handshake. A high five. A hug.

"The one place I am paranoid is at the airport [bathrooms] — you have so many people coming and going from all over the country," said Dr. James Steinberg, medical director at Emory University's Crawford Long Hospital, who believes extreme caution in bathrooms at the airport has helped him stave off illness while traveling. "When I am in an airport, I am rubbing alcohol-based sanitizer on my hands all the time."

And Dr. Bill Schaffner, chair of the Department of Preventative Health Medicine at the Vanderbilt University Medical School, makes another point he says often gets lost.

Lathering up in the bathroom is not just about delousing bathroom germs.

It also provides an opportunity for people to wash away the germs they've accumulated around and about — computer keyboards, coffee makers, copy machines, and of course germs stemming from any person-to-person contact.

"The quip among infectious disease specialists is that we know it's a good idea to wash your hands on your way in and out of the bathroom," he said.

AN UNTOUCHABLE DOOR

SanitGrasp, which makes the L-shaped-handle for doors now being tested at Chick-fil-A, was founded by marketing executive Matthew Fulkerson of Cumming in 2005. Here's more about the product.

How it works: L-shaped handle for door that can be pulled with the wrist or forearm so you don't have to touch flesh to the door.

Cost of the door handle: $124

Door handles sold: About 400, most of which were purchased during the past year.

How he came up with the idea: Years ago, Fulkerson was disgusted by going to a restaurant bathroom and seeing people leave without washing up. "I found it not to be very comforting and I thought there's got to be an easy and simple way to get out of the bathroom without having to touch the door."

Update: Two months ago, he licensed the product to a New Jersey company and now receives royalties.

What's next: Fulkerson said he's now working on a product that would allow you to lock a bathroom door without having to touch the lock.

A DOCTOR'S HANDSHAKE DILEMMA

If you think bathrooms are bad, imagine the dilemma for doctors, whose very business generally requires the presence of germs. But they're also professionals, meaning when they meet or see people, they shake hands.

Dr. Robin Dretler, a 57-year-old infectious disease specialist at DeKalb Medical Center, uses the fist-to-fist hand bump with his friends. He said they are all used to it by now.

And while tempted to use what is also known as "pounding it" with patients, he's held off.

"I think they would think it's too weird," said Dretler, who carries a pencil in his right hand when seeing patients to decrease the number of handshakes.

And while Dr. Bill Schaffner, chairman of Vanderbilt University's Department of Preventative Health Medicine, believes the "hearty handshake" is the American way, he has seen people with colds and flu around campus do yoga-like bows for greetings.

"I think that is very polite and very smart, too," he says.

When push comes to shove, if someone coughs into their hands, Dr. James Steinberg, medical director at Emory University's Crawford Long Hospital, tries to delicately say no or joke about why they shouldn't touch. If it's unavoidable, he washes his hands immediately afterward.

Comments

By Jackie Benson

Apr 13, 2008 4:10 PM | Link to this

Its amazing how many 'experts' are failing to recognize that alcohol-based hand sanitizers are being displaced by equally (if not more) effective products that are alcohol-free. One product we just found is called Soapopular, another is a dispenser based product called Hy5. Both are at http://www.soapyusa.com Fact: alcohol-based hand sanitizers cause dry/irritated skin, and in turn lead to infection. Fact: alcohol-based hand sanitizers are NOT effective if applied to skin that is dirty; FACT: alcohol-based hand sanitizers are flammable and toxic, explaining why schools and health care facilities are banning these products and opting for alcohol-free alternatives.

By mike

Apr 12, 2008 9:26 PM | Link to this

Here's a great option, StepNpull. It's a simple bracket that attaches to the bottom corner of any commercial latch less door and allows the user to open the door with their foot instead of their hand. There is a short demo video on the website. www.stepnpull.com

By Wash Your Hands

Apr 1, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this

We too use Cannon Hygiene for our restrooms in my office. I'll admit Im spoiled now. Automatic everything down to the door opener. Just wave your hand in front of it and you aren't touching the door at all. We also just got a demo unit of their newest hand dryer by Dyson. I think it's called the Airblade. This thing is so cool, just put your hands down in it and pull upwards. The air is cool and the device is auto sensored, so you arent toughing anything, and it leaves your hands feeling soft rather than dry from too much heat like the usual conventional hand dryers. From the toilet seat sanitizers, automatic feminine hygiene units, soap dispensers, door opener and hand dryer, our restrooms in my office are virtually touch free...I am so spoiled. I wish all bathrooms were set up this way.

If a place of business isn't going to retro fit their places with the total touch free appliances, then they need to make sure there are papertowels and a trashcan by the door (which in most places is always over flowing).

I love the fem. hygiene units they have too. I dont have to see what is down in there, just wave my hand over the door, it opens, put my contents in and it automatically shuts. I HATE going into a bathroom that has the metal trashcans next to the toilet that you have to push the door to deposit the refuse. Then, you have the places too cheap to buy anything like this and just get the dollar store trash cans with the flip lids, thats just as gross...anything that I have to touch, after countless women have put their other sanitary items in is just disgusting.

We've used other companies in the past and I advise to steer clear of them. They are unprofessional and deceptive in their business practices.

Check out www.cintasexposed.com
After reading that, I quickly considered other options.

We checked into Hygafem as well, but I frankly did not care for their deceptive business practices. As soon as the person from Cannon Hygiene left, a rep from Hygafem walked in, as if they had been following the Cannon truck and can't get business on their own. I listened to their pitch, but frankly they can not offer the service that I get from Cannon Hygiene.

I think it should part of getting a business license, having restrooms inspected routinely. If a place of business isn't keeping their bathroom clean, imagine with the kitchen looks like.

I think the website is www.cannonhygiene.com (You can see the Airblade there) or
www.cannon-hygiene.net

I highly recommend hiring a hygiene service so that the employees are not coming into contact with the millions of germs and pathogens that could be in sanitary recepticals like that. Ultimately we have fewer sick-outs and our cleaning staff enjoys not having to deal with the women's restroom in that respect.

By S. K.

Apr 1, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

To Big Bad Germs,

You are mistaken about hand sanitizers. First, they are incredibly effective, based on scores of research over the years. Second, even the miniscule number of germs left behind will not become "super bugs". This is because the product is made from ethyl alcohol, which evaporates leaving nothing behind to which the germs can adapt. There is no debate among scientists about this fact.

By S. K.

Apr 1, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this

By S. K.

Apr 1, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this

By Patty Conaway

Mar 31, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this

Preventing illness when traveling has become a lot easier since the general use of cell phones has become the norm. Public telephones have to be the worst source of contact contamination and not using them has dramatically reduced my personal ability to make it home from a business trip without a cold or 24 hour stomach bug.

By Josh Sagarin

Mar 31, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this

I can't stand the people who cover the entire seat with half a roll of paper and then leave their dirty butt paper all over the seat for the next visitor to clean up off the seat or floor.
Let's all get the japanese style self cleaning restrooms

By Woman in distress!

Mar 31, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

I have bad knees which of course is tough when "doing the squat"! Laidies you know what I mean. Sometimes it is not even clean enough in a public rest room to even sit with a seat cover or 2! I was in Europe a few years ago and thought this was the best thing they could have come up with for a ladies rest room or any stall where someone would need to sit. When you have gone and the rise (rotates and disinfects it at the same time). Then as the rotation completes itself, it is then air dryed off. Dry, clean and ready for the next user. This is the ultimate for the "true germaphobic"!

Nothing on you, your bottom or your hands! The only way for the doors are auto matic or swinging! The bowl does need to be bigger for the automated water and regular soap works just as well.

As far as hand sanitizer goes. Have you ever rubbed your eye or licked you linger just not thinking and get a feel or taste of that stuff! "FOUL"!!!
Plus all your doing is rubbing in the nasty things you just picked up.
As far as kids go they just nasty little people, just teach them, and clean them off as needed.

"I WISH YOU ALL CLEAN HEALTH!"

By Kenneth H. Sayers

Mar 31, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this

If one showers daily, one is probably cleaner than most public lavatories. Urine, unless one has a UTI, is sterile. So, handling one's own genitals in not necessarily a dirty experience. Defecation is dirty and one should wash one's hands after. If you have to touch a towel dispenser to get the towels, you should do that before washing your hands. After drying, use the paper towels to open the door before discarding them. You can get germs from any hard surface (fomite) that someone has sneezed upon or touched. Wash your hands often.

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