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Dispenser Safety

The Risk of Bulk Refillable Soap or Sanitizer

Bulk dispensers might have gained popularity due to their perceived cost effectiveness, but the true costs and dangers lurking behind them are often overlooked.

If your establishment relies on bulk hand sanitizer and soap or uses open, refillable dispensers, you might be surprised by the risks and dangers associated with these methods. Their significant capacity might seem like an advantage, but many maintenance intricacies and contamination concerns can pose risks in terms of hygiene and operational efficiency.
Are any of these true for the bulk products you’re using?
An icon representing air exposure

The soap or sanitizer is exposed to open air at any point of the refill process.

An icon representing concentrates

Concentrates are mixed with the local water supply.

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The soap or sanitizer has no trackable lot number or expiration date.

While offering large quantities of product, bulk dispensers require regular attention, making their upkeep quite an intensive task — and, in fact, the health risks of an improperly maintained dispenser rival or surpass those of not cleaning at all.
Drawn image of a refillable bulk sanitizer or soap dispenser filled with germs

Bulk Dispenser Facts:

  • 25% have unsafe levels of bacteria.1
  • Contaminated dispensers can leave 25x more germs on hands after washing.1
  • There’s a risk of tampering, human error, and the presence of gross debris.
  • Concentrates may settle over time and alcohol can evaporate, which reduces the effectiveness.
  • It’s difficult to track expiration and lot numbers.
  • Labor includes cleaning and sanitizing the dispenser and pump.
  • Once dispensers are contaminated, even soaking in bleach has been proven ineffective at cleaning them.
  • Recontamination can occur within two weeks.2
Image of several bulk hand soap jugs

Different Kinds of Bulk

Two primary categories in this arena are bulk jugs and concentrates, which may be utilized in open-top, counter-mount, and even cabinet-style dispensers.

Bulk Jugs

Most people picture these when they think about bulk products — large containers filled to the brim with ready-to-use products like hand soap or sanitizer. Their primary purpose is to refill smaller dispensers or containers.

Concentrates

Concentrates are soap products that come in a reduced volume form that then must be diluted before use. They have grown in popularity as a potential solution to the space issue posed by bulk jugs.

An image of contaminated liquid

The Downsides of Bulk Dispensers

While contemporary bulk dispensers may look better than some of the more antiquated ones, they share common pitfalls with their more traditional counterparts:

  • Contamination Risk: Refillable containers pose contamination hazards, risking the introduction of external pollutants or microbes and bacteria that could cause illness.
  • Maintenance Issues: Constant maintenance is required, including regular checking to see if refills are necessary, battery changes, malfunctioning pumps, and frequent thorough cleaning and sanitizing.
  • Inconsistent Quantity: Bulk dispensers may not always dispense a consistent amount of product, resulting in either waste or insufficient application.
A PURELL ES10 hand sanitizer dispenser

The Essential Role of Hand Hygiene

Now is the right time to check inventories and stock up on more sanitary options with sealed refills to protect safety and effectiveness when it matters most.

The formulations intended for the ES10 dispenser have undergone rigorous testing, ensuring they combat microbial growth while being maintenance-friendly. These products offer a trifecta of powerful efficacy and proven quality from a trusted brand. While others may match one or two of these, none have the true, worry-free disinfection and the peace of mind that comes with the PURELL® name.

How to Maintain Safe, Effective, and Easy-to-Maintain Dispensers
Each PURELL® refill is CLEAN SEALED™ to keep out germs and debris and helps prevent tampering, contamination, and human error. Plus, easy maintenance keeps limited staff free for more important tasks.
Icon representing the clean and sealed refills for PURELL dispensers

Clean Sealed for Safety

Our dispensers and refills are specially designed to help prevent micro-contamination thanks to a sealed system that helps keep out germs and debris.

EASY MAINTENANCE

Never change or buy batteries* thanks to a fresh battery included on every refill, plus cut labor time with easy snap-in refills. Expiration and lot numbers are easy to track.

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THE PURELL PROMISE™

We use high-quality ingredients and strictly follow safety and regulatory rules. Cradle to Cradle Certified ® formulas validate the integrity of our ingredients.

Our Simplest, Most Sustainable, † Touch-Free Dispensing System

Groundbreaking technology proves that less is more with less required maintenance and less waste, all while delivering more ways to impress — including built-in smart technology and a complimentary mobile app.
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  1. Zapka C, Campbell E, Maxwell S, Gerba C, Dolan M, Arbogast J, Macinga D. 2011. Bacterial hand contamination and transfer after use of contaminated bulk-soap-refillable dispensers. Appl Environ Microbiol. 77(9):2898-2904.
  2. Lorenz L, Ramsay B, Goeres D, Fields M, Zapka C, Macinga D. 2012. Evaluation and remediation of bulk soap dispensers for biofilm. Biofouling, 28(1): 99-109.
  3. *Under normal usage conditions.
  4. †The PURELL® ES10 Series dispensing platform represents a 38% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to the PURELL® ES8 Series; and, ES10 Uses less plastic by 30% compared to PURELL® ES 4/6/8 systems