Two mobile hand wash sink scenarios to consider…
Described as “the most important lesson child can learn”, teaching young children to wash their hands properly with soap and water is a vital life skill. They also need to know the importance of washing hands at the right times such as after going to the toilet and before eating.
But – and this is a very big but – what if the preschool or childminding facility lacks suitable hand washing facilities in the right place? Or if children are forced to use sinks that are not intended solely for hand washing or, worse still, are designed for adult use, with children being forced to clamber up steps or onto boxes to be able to use them?
There is another way – the provision of highly mobile hand washing sinks that have been designed especially for young children. With the added bonus that they can be used indoors or out – and don’t need any mains water supply!
Making the case for specialist mobile sinks
Here are a couple of scenarios that we think really make the case for mobile hand wash units.
1) Out of doors
If the children are engaged in a lengthy outdoor education experience, they will of course need to eat at some point. Trooping them all back indoors to wash their hands, only for them to reemerge to eat sandwiches or snacks is a time consuming, awkward process. But if the handwash units are right by the picnic area, they can wash their hands and eat with a minimum of fuss!
2) Painting activities indoors
Little hands covered in paint can cause all sorts of unfortunate – and unintended – redecorating issues as they touch walls and doors. In fact anything within reach! If they then have to walk through the school in order to reach suitable hand washing facilities, they can leave a trail of multi-hued hand prints absolutely everywhere!
But if those same hand wash units that may have accompanied them out of doors previously are situated next to the aforementioned painting activities, it become an efficient and straightforward process to get them clean again – without any of the unfortunate decor devastation!
3 reasons why it must be soap and running water hand washing
One) Soap and water washing is essential if “hands are visibly soiled or dirty” says the NHS in the article Hand hygiene.
Two) Hands should be washed in clean running water advises the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
“…hands could become recontaminated if placed in a basin of standing water that has been contaminated through previous use, clean running water should be used.”
Three) And finally, there are a number of illnesses that cannot be controlled by the use of hand wipes and gels, on the grounds that they are often totally ineffective. Norovirus for example is so often the scourge of preschool facilities. And it can only be controlled by good old soap and water. Professor Saheer Gharbia, a deputy director of the National Infection Service at Public Health England, was quoted recently as saying
“…alcohol gels do not kill off norovirus so soap and water is best.”
Hand wash units – wherever they’re needed!
Teal produces portable hand washing sinks that are idea for preschool and nursery children including the KiddiSynk and KiddiWash.
The Teal range of mobile sinks includes the MediWash, Hygienius and Hygienius ProWash, BigSynk, Super Stallette, TEALwash, Handeman Xtra, Compact Classic, HandSpa, CliniWash – and now the new WashStand Xtra.