Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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Washie Smart Toilet Seat is making it safe to go in public washrooms again
When nature calls, few of us like to make us of public washrooms.
That's starting to change with the Washie Toilet Seat, the cleverly-designed Smart toilet seat with a hands-free sensor that dispenses an alcohol-based cleaning solution to wipe the seat down before and after use.
Washie launched nationwide this year and the Smart toilet seats are already in use at high-traffic washrooms in more than 30 facilities, including hospitals, NBA arenas, airports, event centres and office buildings throughout the Western US.
Washie ends the internal debate of whether to wait or use a public washroom. Many public health experts poo-poo the notion that paper toilet seat covers make going to the bathroom safer - and some believe they actually make things worse. They also found that people who hover over the toilet seat is a less sanitary option.
"People hate wrestling with paper toilet seat covers that absorb liquid and often fall into the toilet bowl," says Rob Poleki, founder of Washie. "Washie users have a cleaner, fresher and more hygienic restroom experience."
Rob invented and patented Washie after partnering with Idaho State University to test the functionality of the toilet seat. He came up with the idea after trying to take his four-year-old son to the washroom at an airport and struggling to use soap and toilet paper to clean the toilet seat. A survey of 300 people found most people face the same dilemma at public washrooms:
* 75% are unsatisfied with paper toilet seat covers
* 82% are wiping seats down with toilet paper
* 85% prefer the Washie toilet seat over the paper covers
After meeting Washie's founder, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce senior account manager Paul Fleming upgraded the chamber's sanitation policies by adding air sanitisers and Washie toilet seats to its building.
Says Paul:
"Washie toilet seats provide a clean experience that has taken off with other businesses around the area. When we have visitors to our chamber, which is quite frequent now, it is always fun to ask how our guests like their restroom experience."
The public can also use Washie at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City; Mountain America Exposition Center in Sandy, Utah; Boise Centre in Boise, Idaho, and the Pocatello Regional Airport in Idaho.
The Washie toilet seat is thought to be the first Smart toilet seat that dispenses an alcohol-based cleaning solution to wipe the seat down before and after use. The product is designed for high traffic public washrooms in airports, hospitals, stadiums, arenas, convention centres and office spaces, and eliminates the need for paper seat covers, providing users with a more sanitary experience and greater peace of mind.
Washie is headquartered in Pocatello, Idaho, with offices in Salt Lake City.
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17th March 2022