It’s inevitable – for all of eternity we will associate restrooms with germs. They just go hand in hand… and unfortunately, those little germs sometimes hitch a ride on your hand, which you then may place on the door handle or knob, giving them a nice, little new home where they can just sit and wait for their next victim. See? It’s a vicious cycle. And I’m not even talking about the people who don’t bother to wash their hands; (*Shudder*) this is referring to the good citizens of the world who do properly wash their hands and still, no matter how hard they try, may transport germs onto the door of a bathroom.

The Scoop

That’s why a Hands-Free Restroom Access Kit is one of the best things since sliced bread (or since automatic hand dryers. Take your pick.) By simply waving your hand in front of the no touch actuator, the door swings open and voila! You’re out the door with those sparkly clean hands that you worked so hard for.  And those pesky germs don’t have a cozy new home.

 

Check out this video from one of our certified Door Geeks, Rob Owen, as he demonstrates how great (and healthy) this option is:

The Mechanics of the Hands-Free Restroom Access Kit

Now, if we’re being totally honest here, I had no idea how the mechanics of this awesome device actually work. Thankfully, I work next to Ian Greene, LockNet’s Technical Support Engineer, who can pretty much tell me how every locking device operates.  He explained to me that the motion sensor trips a relay when a patron’s hand swipes in front of it. This, then, triggers a relay in the door operator, opening the door and letting you escape with potentially germ-free hands! The downside to this device? You’re going to pay a pretty penny to have it installed. The motion sensor itself may be relatively expensive, but the operator is going to cost you. However, in facilities such as restaurants germ-free hands are vital (and, well, the law). Nobody likes a particularly bad case of food poisoning, right? Considering this fact, I won’t be shocked to see the prices of hands-free restroom access kits coming down in the future. As with any device, simply weigh your options. If the benefits outweigh drawbacks, the end result might be very profitable! If nothing else, you’ll leave some germs homeless… so that’s a plus!