The largest contributor to employee contamination is wash effectiveness. While all employees will wash their hands, some employees wash well while some do not. Englewood, CO-based Meritech offers automated handwashing systems that eliminate variations in employees’ techniques to provide an effective wash cycle each time.

Meritech’s CleanTech systems can be preprogrammed to perform a variety of different wash cycles. The most popular programs perform a wash cycle with the use of a cleaning and sanitizing solution followed by a rinse cycle. Cycle times are programmable from 8 to 20 seconds, with most cycles lasting 10 seconds. Another configuration is washing, following rinsing, and followed by a final application of a sanitizer. The cycle time for this configuration is programmable from 10 to 20 seconds. A third configuration is a sanitize-only cycle where no cleaners are used, only the mixing of water and sanitizer.

The technology which propels the CleanTech systems are patented rotating cylinders that provide a higher pressure, low-volume water spray for fast and effective washing. The cylinders are divided into the inner and outer sections, and water and antimicrobial solutions are forced between the inner and outer sections and through 20 jet spray nozzles.

CleanTech’s technology allows washers to simply place their unwashed hands in the cylinders and automatically their hands are cleaned. The ease of washing results in an increase of washing frequency. According to Meritech, “independent studies have shown up to a 300-percent or greater increase in washing frequency because CleanTech systems provide a method that is easy-to-use, fast, non-irritating to hands, and actually feels good to use.”

While the ease of use increases wash frequency, the automated cycle programs allow for reduced water costs. The CleanTech high-pressure, low-volume spray uses .6 gallons per wash cycle, one-third of the amount used in most manual handwashing methods. Compared to manual handwashing methods, the saving from reduced water consumption averages between 3.5-and 7-cents per wash.

There are three CleanTech models available from Meritech. The 500EZ is made from water-resistant stainless steel and weighs 60 pounds. It requires a four-gallon external water heater, which provides 22 warm washes and replenishes hot water in 20 minutes. The 400 uses water-resistant componentry and weighs 75 pounds. It also requires a four-gallon external water heater and it provides 16 warm washes and replenishes hot water in 15 minutes. The 2000S is made from water-resistant stainless steel and weighs in at 115 pounds. The 2000S features CleanTech’s Self-Clean flow. Self-Clean is used as a hard surface cleaner to eliminate bacteria colonization in the system and facility drain attached to the system. The Self-Clean cycle initiates every 24 hours and can also be used as a footbath. Other benefits include automatically replenishing the footbath water every 5th person with a highly effective hard surface cleaner; sanitizing boots at the same time of cleaning the hands; and saving time and money with the employee and maintenance to replenish traditional footbaths. Meritech offers a variety of options for its CleanTech line to meet most any need regardless of plant size and number of employees.