UltraClean Invents New Method Of Hand-Drying

During the past few decades, hand-drying methods in public areas have remained pretty-much the same: traditional cotton towels, paper towels or warm-air dryers. UltraClean, an Israeli company, is claiming it has a better solution: An automatic non-touch cotton towel dispenser, with a self-laundering system inside, meaning the towel never needs to be replaced.

According to UltraClean, traditional cotton towel dispensers entail complex cleansing logistics (replacing the towels requires transport, laundry-services and re-installation,)  a process that requires time and money.

Paper-based products are made from wood, negatively affecting the environment, while warm-air hand dryers use air from within the restroom, so in fact, the air being used comes from the germ-filled space of the public bathroom.

“These units collect the germs from the air and spray them onto your hands,” CEO Avi Kafzan claims. “The amount of germs that stays is three times more than before you washed your hands. It’s the mechanical work of rubbing your hands that removes the germs. With paper and towel, you can remove 95 percent of the germs.”

According to the company,  UltraClean is the result of five years of research. Kafzan tells NoCamels: “UltraClean hopes to reduce  CO2 emissions, eliminate paper-waste and achieve a high level of hygienic disinfection for the users.”

The UltraClean system costs Euro 30 per month and is controlled by an electronic system.

UltraClean is remote-controlled by a technician or caretaker, and each unit can be adjusted according to the users’ specific needs, using an information screen on the device. During the workday, UltraClean operates as a regular automatic hands-free towel dispenser. At night, it cleanses, sanitizes and dries the towel, using an environmentally-friendly detergent, which contains a powerful whitening formula.

All self-laundering operations can be pre-programmed to take place at any time during the day and the cleansing process takes two hours for the full 20 meters of towel. If less than the 20-meter length is used during the day, the process will take less time accordingly.

UltraClean was founded in 2002 by Kafzan, who is also the owner of Manal, the largest hygiene company in Israel. “I visited many distributors and saw the huge amount of paper and towels in their warehouses, so I got the idea for developing a system that can be more efficient,” says Kafzan.

Photo by UltaClean