One of the basic services Covenant Cleaning Services provides our commercial business and office customers is to not only clean but also restock all paper products. That includes paper towel dispensers and toilet paper.
Since we clean the dispensers and restock them we have worked with many different types and brands of paper dispensers. So we think we are qualified to give out some advice on how to choose the best types you may want.
Most paper towel dispensers are installed on the wall in the bathrooms. However they also can be found in kitchens and breakrooms. The basic function of them of course is to dispense paper to wipe and dry your hands after washing them.
Why use commercial paper towel dispensers
At home most people simply have a free standing roll of store bought paper towels on their kitchen counter. Or a single roll on a paper towel holder or hanger. In the bathroom most use a towel or handcloth to wipe their hands.
But in a commercial business or office you have many more people washing their hands. They also are strangers, so you don’t want to use a towel others have used. A paper towel dispenser holds a lot of paper so it does not run out too quickly.
They dispense a predetermined amount of paper each time to avoid waste. They are contained inside a housing for convenience, looks and sanitary reasons. You get a dry, clean, sterile amount of paper each time.
You don’t want someone to drop a roll of paper towels on the floor, getting all dirty and unrolling across the bathroom! They also save money due to less waste and limiting the amount dispensed each time.
Two types of paper towel dispensers
While there are many different paper towel dispenser brands that come in many sizes and shapes, almost all of them use just two types of paper products. One is individual tri-fold paper towels that come out one at a time.
The other is paper towel rolls. These are big commercial rolls of paper you tear apart once enough has come out of the dispenser. Some of them are perforated so they tear off at predetermined lengths.
Each type has it’s own advantages and disadvantages. Below we will compare the two and discuss what is good and bad about each style. Hopefully it will help you pick the type best for your business!
Tri-fold paper towel dispensers
Most people are use to seeing tri-fold paper towel dispensers in offices. They are also called C-fold and multi-fold. They are more compact and less bulky looking than roll types. Tri-fold towels come in easy to handle packs of around 100-250 individual towels.
You load them into the dispenser by unlocking a top latch and pulling the front open. Some simply have a top you lift off and drop the towels in. They are easy to refill and handle. You can store a lot of them in a small space since they come in space saving rectangular packs.
To dispense one you pull the very bottom one down and out of the bottom hole of the dispenser. The way the towels are folded causes the next one to hang down out from the bottom hole, ready to be grabbed. At least most of the time!
Sometimes the towels do not drop down right, causing you to have to reach up the hole with your fingers and pull the next one down and out. Other times too many come out when you pull the bottom one, giving you a big handful of 2 or more paper towels.
Most people end up using 2-3 towels to fully dry their hands. The dispensers come in stainless steel, plastic and other materials. They come in a wide range of colors with black and white most common for plastic.
The price range for tri-fold dispensers can be anywhere from $25 for small plastic ones up to $200 for big stainless steel models. They last a long time since they have no moving parts.
Tri-fold paper towel dispensers are more compact and take up less space than roll types. They look sharper and more elegant, so offices use them the most. For places that have light to moderate traffic, or want a classy looking dispenser, the tri-fold dispenser is the way to go!
Roll paper towel dispensers
The other most common type of paper towel dispensers use big commercial rolls of paper towels. The rolls come in lengths of 400 feet up to 800 feet. The width of the roll can vary between brands of dispensers and dispenser models.
Because of that you need to make sure you buy paper towel rolls that are compatible with the brand and model of dispenser you have. Some rolls are perforated every foot or so designed to be pulled apart at that location.
The main advantage of roll paper towel dispensers is that they hold a LOT of paper! This is important in factories or warehouses that have a lot of employees using the bathrooms and breakrooms.
You load them by unlocking the top and pulling the front casing down. Inside are instructions on the proper way to install them. They have bendable holders that fit into each side center hole to hold it in place and let it roll freely.
Some can only be loaded one way. Some should be loaded so the roll rotates clockwise, while others should rotate counter-clockwise. You feed the free end down and over a roll bar or two, turning a side knob or lever to feed it down and out the dispenser hole.
However some are automatic, and you push a button inside to make the rolls move and feed the paper through. Once the paper is hanging out of the dispenser hole properly you close the front casing and that is it.
As you can see, replacing rolls are a bit more complicated than tri-folds! However once you are use to your brand and model it is easy. Rolls are more heavy than the tri-fold packs, but not too heavy.
To pull out paper from the dispenser, some use a knob on the side you rotate, causing the paper to feed out the hole. Others use a lever on the side or bottom you pull down, feeding some paper out each time.
Still others are touch free models. You just wave your hand in front of it and a length of paper feeds out each time. The longer you wave your hand the more paper feeds out. You rip the paper sideways, causing teeth inside the dispenser to cut the paper for you.
Although yet again, some models use rolls that have perforated lengths in the roll and you just pull the paper toward you, ripping it off. The automatic types normally use long lasting batteries, but some plug into a wall outlet.
Roll dispensers are more bulky and take up more space than tri-fold dispensers. They cost more, with some touch free models costing $150.00 or more. However many are around $50 to $100.
They are fairly dependable and can take a lot of abuse. They are a real workhorse dispenser that holds a lot of paper. If you have many employees in a factory or warehouse type of setting, the roll paper dispenser is for you!
Tri-fold verses roll dispensers
We hope this gives you more information you can use to help you pick out the best paper towel dispensers for you. If your office or business has light to moderate traffic, or you want a sleek and classy look, the tri-fold dispensers may be your best bet.
However if you have a lot of traffic, run a factory or warehouse and need a dispenser that holds a lot of paper and can handle more abuse, a roll paper towel dispenser may be better for your needs.
Whatever you decide, Covenant Cleaning Services can service them for you! We always give you a free walk through quote. So call us today at (407) 282-2250 or visit our contact page and see what we can do for you!
