Bench Cloths v Paper Towel

[dime]

We have always supplied bench cloths (one for each bench) and a bath sized towel for wiping hands in each lab. I collect at the end of each term and get them washed. Our new head teacher (acting) wants to put in paper towel dispensers in each lab to replace the cloths and towels.
My immediate thoughts are how it will be wasted, but I can see that I won't have to worry about the washing etc. Then there are the other issues of storage of rolls of paper towels and the cost.
Of course, I'd like your thoughts on this. What does everyone else do? Your practical input will, as usual, be much appreciated.

[Joy]

This is interesting as I have recently put it to my head teacher that we install soap dispensers and hang a towel in each lab. I am getting sick of towels being taken from prep room and ending up being used to wipe benches. I find I have to wash them far more regularly than once a term! I have even seen teachers wash hands and wipe dry on a nearby lab coat (mine!). I agree paper seems wasteful but maybe it is the solution?? What about one of those air dryers advertised right here? What works for other labbies?
Joy

[J]

We have paper towel dispensers in the labs and in the prep room. I don't think it gets wasted too much. Maybe as it will be a novelty item for a while you may get some wastage, but I think it's the best way. Towels are great when freshly washed, but can become so unhygeinic very quickly.

Paper towel is much more hygeinic and easily disposed.

[Lyn]

Hi Darelle,
We have always had rolls of paper towel in our laboratories and prep rooms. Mind you it took a while to have the dispensers fitted (years in fact). Yes it is an added expense but if you buy in bulk packs it is not too bad. I would assume that the govt suppliers in NSW would carry stock or you could shop around. We have soap dispensers above a side sink in each lab and the paper towel dispenser is positioned close to this sink. I also have sponge cloths for really wet cleanups. Kids occasionally go overboard pulling the paper off the rolls but it is up to the teacher to supervise what goes on in the lab. I put several rolls out in the labs stored under the teacher bench. The rest is stored in varying compactus's or cupboards. Let the HT worry about covering the cost. It won't be as expensive as you might think and will be much better from a hygiene point of view. Go with the flow and don't stress out. You will eventually come to love paper towel.
Lyn.

[macca]

We got rid of the towels years ago, I refused to put them in my washing machine, Kids using them to wipe the floor and everything else!!
With the renovations, there is one soap dispenser and one paper towel dispenser (not the roll type) in each lab. The hardest thing is remembering to keep them filled. Comes out of the school budget not Science, we made sure they were compatable with what's used in the school toilets, so there is always a supply handy. Each work station has a chux wipe hung over the goose neck, to my surprise most of the classes return them to the same position, (also depends on teacher) so it's easy to see if they need replacing. The reject shop in town has small cakes of soap cheap so they are also placed at workstations. Have a great holiday everybody.

[Whspa]

We use paper towel rolls. I think it is much more hygienic than sharing a towel with everyone. And last year we had soap dispensers installed in each lab. They get topped up when all the dispensers in the toilets get refilled.
I also supply packets of Chux to use as bench cloths. They can be washed and reused several times before needing disposal.
We pay for the paper towel out of our budget, and get 16 rolls for less than $30 from Q-Stores. That lasts about 1 term. Every staff room is supplied with paper towel except science. We have to supply our own out of what we buy for the labs.

Carol

[nickyw]

We use paper towel here. I buy the rolls in bulk sometimes locally sometimes through gov. stores depends whats cheaper at the time. I buy $2.00 soap on tap and each lab has access and suprisingly it doesnt get wasted (plus I water it down to get more out of it)

Never had problems with wastage and I think paper towel is a lot more practical and hygenic then cloth towels. Each sink in the labs have a chux cloth approx. $20.00 for a roll from gov. stores that should last us most of the year and I replace these when needed, (they dont get used much)

[Labbie]

We have only just had the dispensers put in. Before that we had cloth towels. After I saw teachers wiping the floor with them. I throw them out. Paper towels are the way to go. I did not mind washing the hand towels, but it was a female teacher, and it was my own hand towel from home, for mine hands. Paper towels the go.

[noona]

Hi All
We use paper towel here and when we need more we just get it from the cleaners as the school buy's it and so we use it .
We also have cloths in each lab and when they look like they are just so gross to use we toss them out
Noona

[Lis]

We too have paper towels and I buy liquid soap in bulk and refill (watered down) the cheap pump packs, and each bench has a chux cloth from a roll from the reject shop that I replace a couple of times each term or whenever they look a bit dodgy. I think the cloth towels should be an OH&S thing, who knows what has been wiped up with them, hands dried, floors wiped, benches, what chemicals are mixing on them and what nice little microbes do they harbour , but then I have my own hand towel that I use for myself in the prep room for after washing my hands and they get washed and changed twice a week

[dime]

I think they (the teachers) want the paper towel for the benches as well. I can't see being able to clean very well with wet paper. So maybe the paper towel for hands and bench cloths or chux for the benches? Thanks for your comments, have a great holiday.

[kimmy]

We use both paper towels, tea towels and hand towels. I wash towels and tea towel weekly to fortnightly depending on washing amount. If i did not use hand towels I am sure that I would be washing ever day or so. I dont know how you can go without having paper towel in a lab.

KIMMY

Happy Easter to ALL

[Joy]

Heres what I have decided to do. Install paper towel dispensers and liquid soap dispensers - one set in each lab. No more cloth towels! As for wiping up benches I think I will try the chux hanging over each sink. It will be good to get rid of the present system where teachers rush into the prep room and grab whatever is handy. For some reason my clearly labelled bucket containing all the cleaning gear never gets used.
Have a great Easter break.
Joy

[macca]

ARHHHHHHHHHHHH cleaning bucket, never got used either. The last couple of years at the end of each term Yr.7 classes are on cleaning duties for the last 20 mins of last lesson. Always try and timetable period before lunch or recess, play up you stay with me scary thought
NOW I AM VENTING!!!!!!!! I'm sitting here writing this, instead of Blasting a Yr.8 class and/or teacher we have an outdoor area (enclosed) for potting up plants, out door pracs., etc., they made an absolute pig sty out of it. The teacher took them out to clean it up, HA HA HA I had alot of things out there that were mine personally cow sculls etc., to show the kids, succulents etc., smashed to pieces. Thank god it's nearly over!!!!!!
So sorry everybody!

[Vicki L]

We use paper towel and soap dispensers with no problems, one set in each of the 3 labs. We have a sponge clipped above each tap that the kids use to wipe down their bench (not that they do that too regularly). The cleaners supply us with the paper towel and we supply the soap (from QStores)

[sunray18]

This is an interesting strand - I am just considering putting the suggestion forward to instal paper towel dispensers in the Labs!
We use old towels... and they are used for EVERYTHING - wiping hands, benches, floors.
And WHO washes them?
I was told by HOD NOT to have them washed in the washing machine in Food Tech as that would contaminate their cloths.
I asked her where i should wash them then!
Her answer: YOU take them home and wash them in your machine!!!!
AND that doesn't contaminate MY clothes!!!!!
Her reply was that that wasn't as important as not contaminating food tech!

[dime]

I know what I would tell her

[macca]

I'm with you dime

[goody]

Go the paper towels!!!!! It's not to expensive to set up, forget the smelly rags do ya self a favour install dipensers about 40.00 one off buy and your life gets sweeter!!!!!

[lizzieb]

We still use towels - each lab gets a clean bathtowel, handtowel, washer and chux - supposedly to be washed weekly, but in reality as often as I have the time. The teachers come down and get some clean ones if necessary.
Over the years I've built the stocks up from donations, unclaimed beachtowels from sport, or Vinnies! Now I don't have to try and get them washed, dried and back in the labs in one day - that was just too much. Sometimes it's easier to bring them home and wash them, particularly in the hols, when they can be sanitised on the line for days.
Mostly, though, they go through the food tech laundry. They eventually fall apart from all the acid spills!
I do a separate load of my P/R hand towels, kitchen and staffroom hand towels.
Paper towels/soap dispensers would have to come out of our budget, which has been slashed yet again this year - in fact, my frugal end of year order virtually used it all up, so things are very, very lean here.
Disposable towels will remain on our wish list!
Just colour me green....