Case Studies  |  Vendor

Overview

The average hotel buys several thousand pounds of guest room soap, lotion, shampoo and conditioner each year.  Waste generated from this practice includes the partially used bars of soap and bottles of lotion, shampoo and conditioner.  For example, not only does the hotel pay to dispose of bar soap that is used only once or twice, but maintenance staff may spend labor hours cleaning pipes clogged with soap solids.  The installation of new and attractive dispensers for liquid products reduces the amount of waste generated, and also creates a cost savings from the opportunity to purchase in bulk quantities. 

By switching to refillable soap, lotion, shampoo and conditioner dispensers in the shower or bathroom of each guestroom, hotels and motels could potentially save thousands of dollars each year.  If done well, these dispensers could give the guest a sense of increased luxury at a lower cost to the hotel.  The dispensers need to be attractive, made of quality materials, labeled and filled with high-grade products in order to be accepted by guests. 

Benefits

There are several costs associated with moving to the dispensers, including labor costs of installation and the capital investment of the dispensers themselves.  However, the savings quickly pay back the initial investment.

Savings from using liquid soap, lotion, shampoo and conditioner dispensers can be realized in three ways:

• Cost savings from purchasing liquid products in bulk quantities
• Labor and cost savings due to reduced replenishment of toiletries and maintenance of shower drains
• Avoided disposal cost of throwing away the partially full containers and used bars of soaps