Better Hand Cleaner for a Happier Campus

Deb Stoko Refresh PureBac FOAM

PHOTO © JAMES STEAKLEY

Changing to the Deb Stoko Refresh PureBac FOAM allowed the University of Wisconsin-Madison to realize numerous benefits, including a $5,000 annual savings in the housing department skin care costs, given the optimal shot size and a better cost-in-use of the Deb products.

FOR 168 YEARS, the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW Madison) has served as a public land-grant university and research institution. With more than 7,500 students who live in its 27 residence halls, the university implemented a campaign to promote hand hygiene across its residence halls to improve student health and reduce class absenteeism.

“Infectious diseases can spread quickly on any college campus, but proper handwashing with soap and water is one of the most important steps students can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others,” says Jodi Krause, assistant director of Housekeeping at the university.

UW Madison was using a commercial foaming hand soap, but wanted an effective and economical product for its 600 bathrooms to improve student health.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve our campus, so we were intrigued when we were introduced to Deb,” says Krause.

In 2015, UW Madison replaced its hand cleanser with Deb Stoko Refresh™ PureBac FOAM in all of the resident and staff bathrooms in its 27 residence halls because of its effectiveness in infection prevention.

“We tried the Deb foam in a resident hall and the students and staff liked it a lot better than our previous hand cleanser, so we decided to implement university wide,” says Krause.

The Deb foam helps to maintain the natural acidic protective mantle, whose function includes protecting the skin from bacterial and fungal infection. Its perfume- and dye-free formula reduces the potential for allergic reaction and skin irritation and is ideal for people who are sensitive to fragrances.

“We like the Deb foam because there’s no dye or fragrance to it so it doesn’t leave behind a sticky residue,” said Krause. “It also doesn’t dry out your hands like our previous product.”

www.debgroup.com/us

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management September 2016 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Cedar Crest College to Build Criminal Justice Facility

    Cedar Crest College recently announced it will create a new Expert Witness Training Center and Crime Scene Lab for its campus in Allentown, Pa., according to a news release. The college is one of eight in the country to have earned Forensic Science Educational Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) accreditation for its undergraduate and graduate programs.

  • University of Kentucky Stormwater Harvesting System Receives Award

    The Utilities and Energy Management team from the University of Kentucky recently received a Grand Award at the 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards, according to a university news release. The award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky was for the university’s Central Utility Plant (CUP) Stormwater Harvesting System, which activated in fall 2023.

  • DLR Group Hires Higher Education Business Development Leader

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that Senior Associate Megan Todd will serve as its new Higher Education Business Development Leader, according to a news release. Her responsibilities will include building the firm’s reach and client relationships in the California higher education sector, based out of San Diego.

  • K–12 Safety Trends Report Reveals Reliance on Training, Technology

    Wearable safety technology provider CENTEGIX recently released its 2025 School Safety Trends Report, according to a news release. The report is based on more than 265,000 incidents during the 2024–25 school year as reported through the CENTEGIX Safety Platform, used by more than 800 school districts across the U.S.

Digital Edition