95% of people wash their hands incorrectly, most wash too quickly and a third don’t use soap, the most critical element. SoapStream mixes soap into the water flow so users can not avoid using soap switching automatically to clean water for the final rinse.

The recent Covid-19 pandemic threw into focus the importance of good hand hygiene but while looking at a bathroom poster for correct handwashing, I realized that the current 9 step process was too complicated, with too many potential points of error. Studies show that many don’t apply enough soap, if any, and they would often then rinse it straight off, before it could work. So whilst expensive hand washing machines existed for medical and food preparation, there was nothing for regular bathrooms. Imagine the global health improvement we could see if instead of 5% of people washing correctly, it was 50% or even 80%.

The SoapStream tap integrates soap into the water stream. Once contactlessly activated, the user scrubs their hands underneath the flowing soap foam mix. The soap foam continues to flow for the correct scrubbing period before it switches to water alone in a rinsing stage allowing the user to wash the suds off their hands. Poor hand hygiene is often down to bad habits rather the conscious malicious action. The SoapStream removes the three main ways that traditional washing is misused:

With SoapStream a generous dose of soap is applied continuously to the water flow, forming a luxurious foam, users can’t avoid contact with it. Since it’s mixed with the flow, it can’t be rinsed off early and once covered in soap, users stick with it till the water rinses it off at the end. Through design it prevents bad behaviour unconsciously.

Initially, I devised a test procedure to measure hand cleanliness and conducted a series of tests on various cleaning mechanisms and techniques. These tests revealed that the contact time of the soap suds on the hands played a significant role in the quality of cleanliness achieved. After extensive brainstorming and concept development, I conceived a solution inspired by car washes, where soapy foam is jetted onto the user’s hands. This method ensured complete coverage of soap suds and allowed us to control the contact time by adjusting the duration of the foam spray. During the subsequent development stage, I created, tested, and refined three different types of prototype:

Current handwashing systems rely on user or automatic dispenser-applied soap solution at the start, but it can be skipped or washed off early. SoapStream eliminates this issue. Additionally, current automated handwashing systems provide limited feedback on what’s going on, leading to user confusion and frustration. In contrast, SoapStream allows users to visually monitor the draining of the single dose tank while scrubbing, resulting in a satisfying and engaging experience. Its simple design offers comparable initial costs to contactless taps, while delivering cleanliness on par with industrial automated systems. Although soap consumption may be higher, recent advancements in soap foams offer significant volume savings, resulting in only slightly higher ongoing operating costs. SoapStream revolutionizes hand hygiene by guaranteeing soap application, providing visual feedback, and offering a cost-effective and efficient solution for optimal cleanliness.

The next phase of development will be focused on the generation of soap foam. I will create a test rig specifically designed to examine the impact of different soap solution chemistries, flow rates, and nozzle geometries. The ultimate goal is to maximize hand cleanliness while minimizing the volume of soap solution used. Once this optimization is achieved, my plan is to construct a works-like looks-like prototype to showcase at tradeshows and investor meetings. Initially, my focus will be on customers in healthcare and food preparation settings, where hand washing compliance is critically important and actively monitored.