What is included in hygiene in healthcare?

Hygiene in healthcare is comprehensive and includes hand hygiene, surface hygiene, clean washrooms, safe waste handling and clean indoor areas by preventing dirt from entering at the entrance by means of mats. All these measures help reduce infection risks for patients, visitors and staff.

Why is hand hygiene in healthcare so important?

Pathogens are often spread via hands. That’s why consistent hand hygiene is essential to reduce cross-infections and protect patients as well as healthcare staff.

When should hands be washed and when disinfected?

Hands are washed when visibly dirty or after contact with bodily fluids. Hand disinfection is used before and after patient contact and between care activities.

Why are non-touch dispensers useful in medical practices?

They reduce unnecessary contact, support hygiene compliance and are easy to use in busy healthcare environments.

Is sustainability important in healthcare hygiene?

Sustainability plays an increasing role in healthcare operations. Hygiene solutions must meet high safety standards, and responsible use of resources is becoming increasingly important. The right consumables, long-lasting product design and certified materials help reduce waste and support your sustainability goals.

Hygiene in healthcare

Reliable, compliant hygiene solutions delivered through a full-service rental model for hospitals, clinics and care homes.

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What you get

Hygiene for healthcare, professionally managed

How we make it easy

Hygiene products always available and ready to use through our rental and service model

Why CWS Hygiene

✔ Hygiene solutions support daily patient care
✔ Products available when they’re needed
✔ No interruptions in care routines

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Why hygiene in healthcare matters

Anyone working in healthcare knows: hygiene is not a separate activity or task. It runs through all activities, all day long. Hygiene in healthcare is about preventing infections, protecting (vulnerable) patients and keeping employees healthy and safe. Reliable hygiene measures help reduce cross-contamination and support safe daily routines. Consistent hygiene solutions are fundamental to trusted care environments.

Hygiene in healthcare is about safety, care and continuity
Hand hygiene in healthcare: everyday practice
Clean entrance areas as part of infection prevention
Hygiene products for healthcare
Managing hygiene more efficiently
Did you know? Frequently asked questions about hygiene in healthcare
Download our brochure: Hygiene in Healthcare

Without cleanliness, no trust: studies show that cleanliness is one of the most important measures of how competent a clinic is perceived.
Want to know how your facility performs? Take our free 1-minute Hygiene Check and receive tailored advice to improve hygiene, efficiency, and patient confidence in your healthcare environment.

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Hygiene in healthcare is about safety, care and continuity

In hospitals, clinics and care centers, many people come together. Especially in highly frequented areas of clinics, such as entrance areas, waiting zones or visitor washrooms, hygiene is particularly important, because patients, visitors and staff share the same sanitary rooms and surfaces. Hygiene is therefore one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of infections caused by contact with frequently used surfaces.

Safety and trust for visitors and patients

In addition to supporting health, hygiene also creates a feeling of safety and trust among visitors and patients. Surveys by Sheffield Hallam University within the British National Health Service (NHS) show that a high standard of cleanliness is one of the most important decision criteria when choosing a clinic. In a study (2007), 54% of respondents named cleanliness as the most important factor, and the quality of washrooms and toilets strongly influenced how positively they experienced their overall stay.

Sense of control for staff

For employees, hygiene provides a sense of control in an environment where not everything can always be predicted. That is why hygiene in healthcare has to be consistent, visible and reliable. Every day, across the entire facility.
Effective hygiene in healthcare helps to:

reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections
protect patients and residents
support staff safety and wellbeing
strengthen trust among patients, visitors and families

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Hand hygiene in healthcare: everyday practice

According to the 2025 NFID State of Handwashing Report, up to 80% of infections are transmitted via the hands. And that is why hand hygiene is one of the most familiar routines in healthcare. It happens dozens of times a day. Before and after patient contact. Between tasks. In treatment rooms, corridors and washrooms. Hand hygiene is one of the most important forms of infection prevention in care homes, clinics and healthcare facilities.

Hand washing or hand disinfection, what should you do and when? In daily practice, both have their purpose:

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Hand washing

Hand washing should be performed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. It is required:

When hands are visibly dirty

When hands feel sticky

After visible contact with bodily fluids

After using the toilet

After coughing or sneezing

Hand disinfection

Hand disinfection should be performed on dry hands using an alcohol-based hand rub. It is recommended:

Before and after patient contact

Before clean / aseptic procedures

After body fluid exposure risk

After contact with patient surroundings

Before putting on gloves and after removing gloves

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Protecting the skin of healthcare staff

Frequent hand washing and disinfection can put significant strain on the skin. Dryness, irritation and small cracks are common, especially for healthcare staff. When hands become uncomfortable or damaged, sticking to consistent hand hygiene can become more difficult.

Skin-friendly formulations, pH-neutral products and allergen-reduced solutions help support staff who rely on their hands throughout the working day. The CWS Hygiene skin protection plan can support this.

Contactless hygiene in healthcare

Touch-free dispensers reduce unnecessary contact and help lower the risk of cross-contamination. That’s why they have become standard in many healthcare environments.

In addition to being more hygienic, touch-free dispensers are also much easier to use for patients, visitors, staff and people with limited mobility. Especially in high-traffic areas where many different people pass through each day.

Hygienic hand drying: often skipped, always important

Drying the hands is the final step after washing. One that is often skipped, but actually essential. Wet hands can transmit up to 1,000 times more bacteria and microorganisms than dry hands, increasing the risk of contamination.
In healthcare environments, hand drying solutions need to be:

quick and effective
hygienic in daily use
comfortable for frequent use

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Clean entrance areas as part of infection prevention

The importance of good hand hygiene is clear. But did you know that hygiene in healthcare does not start at the washbasin? It starts at the entrance.

Dirt and moisture brought in from outside can spread quickly throughout a building. Wet floors increase the risk of slips and falls. And a neglected entrance creates the wrong first impression.

Well-placed entrance mats help reduce these risks and can lower a building’s cleaning costs by up to 70%. With the floor mat service from CWS Hygiene, you always have well-functioning dust control mats in your entrance area, supporting overall hygiene throughout the building.

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Hygiene products and floor mats for healthcare

Healthcare hygiene works best when solutions across the facility support each other.

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Managing hygiene more efficiently

Hygiene management in healthcare is all about consistency under pressure. When usage varies and routines are strict, transparency and reliable service make day-to-day operations easier.

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Real time insights with IoT

Clinics and hospitals often have multiple washrooms across different floors or wings, making manual checks inefficient.

The CWS smartMate IoT solution provides real-time insights into fill levels and service needs via the dashboard or app. Complaints are prevented, staff time is saved and consistent availability of hygiene products is ensured.

A service model that fits the everyday healthcare reality

CWS Hygiene works with a full-service rental model designed for healthcare environments. This includes:

installation and maintenance
regular servicing and timely delivery of refills
personal contact partners and regional service teams
predictable monthly costs

The result is hygiene that works, relieves and supports healthcare staff, rather than adding to their workload.

Hygiene in healthcare

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What you get

How we make it easy

Why CWS Hygiene

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Why hygiene in healthcare matters

Contents

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Hygiene in healthcare is about safety, care and continuity

Safety and trust for visitors and patients

Sense of control for staff

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Hygiene solutions tailored to your healthcare facility

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Hand hygiene in healthcare: everyday practice

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Hand washing

Hand disinfection

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Protecting the skin of healthcare staff

Contactless hygiene in healthcare

Hygienic hand drying: often skipped, always important

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Clean entrance areas as part of infection prevention

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Hygiene products and floor mats for healthcare

Soap dispensers

Hand disinfect dispensers

Paper towel dispensers

Cotton towel dispensers

Disinfection wipes dispenser

Floor mats

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Managing hygiene more efficiently

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Real time insights with IoT

A service model that fits the everyday healthcare reality

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Let’s find the right hygiene setup for your facility

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What is included in hygiene in healthcare?

Why is hand hygiene in healthcare so important?

When should hands be washed and when disinfected?

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Download our brochure: Hygiene in Healthcare

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Get expert hygiene advice for your healthcare facility

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Also interesting for you

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Hygiene in healthcare

What you get

How we make it easy

Why CWS Hygiene

Contents

Safety and trust for visitors and patients

Sense of control for staff

Hygiene solutions tailored to your healthcare facility

Hand hygiene in healthcare: everyday practice

Hand washing

Hand disinfection

Protecting the skin of healthcare staff

Contactless hygiene in healthcare

Hygienic hand drying: often skipped, always important

Clean entrance areas as part of infection prevention

Hygiene products and floor mats for healthcare

Soap dispensers

Hand disinfect dispensers

Paper towel dispensers

Cotton towel dispensers

Disinfection wipes dispenser

Floor mats

Managing hygiene more efficiently

Real time insights with IoT

A service model that fits the everyday healthcare reality

Let’s find the right hygiene setup for your facility

What is included in hygiene in healthcare?

Why is hand hygiene in healthcare so important?