Clos-o-Mat's Golden Touch

Published by Angela May for Total Hygiene in Housing and also in Health

A half-century in disabled toileting solutions- and hints of developments to come- is being celebrated by the UK’s leading provider in the market.

Total Hygiene first introduced the Clos-o-Mat, Britain’s top-selling ‘wash and dry’ toilet, in 1961. That first Clos-o-Mat Standard has evolved over the years, and was completely redesigned specifically for disabled people in 2006 with the launch of the Clos-o-Mat Palma Vita. Now, there are over 40,000 Clos-o-Mats now installed in the UK, helping people live their daily life with dignity and independence, reducing or eliminating their reliance on someone having to help them go to the toilet. The company’s quality of product is demonstrated in the fact that many units have been in use as long as 30 years, and are still being used every day.

The company will be using Naidex 2011 (NEC Birmingham, April 5-7) for client feedback on the next generation, in domestic, leisure and public environments….

The Clos-o-Mat Lima Vita features all the benefits of the established, proven Palma, but is wall-hung rather than floor-mounted. As a result it can be fixed at just the right height for the user without inclusion of supplementary plinths to attain optimum positioning for the user, cleaning of the surrounding floor is simplified, any impact on underfloor heating is eliminated, and the bathroom aesthetics made more chic.

When ‘out and about’, the growing momentum of the ‘Changing Places Changing Lives’ campaign, which Clos-o-Mat sponsors, means more and more public toilets have appropriate facilities for people who need the help of at least one carer. And Total Hygiene is hoping the new British Standard for public toilet provision will encourage inclusion of a Clos-o-Mat in new or upgraded conveniences because of its satisfaction of issues of accessibility and social inclusion.

Robin Tuffley, Total Hygiene marketing manager, says, “We live in an ever-changing world, and the Clos-o-Mat demonstrates that. It has changed, and continues to change, to encompass technological advancements, and itself has the flexibility to be fitted with accessories as the user’s needs change over time. We are proud to be a British company, which manufactures in the UK, celebrating 50 years of helping people participate as fully as possible in life, at home and in the community.”