Hygiene comes first: Mansha International CEO

Lovell Khanna, CEO of Mansha International, Singapore, talks about the benefits of going hands-free!

What prompted Mansha to set up its India operations?
Mansha is a socio-entrepreneurial company that is dedicated to improving the hygiene and health standards of our society. As you might be aware, India has a huge issue in personal hygiene and sanitation. According to UNICEF, more than 1,000 children die of diarrhea in India every day. The primary cause of this is the practice of using hands to clean after toilet. We don’t realise that the very act of touching excreta exposes us to some of the most dreaded diseases on earth including jaundice, typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, etc.

You mentioned that use of soap is not sufficient. Why?
As per medical research, soap only gets rid of 45% of germs. Many Indians use bar soap which is even worse, since bar soaps are sticky and easily get contaminated with Gram-negative bacteria like e-coli, salmonella etc. Imagine a mother cleaning her hands with a bar soap and then asking her child to use the same soap to clean his/her hands before eating.

What about liquid soaps?
Liquid soaps are a shade better than bar soaps, but they still don’t clean more than 50% of the germs that stay below your nails and inside your skin pores. It’s because of these issues with soap that hospitals today have switched from soap to alcohol scrubs.

Should everyone therefore switch to alcohol scrubs?
Alcohol scrubs can mitigate this problem to some extent but everyone has to first learn the technique of how to clean the hands with these scrubs and they are expensive, require regular replenishment and still might not guarantee a 100% eradication of germs.

But why don’t we attack this major issue of dirtying our hands at its root itself, and not allow the germs to come on our hands in the first place instead of trying to find ways to clean these germs?

So what is your solution to rid this problem?
Today, there is a very simple Japanese technology that allows us to clean ourselves thoroughly without having to dirty our hands. It’s affordable, a one-time investment, easy to use, comfortable and easily fits onto an existing/new WC without the hassle of additional plumbing or changes in our toilet. This device is called an auto-clean bidet and is available today in India under the brand Hygiclean.

How does it work?
The auto-clean bidets function on the principle of cleaning you from below with a jet of water designed to hit the anal area or the vaginal area (for ladies) .All you do is press a button or turn a knob on your side and an antibacterial retractable nozzle does the rest. Ten seconds is all it takes. A simple test using a tissue after your first wash will be enough to convince you.

That sounds very interesting. How many models do you have?
We currently have 16 models. There are the basic models that are installed under your existing toilet seat and those that come with an anti-bacterial soft drop seat with the bidet integrated into it. We have models that not only help clean the posterior, but also those designed for ladies personal hygiene. Then there are the more advanced electronic models that offer a host of additional features like warm water wash, massage to relieve constipation, warm seat, warm air dryer, child settings, remote control etc.

Apart from the hands-free cleaning, are there any other benefits of these bidets?
Apart from the hands-free germs-gree benefit, these bidets offer great convenience in usage since all you do is press a button or turn a knob by your side. This is a boon for children, elders, pregnant women, those with physical disabilities and patients. It also helps maintain a dry and hygienic toilet since the cleaning is all done within the bowl and there is no water spillage or messy sprays hitting the floor or outside the commode.
Another major benefit is that these bidets are green. They help save 90% water usage. A family of four can save 20ltr of water per day and in today’s situation with every city facing major water shortages, this is a great eco-friendly feature to help conserve water and save on the cost associated with it.

That’s a great solution. How much do these bidets cost?
The basic model costs just Rs1,965, including taxes. We have a wide range to suit various pockets and requirements. The bidets are specially designed for Indian conditions and come with a one year warranty and after sales service.

Apart from homes, can these bidets be used elsewhere?
Yes, they can be used in any place that has a toilet fitted with a WC, be it an office, school, hotel, hospital, factory etc.

Our public toilets are generally very dirty, especially the ladies’ toilets. Do you have any solution for that?
Yes, we have a model that has a seat with an auto=change plastic cover. You press a button and a new cover automatically comes over the seat, so you never sit on a used seat.

For more information, log on to www.hygiclean.in or write to manshenterprises@gmail.com or call 41640471 or 9880009450.