On Feb. 24, all outdated soap dispensers were replaced by new foam sanitizers. There are many individual factors that influenced this change.

According to custodian Joe Jackson, the sanitizer is more effective at killing germs than the soap.

“The new soap makes hands much more smooth. [FCPS] made a better choice this time because this one does not make a mess,” an AHS custodian said.

The FCPS budget also played a role in the switch. According to Jackson, the county says it will cost less to use the new sanitizer.

“The soap company will supply the soap once the county buys the dispensers,” Jackson said.

Students have also appreciated the transfer from the “blue goo” to the bubbly foam.

“I like the foam soap because it is more fun to play with when you wash your hands. It looks cool and makes your hands more clean,” sophomore Jordan Fox said.

The former cleanser was not only expensive but also misused.

“Kids used to go in the old dispensers and just let [the soap] run and would waste all of it,” security specialist K.W. Williams said.

Williams added that the old soap would get on bathroom floors, causing many people to slip and obtain injuries. These treacherous puddles also increased the workload for AHS custodians.

Depending on the future FCPS budget, further improvements to the bathrooms could be headed our way.

“There could be 30 new custodial positions and new equipment could be supplied after an evaluation of each school’s bathrooms,” Jackson said. “The worst [school bathrooms] will be given new equipment first.”