How Clean Are Your Building’s Restrooms?

May 31, 2013

Are you wondering what makes a clean and eco-friendly restroom?

Is your facility’s restroom the cleanest it could be?

In this article, we will discuss several factors to consider regarding your facility’s restroom supplies, technologies and maintenance.

2012’s Restroom of the Year went to Buc-ee’s in New Braunfels, Texas for offering the most spotless loo in the Lone Star State. According to Cinta’s Contest for America’s Best Restroom, Buc-ee’s brand of convenience stores know firsthand that clean bathrooms mean big business!

What do people say about the restrooms in your facility?

Survey results indicate that the leading source of complaints in building facilities continues to be restroom cleanliness, followed by restroom toiletries and supplies. Clearly, a very thorough nightly cleaning is required to kill and remove bacteria from all surfaces, but sometimes that is not enough. Traffic is a key factor to restroom maintenance, which also leads to depletion of supplies during business hours. How many times have you entered a restroom only to find paper towels on the floor, no toilet paper, water on the counters, soap drippings in the sink, water splashes on the mirrors and so on? How can this be minimized in your facility?

A Day Porter is a preferred solution for addressing these restroom issues, as they can enter and clean restrooms throughout the day. However, new product solutions and cleaning technologies help address restroom cleanliness day and night. Touch-free systems now open doors, flush toilets and urinals, clean toilets, dispense soap, turn on water, and dispense paper. Many wonderful systems are available to implement as part of new construction and renovations, however, there are also various low cost ways of enhancing restrooms in the very short term so that they stay cleaner and neater throughout the day.

Green Technologies

Touch-free soap dispensers include counter mounted systems (easily installed in the traditional circular surface opening next to the sink) and wall mounted units. New models utilizing cartridge or bag soap refills, reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, as compared to soap that is poured into open dispensers, with the additional benefit of not leaking onto the sink or counters and all provide for up to 2000 hand-washes, reducing the risk of running out of soap. Other new hygienic models are made from Microban-type substance that prevents bacteria.

Various manufacturers provide roll towels and tissue dispensers at a nominal charge. These units are often times referred to as ‘controlled use,’ as they ensure maximum use of paper product prior to advancing to a new roll. The toilet tissue and hand paper rolls are stored inside the dispenser, avoiding cross-contamination. This solution completely avoids pulling out too much paper, like a handful of multi-folds that sometimes end up on the floor, or tissue paper ‘streamers’ in the stalls.

Restroom Neutralizers

Restroom odors are always of concern, and there are new products that contain both an odor neutralizer and a light fragrance, which help to kill odors and maintain a fresh scent. Newer products are environmentally friendly because they do not require batteries. Instead the refills have a built-in hydrogen fuel cell that powers the refill for 90 days. Once it’s empty, the refill can be recycled.

If floor drains are a source of odors, consider using Green Drains, visit our Green Drain page for more information.

Even if your facility’s restrooms does not receive the next “America’s Best Restroom” award, the use of new product solutions and cleaning technologies will make a difference in the restrooms. If tenants see and feel the the restrooms are cleaner, it’s one less issue for property management to deal with, and that can be very rewarding!