Restroom Care Truths
Some things never change. Technology certainly does, at lightning speed in this modern age, but other aspects of everyday life are as old as the human species. Enter restroom care. It matters now more than ever before, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Handwashing surveys continue to confirm that Americans are more likely to support businesses with clean restrooms. It may seem like a mundane, obvious duty as part of any public space, but there are little-known facts and tips that can make a big difference.
How Often to Disinfect
More specifically, how often should the toilet be disinfected? In an ideal world – after every use! But in this post-COVID era, we are far from the ideal. It becomes necessary to find a balance between acceptable frequency of disinfection and risking contamination.
Cleaning industry experts agree that this balance depends on how high-traffic the area is, but the standard has definitely increased due to the pandemic’s effects. What was once considered adequate – once a day – is now insufficient to protect against the spread of a deadly virus. And it will probably never go back to the way it used to be.
Restroom Care Truths
Restroom surface cleaning frequency should be determined based on several variables: number of occupants, number of restrooms, and total amount of each surface (such as number of toilets). While there is no hard and fast rule to how often you should disinfect a high-touch surface, it helps to take into account the amount of traffic in the building relative to the number of toilets or other surfaces. It is clear, however, that the pandemic has increased public demand for frequent restroom cleaning.
Most Overlooked Surface in a Restroom
It’s small but right in front of you: the latch inside the bathroom stall. Everyone who uses the stall touches it. Yet most restroom cleaning protocols don’t include it. But think about: the back latch is the last thing you touch before you leave the stall.
It’s actually the dirtiest part of the restroom, and new imaging technology that shows soil levels on surfaces has revealed this. Now that this most overlooked spot is on our radar, restroom cleaning staff needs to add it to their standard operating procedure.
Floor Care Standards
The biggest mistake made in restroom care is damp-mopping the floor. It’s actually a myth and leads to odor-control issues. This is because most commercial bathrooms have a ceramic tile floor with a floor drain. Damp-mopping that kind of floor causes discolored grout and a stinky bathroom when the trap dries out.
Instead, experts recommend cleaning with equipment such as a microfiber mop or a wet-vac. These tools will help prevent the floor drain from drying out and in turn causing odor.
Odor Solutions
Considering restroom odor problems, this is always a chief complaint among users. Many facilities rely on heavy fragrances to mask odors instead of treating the source of the odor. Obviously, that is merely a temporary fix, as the odor will inevitably return once the fragrance wears off. The real solution is investing in a proper floor care program that aligns floor care with odor control. This alone will go a long way toward cutting off the source of the odor.
Additionally, today’s odor control options go beyond sprays and fragrances that merely mask. Air flow science has allowed facility managers to place deodorizers strategically to coordinate with the natural conditions of the environment. Investing in an effective odor-control program as part of the facility manager’s tasks will yield great returns in user experience and the overall perception of your building and business.