Establishing and Keeping Restroom Sanitation

The restroom is the most important room in your office complex in which to maintain cleanliness. Smudged mirrors, smelly toilets, dirty counters, mud-tracked floors, missing supplies (soap, hand towels, toilet paper), and generally unsanitary conditions leave staff, clients, customers, and visitors with a poor impression of office management. This high-traffic area can be a breeding ground for germs and viruses that spread rapidly causing employee absenteeism. 62% of people surveyed claim they feel more self-assured if a washroom facility is frequently disinfected and cleaned. Not properly caring for your restroom may result in high repair costs. Regular maintenance of your office restroom is imperative. How and when should you address restroom sanitation?

Signs your office restroom cleaning is not effective

There are some simple and obvious signs that indicate you need to enhance cleaning procedures in your office restroom. 

• Smudges, dirt, and/or dust around the doorknobs

• Smears, streaks, and/or wetness on bathroom mirrors

• Unpleasant odours 

• Frequently running out of soap, towels, toilet paper, and other supplies 

• Overflowing trash cans 

• Grimy, discoloured sinks

• Full, damaged, and/or broken sanitary disposal containers 

• Mineral deposits, soap scum, and/or fingerprints on counters

• Sinks that drain slowly or not at all

• Partitions, stalls, and/or walls that are dusty, dirty, and/or covered in fingerprints and graffiti

• Mineral buildup and or gunk on toilets and/or urinals 

• Wet and/or dirty floors 

• Dust collected in grout and corners

• Floor drains filled with hair and debris

If your restroom shows any of these signs, it’s time for a deep clean and time to create a plan to improve bathroom cleaning and sanitation. 

Best restroom sanitation and cleaning practices

The following are some practices and procedures that improve restroom sanitation and cleaning levels.

• Use quality cleaning products: Use non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaners, derived from organic, natural, and biodegradable ingredients so they don’t negatively impact the environment. Make sure your products can handle the tasks required.

• Create a cleaning log and/or checklist to keep track of each task completed, making certain no surfaces are overlooked.  

• Keep supplies stocked: When supplies run out (soap, towels, sanitizer, toilet paper) the condition of a restroom deteriorates rapidly. Keep supplies stocked at all times. To reduce waste and overconsumption, use dispensers that disperse the appropriate quantity of product. 

• Install automated solutions: Utilize touchless soap and sanitizer dispensers to reduce the spread of germs. It’s recently been shown that air dryers spread germs, so use touchless paper towel dispensers. Install self-flushing toilets and motion sensor faucets.

• Set high standards: Establish standards for cleanliness and maintain them through the use of logs/checklists and frequently scheduled cleanings. 

• Prevent cross-contamination by frequently cleaning and sanitizing high-contact areas (doorknobs, taps, toilet seats, dispensers, light switches, grab rails, stalls). Sanitize cleaning tools between uses (cloths, brushes, mops, brooms). 

• Wear appropriate PPE: For protection, have janitorial staff wear personal protective equipment when cleaning restrooms (gloves, masks, goggles).

• Use high-pressure cleaners and vacuum extraction: When sanitizing toilets, floors, urinals, and partitions, use vacuum extraction machines (hot water extractors) and/or high-pressure cleaning equipment (high-pressure reciprocating plunger pump that uses a jet of water to remove mould, grime, dust, mud, and dirt from surfaces and objects).

• Increase cleaning frequency: Frequent cleaning mitigates the spread of germs on surfaces. Schedule more frequent restroom cleaning.

• Clean before disinfecting: Clean surfaces of dirt and grim before applying disinfecting products. For best results, follow the product manufacturer’s instructions regarding dilution and contact time.

• Occasionally deep clean: While daily cleaning is important, a restroom should periodically be deep cleaned (every two to three weeks). Choose off-peak hours for this cleaning session and include the following tasks on your checklist:

• Dust the corners, ceilings, fans, vents, door frames, light fixtures, and baseboards
  
  
• Wipe down the toilet and frame to remove fluids and soil 
  
  
• Remove stains from toilet bowls and sinks
  
  
• Scrub floors using cleaning and waxing equipment.
   
• Complete necessary repairs (broken fixtures, cracked toilet seats, etc.)
  
  
• Clean grout
  
  
• Wipe down walls and stalls
  
  
• Clean and clear drains

• Hire a reputable cleaning service: They’ll have the knowledge, experience, products, and expertise to keep your office bathroom clean and sanitized.  

No matter the size, style, or frequency of use, your office restroom’s cleanliness speaks volumes about your business. A clean restroom lets staff, clients, visitors, and customers know you care about their health and safety. Endeavour to keep your office bathroom shining. 

Need help keeping your office restroom clean and sanitary? Looking for a quality cleaning service? Contact Strathcona Cleaners Ltd at 403-237-8355 or email us at info@strathconacleaners.com. We provide janitorial services to many industries, custom tailoring our maintenance and cleaning plans to suit your specific needs. We can provide non-toxic products and eco-friendly equipment. Depend on us for quality office and janitorial cleaning services.