How clean are your public bathrooms - Do they just look clean or are
they really clean—deep down? Does your staff really know how to handle the need
to get rid of the down and dirty? According to a recent survey, many public
toilets are not as clean as they should be.
Restroom maintenance is an important daily task with which most facility management professionals are familiar since restrooms are a frequently used area in any facility and their upkeep can affect public perceptions. But in the survey, conducted by ISSA and Clorox Professional Products Co., it’s difficult for some managers to uncover what it takes to keep this critical area in top shape.
Visible dirt and unseen germs
When it comes to public restrooms, there are two important jobs: cleaning for appearance and cleaning for health. Maintaining a visibly clean restroom is important for influencing consumer perception. At the same time, washrooms must be disinfected to kill harmful microorganisms, such as Shigella, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, E. Coli, and Norovirus, which are routinely found in restrooms and are associated with outbreaks of illness.
Keeping a restroom disinfected can help prevent the spread of illness-causing germs to building occupants and the community at-large, especially during the winter months. According to survey results, most professionals (85%) are fully aware of the importance of this dual relationship of cleaning for appearance and health. The vast majority (95%) also believe that restroom cleaning has an impact on overall public health by helping to prevent the spread of disease.
However, this understanding may not trickle down to all employees; only one-half of respondents (49%) believe their staff is aware of all the risk associated with the spread of germs in the restroom.
The survey also found that:
Restroom maintenance is an important daily task with which most facility management professionals are familiar since restrooms are a frequently used area in any facility and their upkeep can affect public perceptions. But in the survey, conducted by ISSA and Clorox Professional Products Co., it’s difficult for some managers to uncover what it takes to keep this critical area in top shape.
Visible dirt and unseen germs
When it comes to public restrooms, there are two important jobs: cleaning for appearance and cleaning for health. Maintaining a visibly clean restroom is important for influencing consumer perception. At the same time, washrooms must be disinfected to kill harmful microorganisms, such as Shigella, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, E. Coli, and Norovirus, which are routinely found in restrooms and are associated with outbreaks of illness.
Keeping a restroom disinfected can help prevent the spread of illness-causing germs to building occupants and the community at-large, especially during the winter months. According to survey results, most professionals (85%) are fully aware of the importance of this dual relationship of cleaning for appearance and health. The vast majority (95%) also believe that restroom cleaning has an impact on overall public health by helping to prevent the spread of disease.
However, this understanding may not trickle down to all employees; only one-half of respondents (49%) believe their staff is aware of all the risk associated with the spread of germs in the restroom.
The survey also found that:
- One in five respondents
(20%) believe the general public may think their facility’s restrooms
harbor germs.
- Many facility professionals
believe that restroom handles harbor the most illness-causing germs and
bacteria, particularly restroom door handles (65%), faucet handles (38%),
and toilet or urinal handles (36%). However, secondary research shows that
this is false and that door handles pose the least risk for germs. The
feminine hygiene trash can, which only 12% of professionals believe to be
germy, has one of the highest concentrations of germs.
- “Cleaning for aesthetics”
tasks are viewed as tougher than “cleaning for health” (disinfecting)
tasks.
- Only 29% of supervisors
reported instructing their staff to disinfect surfaces most often.
Turning a blind eye to clean training
Keeping on top of restroom cleaning needs can be demanding, and although only 15% of respondents report a lack of education or training as a challenge to performing optimal restroom cleaning, far more (68%) say their staff does not understand or only somewhat understands the differences between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.
At GroupL Services, we understand the importance of cleaning for appearance as well as for health. Our operatives are trained regularly on cleaning techniques and chemicals appropriate for washroom deep cleaning. If you are looking for a professional commercial housekeeping organization, do contact us to know more about how we can help you. Visit – www.groupl.in for details.
Keeping on top of restroom cleaning needs can be demanding, and although only 15% of respondents report a lack of education or training as a challenge to performing optimal restroom cleaning, far more (68%) say their staff does not understand or only somewhat understands the differences between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting.
At GroupL Services, we understand the importance of cleaning for appearance as well as for health. Our operatives are trained regularly on cleaning techniques and chemicals appropriate for washroom deep cleaning. If you are looking for a professional commercial housekeeping organization, do contact us to know more about how we can help you. Visit – www.groupl.in for details.
