BUMMERS IN THE BATHROOM

“If you were stranded on a desert island, what necessity would you take with you?” This question has been asked thousands of times in various ways to diverse groups of people. So what did most people say? Can I get a drum roll please…..the survey says…. toilet paper. No lie. 49% of people didn’t choose the ever important, no brainer necessity of food but TOILET PAPER (can you add the reference or link for this? That’s great!)! Can you believe it? Your bottom is a top priority when stranded on a desert island and when it comes to restroom cleaning.

Every business knows that complaints are easier to come by than compliments. For those businesses who provide a service, complaints are expected. 50% of all building complaints have to do with restroom cleaning. Nearly 4 out of 5 people would refuse to visit an establishment with unclean restrooms! Each customer has an expectation level of cleanliness and if they are not met, your establishment will be deemed dirty. Cue the cute Croods monkey, “Dah dah dahhhh.”

HERE’S YOUR SIGN

Remember that comedian, Jeff Foxworthy, who told hilarious redneck jokes ending with “Here’s your sign.” Well, according to a Cintas survey on what customers believe makes a restroom clean, here’s your signs.

Signs of a dirty restroom

• 67% say a lack of toilet paper is a sign of a dirty restroom.

• 55% say empty soap dispensers is a sign of a dirty restroom

• 88% say overflowing trash bins are a sign of a dirty restroom.

• 80% say paper towels and toilet paper on the floor are signs of a dirty restroom

• 93% would consider a restroom unclean with dirty or sticky floors

• 89% say odor is a leading sign of uncleanliness

Empty Dispensers

Nothing’s worse than when you rush to the restroom, pull down your pants to sit down and use the restroom, only to notice there is no toilet paper. AHHH! This top, numero uno, customer complaint in restroom cleaning would not and should not happen with a great cleaning company. As the statistics above show, a clean restroom is a fully stocked restroom.

A great cleaning company confirms that all dispensers are full and that extra supplies are available before leaving your establishment. A great cleaning company takes the time to monitor your paper supplies and soap products, either replacing them when necessary or notifying you when supplies are low. While your cleaning company is away, a simple way to prolong your toilet paper is with a two-roll dispenser, which automatically drops a new roll once the first roll is empty.

Overflowing Trash Bins

Do you like when your home trash is overflowing? Obviously, not. An unkept restroom with overflowing trash receptacles looks a mess and gives a bad impression to customers. Every time the restroom cleaning service visits, trash bins should be emptied and new trash liners need to be put into the bins.

But sometimes that isn’t enough. Sometimes the trash receptacles are still overflowing because of the amount of paper towels being used during a day. Depending on the type of paper towel dispenser, you can control the amount of paper towels being consumed. Touchless automatic towel dispensers have adjustment levels allowing one, two, or half sheets of paper towels to dispense with just the wave of your hand.

Another solution may be to install an automatic hand dryer eliminating the need for paper towels.

Dirty Floors

Did you know that restroom floors are the dirtiest place in the restroom? Whether it be from sticky spills, dirty footprints or unsightly grout lines, dirty floors can be easily remedied with a good scrub down. Cleaning companies should attend to the floors daily with sweeping dirt and debris along with steam cleaning or mopping the floors.

One common mistake that janitorial services make is leaving the bathroom floors wet after cleaning. A great cleaning company makes sure to clean the floors after hours or leaves the proper signage signifying that the floors are wet. Routine deep cleaning with specialized floor cleaning machines is also a must in keeping the tile and grout in pristine condition.

Foul Odors

Odor problems happen only when there is a cleaning performance issue. Many times establishments try to cover up smells with deodorizers or air fresheners thinking that public restrooms just have a funky smell. But that is not the case. Odor eliminators and neutralizers should only be used to neutralize the air quality.

The most common restroom odors are caused by urine leaked onto the floor or in the urinals. If on the floor, most likely it has seeped into the grout lines surrounding the toilet or urinal. Grout is porous making it an awesome place to harbor germs and odors. Grout lines and tile must be scrubbed routinely otherwise odor problems will occur. If in the urinal, drip systems and urinal mats in conjunction with odor eliminators help to reduce the urine smell.