WASHROOM CARE

Studies show that every tenth visitor to a building uses the restroom and that this area causes more complaints than any other part of a building!

Clean washrooms are particularly critical to leaving a favorable impression of your establishment.

Essential to your washroom maintenance program is a system which addresses:

  • CLEANING & DISINFECTING

  • ODOR CONTROL

  • RESTOCK & RESUPPLY

Odor Control

When setting up an odor control program, it's important that you counteract, not merely perfume or "mask" restroom odors.

A true counteractant effect is based on the concept that for every odor molecule, there is another odor molecule that is its pair. In proper proportion, these odor pairs have the effect of canceling the perception of either odor By matching odor pairs ­ for example, lemon and fish - an objectionable odor is eliminated. It is not merely masked by adding a stronger, albeit more pleasing fragrance/ perfume.

However, since no odor at all can seem stale and therefore undesirable, you should choose products that also provide a quality of "freshness" to the air. The overall results of combining odor counteraction with this so-called "air freshened" effect are three fold:

1) Malodor are eliminated.

2) Total odor intensity is reduced.

3) The environment takes on a quality of freshness.

Odor Counteraction is Not Enough

The air quality in your restroom depends on total environment sanitation. Soil removal and disinfecting are essential elements of a complete washroom care program. But many odors. cannot be eliminated solely through the use of detergents and disinfectants. Thus, proper odor control is an integral part of your program. True odor control is accomplished by using counteractants and air-freshening agents.

And remember, odor counteracting properties of the disinfectant/ cleaner and the odor control system should complement one another to deliver a "consistent effect" rather than a multitude of "favors". The objective being to achieve clean, fresh-smelling washrooms, while not "confusing" the nose!

Manufacturers now offer a variety of odor controlling agents and products to deal with most malodor you will encounter. Not only in your restroom but throughout your entire facility. The assortment of odor control programs now available allows you to select from a variety of products to meet the standards of your washroom, your facility and the public.

Cleaning & Disinfecting

When choosing a disinfectant, follow these guidelines:

  • Check to ensure the product is "registered" and compare label claims.

  • Does the product carry a D.I.N. number?

  • More importantly, does it carry a Pest Control Product (P.C.P.) number to confirm the product will do what the label says it will do?

  • Has the product passed the stringent tests designed by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (A.O.A.C.)?

  • A manufacturer should support claims with written reports and technical data indicating:

  • If and how the product is registered.

  • What test methods it has used to achieve such registration.

  • Exactly what the disinfectant can do under test, and if possible, real-world conditions.

  • Check labels for microorganism effectiveness. Compare the dilution ratios for cleaning and disinfecting. Check the soil load and hard water tolerances as well as odor counteracting capability. And of course ensure the odor counteracting contained in the disinfectant/ cleaner complements the rest of the products used in your washroom.

For effective, one-step cleaning and disinfecting in your restroom, also consider the following:

  • If athlete's foot is a concern ensure your product carries a fungicide.

  • If herpes or HIV is a concern, make sure your product carries a proven and effective virucide.

  • For added safety make sure acid bowl cleaners carry a dye to help spot spills and residues which could be left where they're unwanted: a toilet seat for example.

When choosing "other" hard surface restroom cleaners, consider the following:

  • Are your urinal rings and blocks biodegradable, and do they carry an odor counteracting? How long do they last? Cheapest is not always best!

  • Do your acid bowl cleaners change color when the product is working to promote worker safety?

  • Do your cream cleansers contain highly abrasive ingredients such as pumice or silica, or are they really mildly abrasive and therefore ideally suited to surfaces we want to protect?

The Bottom Line on Washroom Care

A total restroom cleaning system includes effective odor control which complements the cleaning and disinfecting elements. Though the restroom may be spotless, if malodor persist, the public will doubt the sanitation standard of the facility. And because it's very hard to fool the nose, perception may be more critical in the restroom than anywhere else. If odor control is not part of a total restroom sanitation program, then a critical element is missing.