The Restroom Story

Clean, well-stocked restrooms mean satisfied facility owners and tenants.

Summary: Dirty and poorly stocked restrooms continue to rank among the major complaints of the people who have to use them. If you want to please the people who use your restrooms, take the initiative and consider implementing the following suggestions.

By Klay D’Iorio

Clean and sanitary restrooms in your facility can make a lasting, positive impression on tenants and visitors.

According to industry surveys, restrooms continue to be the biggest source of tenant complaints.

More than one-third of those responding to Cleaning & Maintenance Management’s 1996 Contract Cleaner Statistical Survey said restroom cleanliness is a source of customer complaints. That’s followed closely by restroom supply problems (nearly 21 percent of respondents).

Sixty percent of facility managers responding to CMM’s1997 In-House Survey say restroom cleanliness is a major complaint of users.

Some facility managers are addressing restroom hygiene and sanitation by installing sensor-activated faucets and toilets. These upgrades can be costly, so it’s reasonable to look at other restroom amenities to complement the high tech hardware.

End the Paper Trail

Towel and tissue products should easily dispense the right amount of product — no more and no less. Users should touch only the product they need. Controlling the amount of product dispensed also reduces consumption and waste.

Why have a lever-operated towel system in a restroom with hands-free faucets? Or a folded system that dispenses several towels at once?

A high-quality, no-touch delivery system dispenses one towel at a time to users, who generally prefer touching only the towel they need. It’s an ideal, cost-effective way to add a better, higher-quality product and system while improving restroom hygiene and cleanliness. Because of the resulting reduction in towel usage, these systems can pay for themselves.

Bathroom tissue is another area that can be improved to deliver better hygiene, reduce waste and provide a high-quality product at no additional cost. By installing an enclosed bathroom tissue system that dispenses one two-ply sheet of tissue at a time, tenants are provided a more sanitary alternative to standard roll bathroom tissue.

Unlike standard roll tissue, an enclosed system protects against dirt collecting on an exposed roll. These high-capacity systems provide as much bathroom tissue as four standard rolls. They also eliminate stub rolls and cores and reduce waste through controlled dispensing.

In a Lather

Though soap is a small expense compared to other restroom necessities, it can generate many complaints. Watery soap that clogs dispensers or leaves residue on countertops detracts from restroom cleanliness.

A thicker, concentrated soap provides a rich feel, adding to an overall perception of quality that will improve the image of restrooms.

Switching to a concentrated, clear, antibacterial soap can help reduce germs and make tenants more comfortable.

Don’t overlook odor control in restrooms.

In a recent Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) report, “Cleaning Makes Cents,” building managers cited sanitation and odor control as the main cleaning problems that require solutions.

Odor and air quality also rank high on the list of tenant concerns, so make sure you counter odor problems with a cost-effective, flexible system that lets you program dispensing intervals to fit your facility’s needs.

Choose a system that will last, not one that starts with a strong fragrance that fades away.

Because property managers rely on cleaning and maintenance managers to provide ideas and solutions that improve tenant perceptions and cleanliness, a proactive — not reactive — response is needed.

As the BOMA report states, “Whether cleaning services are performed by in-house staff or by contract staff, building management has the ultimate responsibility for cleaning operations. When a restroom looks messy and has insufficient toiletry supplies, it instantly reflects poorly on the building’s image and its management.”

Klay D’Iorio is the office building segment manager for Kimberly-Clark Corp.’s Away-From-Home-Sector, Atlanta, GA.

Source: Cleaning & Maintenance Management 1996 Contract Cleaner Statistical Survey

Marsden Bldg Maintenance Co., St. Paul, MN.

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