Washrooms and the spread of COVID-19

“You can also catch the virus if you touch a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes.”

The Coronavirus can live for hours, to days, on surfaces like toilet cubicles, WCs, washbasins, hand-dryers, and entrance door handles. How long it survives depends on the material the surface is made from:

• Metal: Five days
• Wood: Four days
• Stainless Steel: Two to three days
• Copper: Four hours
• Glass mirrors and windows: Up to five days
• Ceramics WCs and washbasins: Five days.

Washroom providers employers and cleaning or FM companies must ensure that the washrooms and workplaces that they are responsible for are cleaned regularly and effectively to pre-defined schedules; especially frequently touched objects and surfaces ie: WCs, toilet tissue dispensers washbasins, urinals, cubicle and toilets entrance door handles, hand dryers, soap dispensers, sanitary waste dispensers, vanity shelves etc.

It has been reported that Coronavirus can survive on surfaces for up to nine days - more than four times longer than the flu virus.  

Local cleaning management must ensure that the date and time each washroom is cleaned is recorded including details of any remedial work that is required and when it is completed e.g. defective hand dryers, toilet tissue dispensers or soap dispensers. This will help support their Duty of Care.

2020 Loo of the Year Awards entrants will receive an independent assessment of their washroom cleaning and washroom management provision and can receive a written report with recommendations for improvements. These would include recommendations for the provision of non-touch operation of hand washing, water, soap dispensing, hand drying, WC flushing and sanitary waste disposal. Further evidence of a pro-active approach to excellent service.

The Loo of the Year Awards website www.loo.co.uk Loo Advice tab also includes information and advice on Toilet Design, Best Practice and Cleaning Guidelines for washroom providers.