Why a welcoming washroom is a must

THE LEAST glamorous room of a facility, but arguably one of the most critical in which to invest, is the humble washroom. In many cases, it is considered as an after-thought, often overlooked in terms of refurbishment and design – but it should not be underestimated. 

It has an important role to play in the health, hygiene, and the overall perception of a building. It can create a lasting impression on an organisation’s clientele and whether that is positive or negative is key to a business’s reputation. 

People often judge the hygiene of a washroom as an accurate reflection of the overall facility. A bad experience, for example, dripping taps, leaky dispensers, or unsanitary spaces, can leave a poor impression of the business as a whole. This can, in turn, influence an end-user’s decision to return or recommend. It can even lead to a loss of revenue from potential new customers, especially today where people can easily share their dissatisfaction on social media.

Workplace washrooms also play a key role in keeping staff healthy, which in turn, can have a positive effect on absenteeism and productivity. In all settings, paying attention to delivering a positive experience indicates that the organisation cares about the health and wellbeing of its users. So how can businesses ensure that their washrooms do just that?

Review the existing washroom layout and equipment on offer

Start by looking at the facilities currently on offer. Is everything in good working order? Repair or replace any broken or unappealing equipment and consider upgrading dispensers. Touch-free dispensers, for example, make a popular choice. Releasing just the right amount of product every time, they not only enhance the washroom’s appearance, thanks to less mess and wastage, but they also make a more hygienic choice, given that hands need not come in direct contact to receive soap or sanitiser.

Think about the design and layout from the users’ perspective. Consider how people will move around the space and where equipment might fit most appropriately – this is even more important when the washroom in question is limited in terms of size. 

Cramped and congested conditions do not make for a positive experience, but even the smallest washrooms can make a great impression. For example, installing slim, wall-mounted dispensers and other equipment, which fit close to the wall, can help both aesthetically and practically. Ensuring equipment is positioned logically will help with the flow of people and prevent them from having to squeeze past each other several times to reach dispensers, dryers, or the exit. 

It may sound obvious but consider exactly who will be using the washroom. Spaces primarily used by children, such as those found in school and nursery environments have very different requirements. 

Facilities must be safe and easy to use – and in the case of younger children, fun too. This means installing robust, vibrant, and brightly coloured cubicles, with specialist hinges to avoid trapping fingers. The facilities themselves, from the toilet pans and basins to the soap and hand drying dispensers, should all be positioned at a lower height to accommodate children’s ability to reach and use them easily. 

Healthy hands

One of the primary functions of a washroom is to ensure that users leave it with clean hands. In the case of children, soap formulations must be effective against germs but gentle to their delicate young skin. Foam soap is a popular choice – not only do children love the fun of foam, but it is dispensed as a lather, helping them to clean their hands more effectively. 

The innovative Jangronauts range makes a great choice for washrooms in playgroups and primary schools. Designed especially for kids, the range features four handwashing heroes and informative messaging on a range of attractive, robust washroom dispenser units.  

Drying hands is an important stage of the hand washing process, but noisy air dryers can frighten younger children, which can in turn, put them off washing their hands properly. It’s important then to choose a child friendly option that is quiet and efficient or instead, opt for hand drying units equipped with paper towels. These make a good choice, since they allow hands to be dried quickly and effectively, enabling children to return to their classroom or play area sooner.

Encouraging hand hygiene is not only important in children’s washrooms. It should be a high priority in all facilities, regardless of the environment in which they are situated. 

Therefore, opt for high quality soaps and sanitisers, which have been clinically proven to kill germs, but that won’t irritate skin. Consider offering hand lotions alongside soap dispensers to help moisturise and enhance the handwashing experience.

Cleanliness and hygiene

Since the pandemic, cleanliness and hygiene have never been more important. Consequently, consumers are much more selective about where they spend their time and money, often basing their decisions on hygiene levels. This is where training can make all the difference. 

All professional cleaning operatives must be trained on which products to use, and when and how to use them. Ideally, they should also understand the colour-coding system, which eliminates the risk of cross-contamination. This system ensures that certain cleaning tools and equipment are only used for specific areas or tasks, and will stop, for example a mop that has been used in a toilet, being used elsewhere in a building. Although there is no legislative requirement to operate a colour-coded cleaning regime, ideally all equipment within the different areas will be suitably colour coded. 

Jangro’s award-winning e-learning platform, the Learning Management Solution (LMS), offers high quality and relevant training, including modules on Washroom Hygiene and Infection Control & Colour Coding. It has even been accredited by the CPD certification service, offering customers additional assurance that the training is relevant and of high quality. It enables staff to brush up on techniques and continually stay up to date, whilst providing an excellent clean, every time.

Planning is essential

Planning and organisation are vital to keep washrooms hygienically clean and healthy spaces, since there are many jobs that need to be scheduled at different rates of frequency. For example, sinks, splashbacks, walls, and doors should be cleaned daily, using a bactericidal or germicidal washroom cleaner. Taps, door handles, cubicle locks, and other high touchpoints should be sanitised more regularly, whereas other tasks, such as descaling of sinks, should be actioned weekly. Deep cleans may be undertaken less frequently.

It’s also important that the correct products and equipment are used for the right jobs. Wherever possible, opt for sustainable cleaning solutions, like Jangro’s ntrl range. Registered with The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark, all formulations in the collection are vegan, 100% biodegradable, contain zero petrochemicals, and can help reduce the product’s carbon footprint by up to 85%. 

The ntrl Washroom Cleaner and ntrl Toilet Cleaner both work via a revolutionary, probiotic mode of action too. Instead of killing germs with chemicals, probiotics use beneficial bacteria (probiotics) to colonise surfaces, in effect taking over the area, including deep into hard-to-reach cracks and crevices. They continue to repopulate the surfaces with 'good' bacteria and reduce the presence of harmful ones, long after they have been cleaned. 

Frequent monitoring

To keep washroom users happy, supplies need to be stocked and maintained at all times. Consequently, the facilities need to be regularly monitored throughout the day and evening. Are all equipment and sanitaryware in good working order?  Are soap dispensers well stocked? These must not be allowed to run empty, otherwise proper hand hygiene cannot be performed, and the risk of germs spreading increases.

To help prevent toilet tissue or hand drying dispensers from running out, choose high-capacity toilet roll or continuous towel roll systems that will last for a long period of time. This also helps minimise labour intensive repeat refilling of dispensers throughout the day.

Whether they realise it or not, employees, customers, and visitors alike judge businesses based on their washroom experiences. These spaces speak volumes about how organisations are run, how they treat people and how much they value their health and wellbeing. Therefore, taking steps to maintain a clean, pleasant, and welcoming washroom environment is critical to achieve that glowing, positive impression of a company.

So, what does your washroom say about your business?

Joanne Gilliard is CEO of Jangro.

For more information visit www.jangro.net