Washrooms on the move

With the summer holiday season upon us, SCA Tissue Europe's Charlotte Branwhite looks at the types of washroom systems suitable for transport environments including aircraft, trains, ferries and cruise ships


Equipping a 'moving'washroom is potentially fraught with challenges.Anyone responsible for choosing a washroom system for an aeroplane, train, ferry or cruise ship has a variety of issues to contend with.Cubicles are often cramped and confined - particularly in the case of aircraft and trains - and washroom systems here need to be compact and space-saving while providing sufficient paper and soap for the journey.


Without specific cleaning staff on board, the systems should minimise mess while also ensuring that washrooms are never out of service. Steps should be taken to avoid the risk of consumables running out which could compromise hygiene on board. On today's low-frills flights, passengers are packed tightly in a confined space and tend to take in refreshments frequently to pass the time.Relatively few toilet cubicles are provided for a large number of people, and servicing the washrooms during the journey is impractical.Toilets on planes should therefore be equipped with compact systems that are unlikely to run out en route, and that are easy to refill if they do.


All systems go
A good hand towel system for an aircraft is the Tork Advanced Flushable towel which is designed to come apart quickly in water after drying the hands.The towels help to prevent toilet blockages in flight if users inadvertently put them down the toilet.


The Tork Elevation dispenser holds more than 400 towels, while the mini version holds up to 300 towels.Tork Advanced Flushable towels can be topped up at any time for quick and easy maintenance - vital on low-cost airlines with short turnaround times.


A good toilet tissue system for aeroplanes is the slimline Tork Premium folded toilet paper dispenser which can also be topped up at any time.The Tork Premium mini liquid soap system is small, compact and non-drip to help prevent the problem of spills.The soap is housed in a hygienic new cartridge that can be reloaded in seconds by busy cabin crews.


Tork Advanced Flushable towels are also highly suitable for use in train washrooms where again blockages need to be avoided.Often the cubicles on trains are slightly larger than on an aircraft which means the Tork Compact Auto Shift toilet tissue system may be accommodated here.The Tork Compact Auto Shift comprises two hard-wound toilet rolls in a compact dispenser that takes up minimal space on the washroom wall.The rolls together contain the equivalent of eight rolls of conventional toilet paper and when the first roll is finished, the second drops into place.This system allows maintenance staff to drop in a new roll at the end of each journey where it will remain until the first roll is used up.


Keeping washrooms shipshape
Higher capacity systems will be required on ferries and cruise ships where washrooms are larger and potentially used by higher numbers of passengers. On a ferry, for example, the Tork Advanced hand towel roll is particularly suitable since it is a long-lasting system that is designed to prevent over-consumption.The semi-automatic dispenser gives out one sheet of towel at a time which deters passengers from taking more than they need.


It can be difficult to keep toilets clean between users on a busy ferry, so each cubicle should be equipped with a Tork Elevation dispenser containing Tork Premium Toilet Seat Cleaner.This quick-drying formulation can be used in conjunction with toilet tissue to clean the seat before use. The Tork Compact Auto Shift is again a good toilet tissue system for a medium-sized ferry.


On high-traffic routes, the Tork jumbo roll may be installed since this is a highcapacity system for particularly busy washrooms.

Passengers on a cruise ship expect a high level of comfort and luxury,and hygiene here is particularly important since infections are prone to spread very quickly on board. Tork Aluminium dispensers work well on a cruise ship.

They have a smart appearance similar to that of stainless steel, but are easier to clean since the surface is resistant to fingermarks.

The Tork Aluminium hand towel roll dispenser is a no-touch system that avoids any contact with the dispenser for enhanced hygiene.Also in the range is a Tork Aluminium dispenser for folded toilet paper which ensures that each passenger only touches the paper they use.


Cruise ships could also be equipped with the new Tork Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitiser for passengers to use as a supplement to hand washing. this conforms to EN 1500 and leaves the hands 99.9% bacteria free.As an extra,Tork Premium Luxury soap may be used in cruise ship washrooms, while perfumed Tork Hair and Body Liquid Soap may be used in the cabin showers.


Equipping a transport washroom is not easy. Paper and soap consumption needs to be calculated carefully since neither should be allowed to run out, yet space for refills on board is limited. High standards of hygiene also need to be maintained to prevent infections from spreading in the confined space provided - again, a tough ask where minimal maintenance is carried out in transit. But the task can be carried out successfully by choosing smart, compact washroom systems that are easy to clean and refill and that also help to maximise hygiene.