Tricks of the trade

Public washrooms continue to be the culprit of consumer angst, from lack of soap to germy handles and from broken toilet seats to wet floors. According to recent research conducted by PHS Group, one of the continuing trends for 2014 will be society’s concerns about cleanliness and hygiene coupled with the demand for highly clean working conditions. 

However, with a variety of users who have little responsibility for keeping the place clean, a public washroom can get ugly quickly. Cost efficiencies also remain high on the agenda for facilities managers, which creates an extra challenge when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. So how can professionals meet the growing expectation from patrons for super-clean washroom facilities, while keeping costs down?

Here are some tips that you can try: 

• Invest in products that have an antimicrobial coating: Products that have a coating such as SteriTouch drastically reduce the risk of the spread of germs and long term are a more cost effective means of keeping the washroom super-clean.

• Unscrew light bulbs and strips, and wipe them with a microfibre cloth: By removing dust and grease from your light bulbs and strips, you can increase their light output by 20%. That's 20% more light for the same amount of energy. 

• Rub your tap with waxed paper: This prevents water spots and finger prints and allows most taps to stay cleaner for longer. One of the bigger gag factors in public washrooms is touching the surfaces that other users have obviously touched. Touchless taps are emerging as the customers' preferred choice in modern washrooms.

• Use WD-40 to erase scuff marks on floors: An effective way to remove stubborn marks off hard surfaces and floor tiles.

• Hang your brushes and mops upright instead of storing them on the floor: This will help to prevent mildew and allow wet surfaces to air dry.

• Increase the shelf life of cleaning sponges: To kill the germs and viruses that have gathered on your nasty sponges, microwave on high for two minutes and let cool. This only works for non-metal sponges!

• Invest in a handryer that’s energy efficient: The Airstream uses approximately 80% less energy than a traditional hand dryer.

• Denture-cleaning tabs  – a chemical-free cleaning solution that can work magic in the toilet: Place one tab in the toilet and let it sit overnight. In the morning, scrub lightly and your toilet will be clean.  This is a great alternative to costly bleach and detergents.

• Keep glass clean using an e-cloth and water: You can't beat an E-cloth for speed and results. Use it with a spray bottle filled with water and see smudges and grime shift quickly from mirrors and interior glass.

• Win the sink drain war: The sink drain tops even the toilet seat for the highest bathroom bacteria count. White vinegar can kill 99% of bacteria. Sink drains can be cleaned by pouring white vinegar down them, leaving for an hour and rinsing with cold water, thus avoiding costly cleaning products.