CLEAN AND GREEN

Whethera public building, entertainment venue, reception or sta area, a site’s facilities will be slated if its washrooms are not properly maintained. And the role of the washroom is more important than ever since the pandemic, with a survey commissioned by Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP) revealing that mindsets and attitudes towards hygiene and handwashing have shi ed.

Says Craig Bowman, General Manager at Kimberly-Clark Professional in the UK: “The survey revealed present-day perceptions of cleanliness alongside evolving hygiene habits, expectations, and standards. For example, 76 per cent of respondents have had poor experiences with hand hygiene in public washrooms since the pandemic.”

The KCP report found a close second priority is the need for good quality products that are reliable, cost e icient and sustainable – and are good for us. Soaps and sanitisers that don’t dry out our hands but leave users feeling clean are important, as are facilities for quick but e ective hand drying.

This is particularly important as we wash our hands far more o en post-pandemic. A survey on washroom attitudes carried out by Dyson in 2021 found that 75 per cent of respondents were washing their hands five or more times a day. The report also revealed that e ective hand drying was key to ensuring that clean hands stay clean. Wet hands can pick up more bacteria than dry ones, damp hands can transfer up to 1,000 times more bacteria than dry hands, while wiping hands on clothes can add bacteria to washed hands if the clothes aren’t clean.

Designing the washroom environment to operate as seamlessly as possible is a priority explains Paul Mulready, marketing manager at Northwood Hygiene Products: “We’re more informed about hotspots for germs and viruses and how contaminated surfaces can harbour them, particularly in public spaces such as washrooms. Touchless fixtures, like touch-free taps, automatic soap dispensers, automatic paper towel dispensers, sensor operated dryers and automatic toilet flushes can help to reduce cross contamination and the spread of bacteria.”

Maintaining Washrooms

Ensuring washroom consumables are regularly replenished and the area kept scrupulously clean is a must, says Alasdair Sharp, UK & Ireland Sales Manager at Satino by WEPA: “Positioning regularly updated cleaning rotas in plain sight, alongside the consistent upkeep of washrooms, including keeping soaps and papers fully stocked, allows facility managers to visibly express their care for their customers.”

Education amongst cleaning sta is also vital says Jonathan Weiss, Commercial Director at Reckitt: “During the pandemic, fogging and overcleaning are practices that became commonplace, which is ultimately counterproductive as it is wasteful of both the cleaning products and labour time. The excess of chemicals doesn’t actually make the space any cleaner and of course, isn’t great for the environment.”

“It’s for this very reason that we at Dettol Pro Solutions advocate for targeted hygiene solutions and invest in educational content, to make sure that products are being used correctly.

“Products and protocols should be used in hotspot areas that are frequently touched (e.g., doorknobs, bathroom fittings such as taps, door locks and toilet flush handles). For example, your bathroom faucet handle can have 21 times the bacteria of your toilet seat. Therefore, once cleaning and disinfection protocols are established, the critical element to reducing the potential for viruses and bacteria transmission is the timing and frequency of cleaning and disinfection.”

Controlling Costs

Given the cost-of-living crisis it’s important that the consumption of resources is where possible, controlled. Weiss advocates choosing refillable hygiene solutions such as dispensers, air fresheners and cleaning products so that waste levels are reduced.

Stuart Hands, Sales Manager of Essity Professional Hygiene also advises against opting for the cheapest possible systems such as loose paper towels, bulk-fill soaps and jumbo rolls or conventional toilet rolls.

“Loose hand towels on the units will promote over-consumption and people will be constantly dripping their wet hands on them, making them soiled and unusable. Bulk fill soaps can lead to messy sinks during the refilling process. And conventional toilet rolls may be placed on the floor or on the cistern where they will become soggy and contaminated.

“A dual roll toilet roll system in a locked dispenser is a hygienic alternative and will allow the cleaner to drop in a second roll at their own convenience to ensure a continuous supply. Soaps should be supplied in sealed cartridges that can be snapped quickly into place inside the dispenser. This will avoid the problems of messy units, wasted soap and potential contamination of the soap before use.”

Permanent fixtures should also be carefully chosen. KCP advises the use of LED lighting which can support the maintenance of hygiene without depleting resources. LED lights communicate when a unit needs attention to minimise time wasted and reduce touch points, for a more hygienic experience.

Sustainability

While it is important to make sure washrooms deliver optimal hygiene they must be provided in as sustainable a way as possible. Dyson’s argument is that sustainability is not just a business goal, but one that translates to consumer values too. “Fortunately, businesses can upgrade their washrooms with more innovative and reusable hand drying solutions, without compromising on hygiene or quality.”

Adds Mulready of Northwood:

“As a high user of consumables such as paper towels and toilet rolls, washrooms are under even greater scrutiny when it comes to looking a er the environment.

“The need to limit the consumption of disposable products is pressing, particularly as their use in washrooms has never been higher. When selecting dispensing systems for washrooms, providers should therefore try to specify high-capacity, controlled-use devices that restrict the use of toilet tissue and hand towels and prevent over usage.

“It’s important also to make sure that paper products are made only from raw materials that have been sustainably sourced – either from recycled materials or from sustainably managed forests.”

A common alternative to paper towels is hand dryers. Dyson Professional argues its hand dryers include air-cleaning HEPA filters and touchless activation as standard. However, they warn: “Many older warm air dryers prompt hygiene and environmental concerns amongst users, and o en rightly so. For example, 40 per cent of people are worried about pressing physical buttons on a hand dryer, and 24 per cent believe they could be drying their hands with unclean air. Alongside this, archaic models could be consuming high amounts of energy, contributing to a business’ carbon footprint.”

FMs should also be careful to assess the sustainability of the washroom supply chain argues Sharp. He recommends you ask, ‘are those businesses environmentally conscious and trying to shrink their carbon footprint; are their logistics as sustainable as can be?’

“It isn’t just about how sustainable the washroom itself is, the bigger picture is just as important. In the washroom, minimising energy and wastage is vital. Battery-free air fresheners, dispensers and taps that run on timers can decrease the energy output of a washroom, without compromising what it delivers.”

Esg Considerations

With ESG becoming an integral part of the FM remit, washrooms also need to be designed to o er an accessible and inclusive environment.

Bowman of KCP explains that while hygiene and safety are top of the list, users also want a pleasant and nurturing environment. “People want to feel cared for and that their needs have been considered. While fear of infection is still prevalent since the pandemic, consumers want to see investment in making facilities better, with well thought out innovations that use the latest technology and design, but are kind to the environment by reducing waste and carbon footprint.”

Sharp advises that facility managers should consider if there are elements in the current washroom that currently don’t accommodate the needs of all users. For example, washrooms need to reflect modern society, so only having baby-changing facilities in female bathrooms, for instance, would be an oversight.

He adds: “Gender-neutral bathrooms have proven successful in smaller facilities for years, o en in places where there is only space for one washroom and its accompanying amenities. These can include a single toilet, sink, and mirror, through to baby-changing facilities and disability access support. They cater to everyone’s needs. We are now starting to see this approach adopted in much larger facilities, where accessibility for all is a defining factor of its design.”

It’s also important to install products that are accessible to those users who might struggle with everyday actions such as tearing o a strip of toilet paper or picking up a soap bar and using it to lather their hands.

“All washroom systems should therefore be designed with universal ease-of-use in mind,” says Hands. “In environments such as care homes where manual dexterity may be a problem, toilet tissue dispensers that deliver single sheets will be easier to use than paper on a roll. Foam soaps are quick to lather and easy to use – particularly when supplied in a user-friendly dispenser.”

Sustainable Innovation

The pandemic has helped to revolutionise the way washrooms are managed. Dyson Profession say that their: “past experiences are changing the future of key amenities, and pushing us to implement more innovative, environmentally-friendly solutions throughout. Experiencing high volumes of tra ic, the washroom must be made as hygienic and sustainable as possible, both for user confidence and to help businesses lower their carbon footprint.”

Hands advises that the installation of ‘connected’ dispensers will help to ensure that soap and paper supplies need never run out. Sensors incorporated into washroom units allow cleaners to check remotely on supplies of soap, toilet paper and hand towels. This removes the need for sta to make multiple journeys to physically check on dispenser status, saving them time and improving e iciency.

“Tork Vision Cleaning allows cleaners to remotely check on dispensers via a smartphone or tablet. It also incorporates people-counters that enable a facility to build up a profile of washroom visits. The o ice manager can then use this data to identify those toilets attracting the highest levels of tra ic and the cleaner’s walking routes can be streamlined accordingly, again saving time and labour.

“This also includes a digital cleaning plan function to improve cleaning e iciency. Each task is clearly described and given a pictogram to provide cleaners with a quick check-list. They can then tick o each job as it is completed via a smartphone while the manager has instant access to this data so that he or she can tell at a glance whether any stage of the cleaning process has been missed.”

However technological innovations must be designed to help support sustainability initiatives, which is why facility managers must take a macro approach to sustainability says Sharp.

“It’s important to understand the opportunities available when it comes to how manufacturers are innovating to eliminate harmful sourcing of raw materials.

“Reducing the number of virgin fibres used in hygiene products, eliminating plastics from soaps, and purchasing products with 100 per cent recyclable packaging can make the washroom drastically more environmentally friendly. In recent years, we’ve seen the industry strive to create innovative solutions in meeting consumer demand while minimising the damage it has on the planet.”

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