5 Ways to Improve Patron Cleanliness in Your Restrooms

We have all become hyperaware of our personal cleanliness - particularly around our hands - during the 2020 pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. One of the earliest and still most effective ways to combat infection is to wash your hands well and thoroughly as often as you can, and this is set to become a norm that we carry forward long after the year’s pandemic effects fade. Equipping your public restroom so that it is conducive to cleanliness is something you should invest some money into. Here are some options.

Doorless or Contactless Entry and Exit

The very first thing and the very last thing your patron is going to do is open the door leading out of the restroom. That means after carefully and painstakingly washing and drying their hands and applying sanitiser, they’re going to grab hold of a door handle used by many other patrons, some of which might not have washed or sanitised their hands. For this reason, providing a way for the door to be operated without the use of hands (one that can be pushed against and swings both inwards and outwards) or simply a bathroom without a door that has the angle of the walls designed for privacy are both good options. It will also make ventilation easier and people will pass in and out of the bathroom without obstruction, leading to easier social distancing. If your bathroom does have doors, install metal plates on which patrons can push to open them instead of using the handle or wearing out paint.

Put Up Signage

While most of the education to do with hand washing and the importance thereof is second nature, signage is there as a gentle prompt to remind us not to skip the recommended 20 second handwash. Signs should be bold, include pictures and colours and should aim to deliver on the most important of messages quickly and effectively, so don’t overload them with text. Remember to include fun versions for kids as the message should be universal. Some surveys actually show that amongst other improvements, signs increase the number of people that stop to wash their hands by up to 40 percent, because, per survey responses, it reminds them and makes them feel uncomfortable if they don’t.

Touchless and Motion Triggered Fixtures

Ideally, the perfect restroom in a public place should have as few things to touch as possible. This means things like taps, soap dispensers, sanitiser dispensers and hand drying systems. The more that your patrons have to touch, the more chance of contamination. If your taps and soap dispensers are activated by a patron simply holding their hands underneath it and your hand dryers are activated by sensor too, this means little contact needs to be made with any of your restroom fixtures. Your patrons will appreciate it too because research shows that small details like this leave lasting impressions in their feelings about your establishment. Everything being touchless is actually one of the most requested features

Hand Drying Methods

There is a lot of fierce debate over what method is more hygienic and effective for drying your hands after you’ve made use of the restroom facilities. This debate is so contested in fact, that many experts point to the fact that almost no emphasis is placed on how patrons actually wash their hands, and instead the worry is placed on the drying method. The fact is that the method employed by your restroom to offer your patrons dry hands post restroom relief is a matter of what works best.

Many air dryers now come with built in filters and offer a high level of hygiene, and the old argument that they take longer is made false by the availability of blade-style hand dryers. In general, paper towels will use more paper and mean stocking costs and inconveniences. You’ll want to look into suppliers like Blow Motion to see which option is best for you.  Blow Motion provides a wide range to choose from and offer free next working day delivery and generous warranties. They also have a multibuy savings programme to save you some money if you’re buying multiple units.

Provide Liquid Soap and Sanitiser

This might seem like a rather obvious suggestion, but providing liquid soap in dispensers (automated touchless dispensers, of course) is a huge step up from dropping bars of soap on the washbasin. An even better option would be to provide liquid sanitiser dispensers at the exit. Even if your patrons have washed their hands, a quick rub with an alcohol-based hand sanitiser will do them and your other patrons well before they head back into your establishment.

Providing clean, well fitted and properly maintained restroom facilities for your patrons is very important and something that more and more people are demanding from establishments they frequent. It need not break the bank to make your restroom people take note of. Dirty, aged and unhygienic restrooms might even become the topic of conversation and those who have used them might even tell their friends and family about it.