Frequently Asked Questions About Restroom Care

Answered by Coastwide Laboratories’ Technical Director, Roger McFadden

 Question 1: How do you know when a public restroom is clean?

 Answer: Generally speaking, the restroom is clean when you walk into it and it meets your specific cleaning standards. Below is a list of specific things you would want to see when entering a clean restroom. The restroom is usually considered clean when:

1.                  All dispensers are clean and correctly filled with the appropriate supplies.

2.                  All restroom fixtures are clean and free of all soils, smudges, fingerprints, marks, oils and other residues.

3.                  All toilets and toilet seats are clean, dry and free of all soils, urine, body fluids, spots, splatters, stains and other residues.

4.                  All urinals and urinal screens are clean, dry and free of all soils, urine, body fluids, spots, splatters, stains and other residues.

5.                  All sinks and drinking fountains are clean, dry and free of all water spots, soils, splatters, soap deposits and other residues.

6.                  All floor drain covers are clean and free of soils, lint, mop strings, dirt and other residues.

7.                  All restroom floor surfaces are clean, dry, slip resistant and free of soils, dirt, buildups, gum, urine, feces, body fluids, mildew, mold and other residues.

8.                  All ceiling vents are clean and free of all soils, lint and other residues.

9.                  All mirrors and metal fixtures are clean and free of smudges, fingermarks, splatters, water spots, streaks and other soils and residues.

10.              Restroom air is fresh and free of unpleasant odors.

11.              All partitions, doors, doorknobs, walls and ceilings are clean and free of soils, smudges, fingermarks, splatters, water spots, graffiti and other residues.

12.              All horizontal surfaces including countertops and ledges are clean and free of soils and dirt deposits.

13.              All lights are operating properly and light fixtures are clean, free of all soils and residues.

14.              All trash has been properly removed from the receptacles with a clean liner installed correctly into the clean receptacle.

15.              All trash and debris has been removed from the restroom and disposed of properly

 Question 2: What is the single biggest misconception about restroom cleaning?

 Answer:  A common misconception about restroom cleaning says, “if a restroom smells good it must be clean and healthy.” However, a dirty and unhealthy restroom can be sprayed with pleasant smelling deodorants and fool our noses into thinking that the restroom environment is clean, sanitary and healthy. A pleasant smelling restroom is not necessarily a clean and healthy washroom. 

 Question 3: What causes poor cleaning results in a restroom?

 Answer:  A failure to adequately identify and communicate cleaning standards to the appropriate staff.   Unless standards are clearly defined, stated and understood they can never be achieved. The cleaning staff must know the appearance and performance expectations in advance and be trained accordingly. Failure to clearly communicate precise cleaning standards and objectives will result in poor quality.

 Question 4: Is physical cleaning more important than disinfecting?

 Answer:  Proper cleaning and disinfecting procedures go hand in hand to provide a clean and healthy restroom environment. Cleaning is the process of removing unwanted substances from the restroom environment and putting them in their proper place. Disinfecting is the process of killing and destroying unwanted germs (pathogenic microorganisms) from the restroom environment.  Maintaining a clean and healthy restroom environment depends upon using effective cleaning and disinfecting products and techniques.

 Question 5: What is the definition of a clean restroom, scientifically speaking?

 Answer:  A clean restroom is a neat, orderly and healthy environment where harmful microorganisms are under control and the room is free of unwanted substances, pollutants, residues and odors.  Cleaning is an activity, a process and a form of management. For instance, cleaning a restroom includes the activity of trash removal, the process of orderly filling dispensers and management of the cleaning process including the sequence of tasks. Clean restrooms don’t just happen by accident. It takes good planning and management to provide safe, clean and healthy restroom facilities.

 Question 6: What are the ten most frequently neglected surfaces or fixtures when cleaning the restroom?

 Answer:  The most frequently neglected areas during restroom cleaning are listed below.

     1.                  Inside the door to the toilet stalls

2.                  Under lip of the toilet and urinal

3.                  Ceiling vents

4.                  Floor drains

5.                  High ledges

6.                  Light fixtures

7.                  Door knobs and handles

8.                  Plumbing fixtures to sinks, toilets and urinals

9.                  Underneath the faucet

10.              Difficult to reach corners of floors and walls