Restroom Cleaning Productivity Tips

Servicing rest rooms is one of the lowest productivity tasks we have in most buildings. Whereas vacuuming with a quality backpack can generate up to 10,000 SF/Hr, rest rooms are between 450 to 650 SF/Hr assuming they are cleaned five times per week. 

Less frequent servicing can slow productivity per visit even more since there is usually a buildup that is mitigated when daily cleaning is performed to accomplish the same outcomes. Following are some points to consider in cleaning a rest room:

• Have the cleaning cart, mop solution, clean mop head, PPE’s (personal protective equipment such as gloves, glasses, etc.) ready, wet floor sign and other tools ready to reduce time lost in having to go back to the janitor closet.

• In addition to cleaning supplies, have sufficient restock supplies such as hand soap, toilet tissue, paper towels, seat liners, plastic liners and other products consumed by the users.

• Make note of the “smell” as you enter the rest room. If there is a “sewer gas” smell it probably means one or more drains need water, cleaning solution or an enzyme poured into them to fill the trap and block gas and vermin from the sewer lines.

• If there is a strong “urine smell” make note of floor around urinal and walls which may require more attention when that area is cleaned.

• As soon as is practical, flush toilets and urinals, then apply disinfectant cleaner to sinks, urinals, toilets and all touch surfaces that can be treated with liquid. The reason for this early step is to allow sufficient “dwell time” for disinfectant to effectively kill the microorganisms on those surfaces.  

• Remember that simply spray and wipe procedures is incorrect cleaning and barely sanitizes the rest room since not enough dwell time was allowed.

• If unsure of dwell time, read disinfectant label for guidance.  Most will require ten minutes in most cases.

• Starting top to bottom, inspect and dust vents, partition tops and other high areas that become dusty.  This step can be part of Quadrant Cleaning but must be performed often enough to keep dust under control.

• Restock all consumable supplies, pull trash, sweep floors focusing on edges/corners.

• Scrub out toilets and urinals with brush/swab allowing solution to spill on floor around base especially if you noted a strong urine odor when you entered the rest room.

• Using more disinfectant, spray and wipe dry faucets, flush handles, sinks and other areas using the designated microfiber cloth.

• Using disinfectant cloth, wipe dry the toilet and urinal rims, seats and other surfaces with designated colored cloth.

• Using care not to get baseboards sloppy, damp mop floors with a microfiber flat mop working your way from the far end to the door to exit without tracking the floor.

Although there may be other steps based on configurations of specific rest rooms, this suggested list covers the basics. 

Your comments and questions are important.  I hope to hear from you soon.  Until then, keep it clean….

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678.314.2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.