Janitor Training, Building Occupant Education Are Essential With Day Cleaning

This is the third part of a three-part article about daytime restroom cleaning.

An effective daytime restroom cleaning operation requires a paradigm shift among both cleaners and building occupants, says Lee. Training and education can explain new processes and why the work is done differently.

“Few custodians have ever done day cleaning,” says Lee.

Some restroom day cleaning concepts may be obvious, such as using quieter restroom cleaning machines and floor scrubbers. But others may require additional employee training. BRAVO! requires its managers to go through a day cleaning certification program, as does Harvard Maintenance.

BSCs must be very conscious about slips and falls. They cannot leave water standing on the floor, and if the floor is wet, appropriate signage must be used. Microfiber reigns king in the daytime restroom cleaning operation, because it is more absorbent. Also, microfiber flat mops with chemicals built into the handle use less water than traditional mop-and-bucket systems, leaving less of a chance for standing water.

If a restroom must be closed for cleaning, Vosburg likes to place a push-bar type signage system into the doorway so people cannot push their way in.

Green chemicals and processes are also important when occupants are around so that they aren’t exposed to harmful cleaning products. BRAVO!, for instance, only uses disinfectants on touch surfaces in a restroom and has adjusted its processes to ensure chemicals have a proper dwell time.

It’s also crucial to educate occupants about the change, says Lee, since most building occupants are unfamiliar with the concept of day cleaning. This education can occur through lunch-and-learn events, memos and email communication two to three months before day cleaning begins.

“The key to making restroom cleaning during the day successful, and day cleaning overall, is having building management totally committed to supporting the program,” says Vosburg. “Without that total commitment, the program doesn’t work as effectively.”

Ronnie Garrett is a freelance writer based in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin.