Optimizing Restroom Setups For Occupants

Ensuring a well-stocked restroom — and selecting the best product dispensers for the space — helps to create a positive customer experience and can contribute to efficiencies for cleaning staff.

Experts recommend high-capacity solutions for toilet tissue and towel dispensers that accommodate multiple rolls. For soap, foam systems are recommended because they offer more doses per bottle (and the sealed cartridge avoids contamination issues associated with bulk-fill dispensers). These high-capacity options will all reduce stocking frequencies, extend the service interval, and save valuable labor dollars.

“Paper products should be selected based upon occupant/user numbers — certainly high-capacity dispensers make sense for many facilities — but they should also contribute to the desired facility image and be located appropriately,” says McGarvey.

To illustrate this point, he explains: “I was in restroom recently where the sink was across the room from the towel dispenser. Someone that washed their hands has to walk across the room to the towels, dripping along the way onto the floor that everyone has to walk across to get to the stalls.”

The same can be said for the location of the trash receptacle. For facilities that have a problem with excess trash or towels littering the floors, consider larger receptacles and placing one below the towel dispenser and another by the door.

Clean, well-stocked public restrooms ensure patrons’ comfort and may contribute to them respecting the space, not leaving a mess. They will also help secure a business’ reputation and bottom line.

Not only can proper cleaning contribute to a positive experience, but it can also result in repeat visitors to the facility. Studies have shown that patrons tend not to return to facilities with dirty restrooms because they assume the rest of the facility is just as filthy. For employees working inside facilities, proper cleaning and maintenance illustrates that the company really cares about their health, safety and convenience at work.

Shannon O’Connor is a freelance writer based in Mason, Ohio.