Worker cleaning the floor in the airport

Travelers should be reassured to learn how serious most airports are about cleaning and how technology is helping an increasing number of airports maintain restrooms, gate hold rooms and public spaces, according to an article on the WFMY News website.

Airports put particular focus on restrooms.

For instance, in 2016, updated restrooms at Minneapolis-St. Paul International took first place in an annual competition for the Best Restroom in America.

Air is pumped into and out of the Minneapolis-St. Paul restrooms in a way that helps dry surfaces quickly and minimizes odors. Digital signs outside the restrooms direct travelers to the nearest open facility when a restroom is closed for cleaning.

At the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, cleaning crews have been wearing smartwatches and using the TaskWatch app to match staff resources to peak restroom times instead of cleaning restrooms on a set schedule.

Wireless counters at each restroom entrance collect data and once a pre-set threshold is reached an automated message is sent to everyone wearing the watch.
 
Cleanliness scoring for the airport’s restrooms increased considerably in Cincinnati, so what started as a six-month pilot program has been continued and the airport is exploring how to use the TaskWatch system in other parts areas.

Meanwhile, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and Pittsburgh International Airport have replaced some harsh cleaning chemicals with onsite technology that uses tap water to create non-toxic cleaning solutions.

Read the full article.