Sinks in a public restroom

Life is never going to be the same after COVID-19 as it was before. That’s a fact. Hand hygiene is finally getting more attention, and the cleaning industry’s end users are starting to desire cleaning for health, not just appearance. Another change that’s taking place that will no doubt have an impact on everyone from jan/san distributors to building service contractors is alterations to the common restroom.

To make the public restroom safer and cleaner, Bradley Corp. suggests the following changes be made:

1. Adding no-touch fixtures

The motion-activated, no-touch urinal, toilet and sink have been found in public restrooms for a while now, but there’s plenty of other upgrades that could soon become more popular. A few things that could be added are automatic door openers and voice command and IoT-enabled fixtures.

2. Better ventilation

A room venerated with a high-quality HVAC system is going to have cleaner, safer air - something experts say is important in stopping the spread of COVID-19.

3. Different layouts

Bradley Corp. suggests the United States could begin moving towards the European restroom model for restrooms where stalls form a perimeter around washing stations. This layout does a lot to improve restroom traffic.

4. No more wet floors

Bradley Corp. also suggests restrooms begin moving soap and drying options closer to the sink, so that water isn’t tracked across floors as people move to dry their recently-washed hands.

5. More antimicrobial products

More facility managers and building owners are asking for high-touch surfaces with antimicrobial coatings in an effort to improve safety, according to Bradley Corp.

6. Better sinks

Sinks should have smoother surfaces to better deter bacteria. Restrooms that accommodate multiple users at a time should have their sinks spread further apart to allow for more space between visitors.