It’s too bad distributors of janitorial supplies and paper products can’t bottle and sell their know-how when it comes to restroom cleaning. They know which chemicals work for which surfaces, how to best remove odors and how to properly educate end users in washroom maintenance. To give readers just a hint of the knowledge out there, Sanitary Maintenance conducted four case studies on four different segments of washroom cleaning: floor care, odor removal, dispenser placement and fixture cleaning. Each distributor drew from a wealth of knowledge — wisdom gained from cleaning washrooms the right way, as well as some gained by learning from past mistakes.

FLOORS
Valley Sanitary Supply
Clovis, Calif.

Any facility manager knows that floors say a lot about the quality of a building. Whether it’s carpet, tile or hardwood, people notice the cleanliness of the floor long before they notice anything else. This can surely be said of washrooms. No matter how clean the rest of a room may be, dirty floors are sure to make a bad first impression.

“When people walk into a washroom, it’s the same as any other area; they see the doors, and then they see the floors,” says Jeff Lundeen, president of Valley Sanitary Supply, Clovis, Calif.

“Washroom care can be very scary,” he says. “That’s especially true in the men’s restrooms. Urine stains can easily build up around urinals and other areas of the floor. You need to remove that build-up as soon as possible or else you’ll have real problems.” Restrooms usually have tiled floors and the key to proper floor cleaning is preventing that bacteria from getting trapped in the grout crevices between tiles.

Lundeen, like many distributors who specialize in washroom cleaning, recommends that cleaners use an enzyme as a tough uric acid eradicator. (Such cleaning agents use non-pathogenic micro-organisms that react to produce enzymes that destroy bacteria, but in the jan/san industry, these cleaners are commonly referred to as “enzymes” or “enzyme cleaners.”)

“The problem is that so many inexperienced distributors just sell their customers disinfectants to clean the washroom,” he explains. “A disinfectant only does so much killing; it’s only a surface kill. The enzyme cleaner, however, gets right down to the source. The enzymes literally eat away at the bacteria until it’s fully removed.”

Quality disinfectants can be extremely beneficial after an enzyme has been used to remove bacteria from uric acid, but not as the primary remover, he adds. “When it comes to cleaning restroom floors, distributors need to really go after those products that will make a difference for their customers. It takes a little extra work to find those quality products, but it will make cleaning so much easier. You need to be able to educate the end users and clearly demonstrate how to attack the problem.”

Another common trouble spot in a washroom is floor drains. Uric acid and other bacteria can build up around a drain and must be removed regularly. Again, Lundeen has found that enzyme cleaners work best for drain cleaning.

“It’s important to clean the drains with an enzyme on a daily or at least weekly basis, depending on the amount of traffic the restroom gets,” he says. “Otherwise, the bacteria form on the pipes under the floor and release gases that contaminate the restroom.”

Washroom floors that aren’t cleaned properly are breeding grounds for rancorous odors. If floors are the first area that people notice in a restroom, then odors are a close (and more powerful) second.

ODORS
Royal Chemical and Supply Inc.
Dallas

Whether it’s on the floor, in the drain or around the sink, odors are enemy No. 1 for end users who do battle in restrooms. There are many products on the market that help to mask restroom odors, but those options only provide temporary solutions to odor control. In order to truly solve odor problems, the source of the odor must be removed, says John Martinez, owner of Royal Chemical and Supply Inc. in Dallas.

“If you have a dead dog in the corner of your building, it doesn’t matter how many air fresheners you have, it will still be there and it will still stink,” he jokes. “Masking odors with scents and sprays is just a quick-fix. The important thing is to find out where the bacteria is and do what you can to get rid of it.”

Summer is an especially difficult time for cleaners of restrooms, especially if the facility does not have air conditioning. “When temperatures are high and there is high humidity, those urine stains actually take moisture out of the air and form a kind of crystal, like a salt,” he says. “If you don’t get rid of that hard salt stain, you’ll never be able to get rid of the odor.”

Distributors vary in their opinions about how often restrooms should be cleaned. Some recommend an occasional deep cleaning of the restroom, while others say that if everyday cleaning is done properly, odors should be minimal. Martinez suggests that end users keep up effective day-to-day cleaning but that they undertake a major cleaning every month.

“Disinfectants help to remove daily odors, but you really need that deep enzyme cleaning to remove bacteria that can get trapped,” he says.
As far as air fresheners, Martinez usually recommends a mild scent that will not be offensive or too strong.

“Sometimes I have customers who want a real flowery smell, but then you have people who don’t like that,” he says. “I’m partial to the spring green scents because everyone seems to like them. The enzyme cleaners have various scents that you can use, too.”

Of course air freshener dispensers — and dispensing systems in general — are another area of the restroom that deserves attention. Dispensers can add convenience, cleanliness and even pleasing aesthetics to any washroom.

DISPENSERS
G&B Janitorial Supply Inc.
Bound Brook, N.J.

When the grunt work of cleaning floors and removing odors has been accomplished, dispensing systems for paper, soap or scented air fresheners can add more to the personality of a restroom. Distributors need to know the ins and outs of the facility before they recommend a particular dispenser, says Robert Parker, company manager for G&B Janitorial Supply Inc., Bound Brook, N.J.

“When I’m trying to set up an account, I like to go to the facility ahead of time to find out exactly what the situation is,” he says. “I check out the environment and look for how much mounting space there is on the walls. I try to get a sense of what it is we have to work with.”

Distributors who don’t know the facility can still ask the right questions to find solutions, but they are less likely to know which products will fit best. “If I can’t go to the actual washroom, I like to just sit down with the customer and go over our catalog so we can talk about what they’re looking for,” says Parker.

With air-freshener dispensers, there is a wide range of models, each with different features. Batteries are required for some dispensers, while others can be plugged in. There are more complicated systems that must be programmed, while others must be operated manually.

“Not only is each dispenser different, but each customer has a different desire too,” says Parker. “Some customers want the fragrance to be released for a solid minute; others want short bursts. You can have a wet spray or a dry spray. You can have it spray once an hour or once a day — it really just depends on the individual’s preference.”

Parker agrees that mild scents are usually safer than strong smells, but also adds that distributors shouldn’t be afraid to show their personal opinions when selling dispensing systems. “I like to call the scents that we carry our ‘flavors,’ and usually bring about four or five flavors to a facility if I’m doing some kind of demonstration. We probably have over 30 in stock, but I just bring a few.”

Surprisingly, Parker tells his customers which scents repulse him, as well as which ones he really likes. “I’m very honest with my customers,” he says. “Sometimes they tell my that I’m too honest, but they know that they can trust me. If a particular flavor smells like bug spray, then I tell them that.” What’s Parker’s “flavor” of the month? Mango. “I don’t know why, but it’s my favorite. So that’s the one I sell the most of.”

G&B Janitorial also sells paper towel dispensers and soap dispensers. Durability is an important consideration for customers, says Parker. “Most of the dispensers on the market now are metal, or hard, durable plastic. If they’re installed properly and firmly attached to the wall, then they shouldn’t break.”

The placement of the dispenser in the restroom is also important. Distributors can help their customers decide on wall locations that will be convenient for people to use and will be spaced adequately in relation to sinks and doors. Velcro® is sometimes used to attach a dispenser to the wall. Customers should be aware that if their dispenser is one that is attached with Velcro that humidity will weaken the attachment over time and the dispenser has the potential to fall off the wall.

Distributors who private label their own brand of paper or soap can establish a long-term partnership by placing a dispenser that is compatible with their brand. G&B has its own brand of soap, so the company gives customers the option of purchasing that dispenser. “We can sell them our own soap for a very low price, so it makes sense for them to by that dispenser,” says Parker.

Most restroom appliances are still hand-operated, and that means distributors must consider the best ways to maintain fixtures. Toilets, sinks and urinals all have fixtures that are continuously touched and jostled every day. Distributors who can recommend the best cleaning methods will establish themselves as fixtures in the supply chain.

FIXTURES
Lawton Bros.
Orlando, Fla.

“The biggest problem with fixtures is improper training of the end user,” says Larry Lawton, vice president of sales for Lawton Bros., Orlando, Fla. “Distributors can show their customers how to clean fixtures effectively if they take the time. The second problem is that end users often use the wrong products for certain surfaces.”

Most non-acid cleaners don’t do a good job of removing mineral deposits that build up around fixtures, according to Lawton. Many end users use a pH-neutral disinfectant for their daily cleaning, but that won’t remove the mineral deposits.

“Then after a couple months, they decide to try using an abrasive pad that could possibly damage the fixture,” he says. “If they just would have used a mild acid cleaner in the first place, it would have removed the deposits.”

Lawton contends that many people don’t want to use acids for fixture cleaning because they think it could possibly hurt the environment or be unhealthy. Whenever people present him with that opinion, Lawton asks them a simple question: “I ask them if they’ve ever eaten an orange. Most everyone has had an orange. When they say yes, I explain that that is an acid in your mouth. If it’s safe to put acid in your mouth, then it’s perfectly safe to use a mild citric acid for cleaning fixtures in your washroom.”

When people think about cleaning with acids, images of battery acids and industrial acids often come to mind, says Lawton. Mild acid cleaners, however, can be all-natural and offer a viable alternative in cleaning restroom fixtures.

On the other hand, strong acids shouldn’t be used on fixtures either, he adds. “Some distributors use 23 percent hydrochloric acid for the everyday cleaning of metal fixtures, but that kind of cleaning will corrode the metal over time. They should only use strong acid cleaners in the urinal or in the toilet bowl, and for periodic (weekly or twice monthly) strong cleaning of fixtures.”

For sink and urinal areas around the fixtures, the composition of the surface must be considered. If there is a natural stone surrounding the fixtures, then acid cleaners should be avoided altogether or they will damage the stone. However, most restrooms have ceramic surfaces or tiles that will not be damaged by citric acid cleaners.

Lawton’s biggest complaint is that distributors don’t do enough to help end users clean washroom fixtures the right way the first time. “I just don’t see distributors educating their customers,” he says. “Then they end up with mineral deposits all over their restroom, and they try to remove those stains and deposits physically. The right chemical can save so much time and effort.”
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POSTED ON: 9/1/2002