Posted on

How To Keep Restrooms Graffiti Free

It’s not uncommon for custodial employees to walk into a restroom stall, clean the essentials, mop the floor and then move on to the next one. This type of cleaning covers the bare minimum but there is more that a cleaner with the right eye and training can do. One example of something that may be left behind is drawings on the stall doors and walls, known as graffiti. If you are training and pushing your staff to clean the right way, they should look at a stall from the user’s  perspective which would lead them to notice graffiti on the walls. This is done by going completely inside and closing the door behind them to get the view the customer or user sees.

Graffiti becomes a very common thing in the restrooms, especially at schools and accumulates quickly if not taken care of. Graffiti on the wall promotes more graffiti and most of it tends to be offensive. When the employees at C.M. Cleaning are trained (especially in school environments) we take careful measures to ensure that inspections of restrooms are done and the cleaners are being thorough to prevent graffiti from getting out of control. Taking these measures allows us to stay ahead of the graffiti and have the bathroom looking good.

We also use red microfiber towels in all our bathrooms to clean away the graffiti because if you use abrasive materials it can damage the painted surfaces. By using these cloths and a general-purpose cleaner or graffiti remover which all employees have, it allows the removal of any graffiti to be near effortless.

At C.M. Cleaning we push our employees to go above and beyond to make sure everything, including the bathroom stalls, are cleaned to their fullest to leave the customer happy and the bathroom graffiti free.

Posted on

5 Restroom Areas That Are Overlooked

When restrooms get cleaned that are used heavily throughout the day, usually there are some areas that are overlooked. Sinks and toilets usually receive a quick scrub and baby changing stations get a quick wipe down at best. The way the restroom looks will reflect the way your customers and employees look at a business. A 2011 study found that, “99% of United States adults would avoid a business in the future if they encountered dirty restrooms”

  1. Baby Changing Stations- changing stations meet a lot more than just a baby, including food, diapers, and other germs. This makes it important for the entire station to be cleaned not just certain areas. The proper way to do this is to first clean it with a neutral cleaner and then spray it with a disinfectant, making sure to get inside all grooves and crevices where bacteria can hide.
  2. Floor Drains- It is very important to make sure the drains are open especially since they are susceptible to obstruction from floor wax. The drains ensure that if there is ever an issue where water gets on the floor, it would go down the drain and not out into the hallway or onto carpet. Removing the floor drain to clean it with a wire brush can help prevent other damages. It is also important to keep the drain “traps” filled with water or enzyme neutralizer to prevent foul odors.
  3. Feminine Hygiene Receptacles- OSHA requires these receptacles to have proper lining in them to prevent employees from having to tough the trash contents which is not considered regulated waste. Single-useToilet and bathrooms scrubber disposal bags and right-sized liners are a helpful disposal method to conceal odors and waste. The inside and outside of the waste receptacles should be precleaned and then disinfected. In some cases, deodorant pellets can be specially purchased for the receptacles and changed out monthly
  4. Graffiti- It is not uncommon for custodial staff to walk into a stall and quickly clean then walk out. If you are pushing your staff to clean the right way they should look at a stall from a customer perspective which would lead them to notice graffiti on the walls. Graffiti on walls promotes more graffiti and if it isn’t removed daily then it could get out of hand. Not to mention most graffiti can be offensive and persuade the employee or customers impression of the business.
  5. Stall Latches- Like door knobs and handles, stall latches are a high-touch area prone to germs especially because it is used to exit a stall. Latches tend to be stainless steel so a disinfectant suitable for nonporous surfaces could help prevent the number of germs. To really shine these up after cleaning, stainless steel polish applied with a microfiber cloth will do the trick.

At C.M. Cleaning we strive to train all of our new staff the “C.M. way” which includes looking for improvements to be made each cleaning we provide. You can be assured that with us, you’ll have peace of mind that these 5 overlooked areas will be handled appropriately.