While it is recommended that every crew follow a restroom cleaning checklist, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Toilets have an obvious place on any checklist and are what most people probably think are most in need of cleaning. Yet restroom sinks often present as much or more danger than toilets because of the contact made with faucets after using the toilet. Here is why your cleaning crews should make sinks a top priority—and how you can improve the cleaning system you use.
Germs and Bacteria in Restroom Sinks
Analyzing the bacteria in restroom sinks can be a real wake-up call for any building administrator. A University of Arizona microbiologist conducted studies that revealed salmonella, listeria, and E. coli—among other dangerous types of bacteria—were present in commercial restroom sinks. Anyone who uses the restroom but does not wash properly may be exposed to these bacteria and other diseases.
After restroom users wash their hands, for example, they have to touch the same faucet handle to turn off the water, exposing them to the germs and bacteria present before their hands were clean. In fact, there are a number of ways to contaminate one's hands at a public restroom sink. Building cleaning crews are just as at risk as customers or schoolchildren who use the facilities in any property you manage.
Restroom Cleaning Checklist Priorities
Your custodial crew may naturally focus on toilets, and the toilets are probably cleaned frequently. Visitors are also very aware of the dirtiness of toilets, which is why they often clean the toilet seat and handle before they sit down. But restroom users often carry germs and bacteria to the sink, and few, if any, take such care at the sink. Unfortunately, this area is just as likely to be a place where illnesses and diseases spread.
You can emphasize the importance of sink cleaning when you send your team into action, but remember that they need the right the tools to handle the job. Traditional cleaning methods do not remove the soils that make restroom sinks so dirty. No-Touch Cleaning systems by Kaivac address this problem every manager faces when sending a cleaning team to work. By eliminating the need to use rags and cloths to clean sinks, this cleaning system removes the danger without allowing it to spread.
Hands-free cleaning is also much more efficient for your custodial team, which leaves employees free to focus more time on other problem areas throughout the building. When drawing up your restroom cleaning checklist, remember what challenges sinks present for employee and user safety.
To learn more about restroom cleaning, click here.