Cleaning is a top priority for occupants and consumers returning to the workplace or in-person shopping, and few areas impact impressions, decisions, and health as much as the facility restrooms sanitation and hygiene.
Clean Restrooms a Top Priority for Returning Americans
Facility cleanliness remains a high priority for Americans returning to the workplace and in-person shopping.
A recent poll of 1,600 American workers--1,099 vaccinated and 501 unvaccinated --conducted by the Cleaning Coalition of America found that:
- 89.9% believe workplace cleaning protocols are very or somewhat important.
- 77.2% believe the workplace should be cleaned at least once a day.
- 62.1% believe that seeing professional cleaners at the workplace would make them feel safer and more protected from contracting COVID-19.
- 47.1% cite regular sanitizing of shared spaces as the most critical step employers can take to make workers feel safe.
- 47.5% have asked their employer about their company's cleaning protocols.
- 43% believe that returning to the workplace could pose a risk to their health and safety, and;
- 38.3% would consider changing their jobs if the workplace was not cleaned frequently.
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Topping the list of cleaning priorities are facility restrooms, which strongly impact worker and consumer impressions of a business and how they care about their brand, employees, products, and services.
According to a survey of 2,036 U.S. adults by Cintas Corp:
- 74% stated dirty restrooms would cause them to have a negative impression of a business.
- 68% said they would have a low opinion of a company if its bathroom contained empty hand soap, toilet paper, and paper towel dispensers.
- 56% of 18- to 34-year-old respondents say dirty restrooms would cause them to have a negative perception of a business compared to 92% of respondents 65 and older.
- 58% of 18- to 34-year-old respondents say foul-smelling restrooms would diminish their perception of a company, compared to 86% of respondents 65 years of age and older.
- 56% of 18- to 34-year-olds say restrooms with empty hand soap, toilet paper, and paper towel dispensers would negatively affect their perception of a business compared to 85% of those 65 years of age and older.
Other areas of a facility that can leave a bad lasting impression included:
- 68% - dirty floors.
- 57% - dirty building entryways.
- 56% - obvious use of dirty mops.
- 51% - dirty windows/exterior glass, and;
- 51% - poorly maintained parking lots.
Source:
Enhanced Cleaning Leaves The Right Impression
Enhancing your facilities' cleaning and sanitization protocols or maintaining methods that proved effective during the height of the pandemic will ensure:
- Occupant safety.
- Public impressions of the organization's brand, and;
- Ongoing fiscal health.
Recommended procedures include:
- Upgrading cleaning tools, such as dirty mops and rags, with color-coded microfiber.
- Replacing inefficient equipment, such as outdated floor scrubbers, with modern systems that decrease natural resource use and product waste while delivering superior cleaning outcomes in less time for less money.
- Improving cleaning methods to include team cleaning, which has a significant impact on efficiency, and cross-contamination prevention, which has a measurable effect on cleaning outcomes and occupant health.
- Focusing on the targeted sanitization of high-contact surfaces during the day to control the spread of germs and bacteria between occupants.
- Checking restrooms multiple times per day to ensure high levels of sanitation that correlate strongly to desirable levels of occupant hand hygiene.
- Increasing airflow during and after scheduled cleaning events to maintain high indoor air quality levels, especially in and around the restroom.
- Implementing purchasing guidelines that prioritize sustainable and environmentally-preferable cleaning and sanitization products registered as effective with the EPA.
- Integrating advanced touchless cleaning and sanitization technologies, such as vacuum scrubbers, electrostatic sanitization appliances, and UV-C lighting, and;
- Implementing ongoing service provider training.
Takeaway
Clean facilities and restrooms are a top priority for consumers returning to in-person shopping and workers returning to the office.
The bar for meeting minimum occupant expectations is incredibly high, but failing to do so will result in:
- Poor worker morale and performance.
- Low public opinion.
- Decreased sales and productivity.
- Increased costs associated with abscesses and occupant health issues and;
- Potentially having to shut down due to an outbreak.
Upgrading cleaning tools and methods while keeping up with custodial training can be cost-prohibitive for many organizations.
Outsourcing is a proven method for onboarding highly in-demand cleaning and sanitization services and experience for a fraction of the price of maintaining a similar service in-house.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation on-site assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Fresno, CA, call (559) 206-1059
In Valencia, CA, or Santa Clarita, CA, call (661) 437-3253
In Palmdale, CA or Lancaster, CA, call (661) 371-4756
