Toilets and urinals are increasingly falling under scrutinization as studies begin to pile up, identifying the devices and their plumes as major sources of infectious disease transmission, including COVID-19.

Regular Toilet and Urinal Cleaning is a Must
Dirty public restrooms have long been the bane of many organizations.

While the world currently struggles in the throes of the current pandemic, many have warned that we should be preparing for the next--a reality few, eager to return to normal, might be ready for.

Is Your Facility Prepared for the Next Pandemic?
It is accurate to say that the COVID-19 pandemic caught many off guard, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life and, though briefly, a deterioration of vital infrastructure.

Toilet plumes emit aerosolized particles containing pathogenic bacteria and, according to recent studies, are responsible for the spread of contagious aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 particles to surfaces and occupants in public restrooms.

Toilet Plumes Transmit Aresoloized Pathogenic Bacteria and Pathogens Including SARS-CoV-2
Restrooms have come under scrutiny for their role in widespread outbreaks of certain diseases.

Due to the devastating outcomes directly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and indirectly related to the world's response, facility occupants have forever changed their views and expectations of facility cleanliness, hygiene, and safety.

How COVID-19 Changed Occupants Expectations of Facility Cleanliness
Facility occupants are notably more concerned with facility cleanliness and hygiene than at any point in the recent past.

Given the constantly shifting information, guidelines, rumors, and speculation regarding how the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread last year and how that spread could be contained, many people have been left wondering if there is a right way to clean a facility that will help prevent the transmission of pathogens while ensuring the health and safety of facility occupants and the environment as a whole.

Dirty schools and classrooms negatively impact occupant health, performance, and morale, resulting in many undesirable consequences, including poor student test scores and increasing absences--strong predictors of a child's prospects and outcomes as an adult.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently updated its guidance for public facility cleaning and sanitization to reflect the latest information and status of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Updated CDC Guidelines for Facility Cleaning and Disinfection.

A clean workspace is vital to occupant performance and health and an organization's bottom line, but challenges surrounding COVID-19 and the future of workplace cleanliness and hygiene remain.

The Value of a Clean Workspace
A clean workspace provides clear benefits to occupants and organizations, including:

A direct correlation between workspace hygiene and occupant wellness.

After roughly a year of pandemic-fueled lockdowns, quarantines, and closures, the U.S.--due in large part to the efforts by and lessons from the custodial industry--is nearing a stage where reopening safely is possible and realistic on a large-scale.

Commercial Cleaning Post-COVID-19
The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has gone on for more than a year, and we have learned a great deal during that time.

Fomite contamination is a major route of pathogen and pathogenic bacterial transmission between humans and a major concern for housekeeping and custodial staff.

The Role of Fomites in the Transmission of Pathogenic Bacteria and Pathogens
Fomites--commonly touched inanimate objects--are primary vehicles for the transmission of viral and bacterial infection.