As buildings and institutions prepare for life after COVID, public restroom cleanliness is under the proverbial microscope.

Maintenance teams face the ultimate challenge: minimizing exposure to the coronavirus and other viruses, which spread through airborne droplets, in tight quarters laden with “toilet plumes,” germy surfaces, and poor ventilation.

The health and safety of patrons and visitors will depend on the quality and efficacy of your janitorial supplies.

To improve hygiene and reduce waste without compromising safety or cleanliness, here are the best disinfectant cleaners and restroom products to add to your custodial supplies inventory.

The Best Disinfectant For Killing COVID

First and foremost, equip your custodial team with the best disinfecting sprays, wipes and cleaners for killing viruses like COVID-19:

• Avistat-D
• PURELL® Professional Surface Disinfectant
• Peroxy HDOX
• FLEX®Wipes
• NCL LEMON-QUAT Disinfectant, Cleaner
• Lysol®Disinfectant Spray

EPA recommendations (Environmental Protection Agency) include using soap and water as well as EPA-registered disinfectants, such as those on List-N.

All-Purpose Restroom Cleaner

To a customer, a restroom is only as clean as it looks. Even with the most powerful surface sanitizers at play, mineral-based soils, soap scum and hard water stains can give off an unfavorable impression to restroom visitors.

When shopping for janitorial supplies, look for an eco-friendly, all-purpose cleaner that effectively removes grit and grime without impacting air quality or the environment.

Products such as NCL Lemon Quat and Peroxy HDOX offer powerful cleaning properties without harsh chemicals, fumes or residues.

Touchless Soap Dispensers

To reduce the number of high-touch surfaces in public restrooms, maintenance managers should replace hand-pump soap dispensers with hands-free units.

GOJOⓇ offers a reliable, aesthetically appealing touch-free counter mount dispenser that prevents messy drips and helps keep sink and countertop areas clean. Their product line is also compatible with refillable PurellⓇ hand soap cartridges in 1500mL and 2.3L volumes to reduce the number of refills needed in high-traffic restrooms.

Touchless Towel Dispensers

Though environmentally friendly, automatic hand dryers produce airborne droplets that contribute to the spread of viruses and bacteria in restroom settings, including Staphylococcus and coliforms.

Did you know hand dryers spread up to 10X more germs compared to other hand drying methods?

Paper towels do the job faster and safer. Opt for touchless paper towel dispensers, such as those produced by TORKⓇ, a leader in the industry.

They come in a variety of designs, including recessed dispensers, and use high-volume paper towel bundles that can increase cabinet capacity by 40% to reduce the number of maintenance checks required for restocking.

Newer units also eliminate tabbing and tearing to reduce waste and ensure that paper products don’t end up on the floor.

Hands-Free Sanitizer Dispenser

Even with the most proactive restroom maintenance strategies, soap and water aren’t always enough to encourage proper hand hygiene.

That’s why public restrooms should also install hands-free sanitizer dispensers to provide a convenient and effective second layer of protection against the spread of germs.

While it’s crucial to ensure your soap dispensers are always full, hand sanitizer is a backup if soap is unavailable.

Pro tip: PurellⓇ has one of the highest alcohol concentrations of any of the recommended hand sanitizers, making it the perfect product to add to your janitorial supplies list.

The Gist of Janitorial Supplies

Notice a common theme here? Touchless, hands-free solutions offer the best protection against the spread of germs in restroom settings. They also reduce waste and help custodial teams maintain cleaner environments in fewer rounds.

Equally important to the cleanliness and safety of your restrooms is the health and safety of your maintenance workers.

To that end, don’t forget to stock up on personal protective equipment, such as gloves, eye protection, aprons and masks to protect maintenance workers from exposure to fumes and chemicals.

For additional help planning your return from COVID strategy, contact us about a custom COVID essentials plan!