Maintaining washroom hygiene is crucial for businesses in every industry. From retail premises and corporate offices to educational establishments and healthcare facilities, keeping washrooms clean and sanitary is essential to the health and wellbeing of staff, visitors, and customers.  

Poor washroom hygiene can not only cause illness from harmful bacteria and viruses, but can even have fatal consequences in sectors such as healthcare. Unclean facilities can also have a negative effect on a business’s reputation, as well as put it at risk of non-compliance with certain health and safety regulations.  

However, achieving consistently high washroom hygiene standards can be difficult, with staffing, environmental, and logistical challenges, among others. That’s why this blog will cover everything businesses need to know in order to keep their washrooms hygienic, including how Samsic’s innovative products and practices can help. 

Importance of washroom hygiene 

There are many reasons why maintaining washroom hygiene is important. Health and wellbeing is one.  Because bathrooms are used by so many people and so frequently throughout the day, they are a hotspot for germs. These then spread from person to person, throughout the building and beyond, leading to individual illness or larger outbreaks. And, illness inevitably causes absenteeism, which in turn has a negative effect on productivity and costs, as well as creating more work for other members of staff.  

Washroom hygiene can also be seen as a snapshot of the business overall. A bathroom that is dirty, lacking in consumables, or has non-functioning fixtures will leave visitors and customers with the perception that the business itself is badly managed, especially if it is one of the few areas they see. It will also make staff feel that their comfort and needs are not valued, leading to low morale. On the other hand, keeping washrooms clean and fresh creates a positive atmosphere and image, and shows everyone who uses them that their wellbeing is important.  

Health and safety regulations  

Poor hygiene standards can lead to serious legal and financial consequences for all businesses, but this is particularly the case in regulated industries such as healthcare, hospitality and food services. The UK has strict regulations around cleanliness and not complying with these can result in significant penalties. 

  • Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: This requires employers to provide clean and sanitary washroom facilities for their staff. If they don’t, they can face unlimited fines or even up to two years in prison. This will also cause damage to the business’s reputation and operations.  
  • Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013: This states that businesses in the hospitality and food service industries must maintain high standards of cleanliness throughout their premises, including washrooms, to avoid the risk of contamination. Failure to meet these standards can have serious consequences including fines of up to £20,000, forced closure or even a prison sentence.  
  • Food Standards Agency (FSA) Food Hygiene Ratings: Food service providers found with unhygienic washrooms could receive a Food Hygiene Rating of 0 (urgent improvement necessary), which can seriously harm their reputation.  
  • Care Quality Commission (CQC) guidelines: These require healthcare providers to maintain proper hygiene standards across all areas of their premises, including washrooms. If they don’t, they face penalties including large fines, suspensions or closure. There can also be severe health risks to service users. 

Key areas for maintaining washroom hygiene  

Every washroom has several core areas to focus on in order to maintain hygiene. Each one helps to reduce the spread of germs and create a cleaner, more pleasant environment. 

  • Surfaces: Dirt and bacteria quickly build up on hard surfaces including sinks, counters and door handles. It’s essential to regularly clean and disinfect these, paying particular attention to areas such as taps, toilet flushes and soap dispensers to minimise cross-contamination. 
  • Fixtures: Making sure that all fixtures are working properly is key to washroom hygiene. Broken taps, blocked toilets and out-of-order hand dryers are not only inconvenient but can also be unsanitary, making it impossible to wash and dry hands.  
  • Ventilation: Proper ventilation reduces humidity, improves air quality, and prevents unpleasant smells, all of which make washrooms more hygienic. If washrooms are not ventilated properly, it can also lead to excessive moisture and the growth of bacteria or mould.  
  • Consumables: It’s important to keep supplies of soap, toilet paper and hand towels topped up. Running out of them means users won’t be able to maintain personal cleanliness or wash their hands properly. 
  • Bins: Both waste bins and sanitary bins must be emptied regularly, with the waste disposed of according to the relevant guidelines. The bins themselves should also be kept clean.  

Environmentally friendly washroom hygiene 

With an overall global shift towards sustainability, many businesses are striving to reduce their individual environmental footprint. When it comes to washroom hygiene, there are several measures that can help them achieve this.  

Eco-friendly products and processes 

Switching to green cleaning products is an easy way for businesses to become more sustainable while maintaining their high cleanliness standards. Unlike traditional cleaners, which contain harmful chemicals, they are made with biodegradable, non-toxic ingredients that are safe for human health and the environment.  

Samsic is committed to sustainability and has developed eco-friendly products and practices to help businesses with washroom hygiene, including:  

  • Toucan Eco Active spray, floor and surface coating, a powerful, chemical-free combined disinfectant and cleaning agent solution that uses just water, salt and electricity. 
  • Samsic Sensor Technology, a smart system that monitors cleaning requirements, thereby reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint. 
  • Pure Air, an active air filtering system that destroys viruses, bacteria and odours. 

Water-saving technologies 

These can make a huge difference in reducing the environmental impact of washrooms. Innovations such as sensor-activated taps, water-saving volumisers, and dual-flush toilets can help conserve water while making sure that facilities remain hygienic. These technologies not only reduce water usage but can also lower operating costs over time. 

Sustainable consumables 

Switching to sustainable consumables, such as recycled toilet paper and hand towels made from renewable resources, is a good way to reduce environmental impact while maintaining hygiene standards. Businesses should opt for products certified by eco-labels like FSC or EU Ecolabel. 

Waste reduction 

Installing hand dryers can significantly cut down washroom waste, which is generated mainly by paper towels. This in turn reduces the environmental impact of washrooms, and helps businesses meet their overall sustainability targets. In addition, hand dryers are more hygienic than hand towels, because there’s no physical contact needed. Some even have in-built air purifiers which further aids washroom hygiene.   

Effective schedules and monitoring for washroom hygiene 

In all washrooms, particularly those with large numbers of visitors, customers or staff, keeping to a well-structured cleaning schedule is essential. This makes sure that they stay sanitised throughout the day, preventing the build-up and spread of dirt and bacteria.  

It’s important to modify cleaning schedules according to the specific needs of the facility. For example, busy environments like airports, hospitals or shopping centres will need to be cleaned more frequently than sites such as small offices or shops. Assessing usage patterns and times is also useful, as this allows businesses to know when and where to best allocate their cleaning resources. Samsic Sensor Technology is a smart sensor that can track foot traffic, helping cleaning teams to prioritise busier areas and respond to fluctuations in demand. 

There also needs to be monitoring in place to make sure the schedules are working. Cleaning staff should keep records of daily tasks such as sanitising, restocking consumables, disposing of waste and so on, as well as things like non-functioning fixtures. These records should be regularly checked by managers to keep on top of any issues. Again, technology can make this easier, with records being made on digital systems featuring real-time updates.  

Staff training and awareness  

Even if a business uses thorough procedures, effective schedules and advanced technology, its washroom hygiene will fall short without properly trained staff. All cleaning staff should have basic training, including how to: 

  • use cleaning products properly 
  • handle and dispose of chemicals safely 
  • recognise signs of non-functioning fixtures and inadequate ventilation 
  • restock consumables 
  • keep accurate records  

They should also have full training in health and safety regulations and standards, both generally and specific to the business or industry that they are in. In sectors such as healthcare or food service, where there can be serious consequences if hygiene standards slip, this training would have to be particularly in-depth and could include learning about infection control protocols, how to dispose of different types of medical waste, and how to use specialised products that target bacteria and viruses. 

At Samsic, we prioritise our clients’ unique compliance and cleanliness needs through a wealth of training initiatives and courses. All new-starter cleaning operatives undergo a comprehensive onboarding process, for example, during which they are trained to meet the specific requirements of each client whilst upholding Samsic values. This foundation training is then reinforced by our cloud-based Learning Management System (LMS), which provides access to hundreds of free courses designed to ensure consistent service excellence. 

The LMS includes BICSc-accredited cleaning courses covering a wide range of topics, from washroom cleaning and colour-coding to machinery usage and even soft skills for improving client and visitor interactions. These resources ensure our teams are well-prepared to deliver high-quality services while staying up to date with evolving industry standards. 

Cleaning staff should have regular training refreshers to help them stay up to date with the latest hygiene standards and technologies, as new cleaning products, equipment and eco-friendly solutions come to market.  Samsic supports this ongoing development through frequent “toolbox talks,” during which management provides updates on new processes, technologies, or enhancements to the contract. 

It’s not just cleaning teams that need to be aware of washroom hygiene however. All staff should be encouraged to follow basic hygiene practices, including washing and drying hands properly, and keeping the washrooms tidy. Displaying relevant signage in washrooms can help with this. 

How Samsic can help with washroom hygiene 

This blog has shown how maintaining washroom hygiene is not as simple as cleaning once a day. It’s a complex issue that can have serious consequences if not performed correctly and in line with health and safety regulations. That’s why it’s advisable to hire professionals who can help. Samsic has expertise and experience in washroom services, from smart monitoring systems to eco-friendly cleaning products, so contact Samsic today to learn more about how they can assist.