When you walk into a public toilet, you never quite know what to expect. Some communal washrooms are beautifully maintained, whilst others lack basic facilities.
These are some of the best washroom supplies for your communal toilet facilities, ensuring you keep the areas clean and hygienic for everyone.
Handwash
Soap is an essential, for health and hygiene, but is sadly so often overlooked. If you don’t provide enough, you risk running out if the toilets are particularly busy.
Once you run out of soap, hygiene levels suddenly drop. People have to leave the room without properly washing their hands, which means that they’ll touch door handles with hands that are covered in germs.
Make sure that you always have a plentiful supply of soap and handwash as one of your washroom essentials.
Working dispensers
As well as soap and handwash, you’ll need a way to dispense it. In some washrooms, this is simply a liquid soap bottle at each sink. In many washrooms, there are soap dispensers with buttons or touch-free sensors.
A large refillable soap dispenser is your best choice for staying stocked up, and looks a lot tidier than bottles that stand near the sink.
Hand drying facilities
Electric hand dryers are one option for hand drying in public washrooms. But, they’re not your only choice. Increasingly, you’ll find public toilets with paper hand towel dispensers. Paper towels are favoured by those with sensory issues, including young children that might find the noise of a hand dryer too loud.
It’s assumed that electric hand dryers are more environmentally friendly than paper towels, but research has shown that both options are almost equal. Whilst paper towels require regular top-ups, hand dryers using electric are not better overall for the planet.
There has also been some research to suggest that electric hand dryers may be less hygienic, blowing any remaining germs to send them flying airborne through the room.
Feminine products
Feminine hygiene bins are essential in ladies toilets. Your visitors need a way to discreetly dispose of any used products within their toilet cubicle. These should be emptied regularly, to avoid the spread of germs.
As an increasing number of people use alternative hygiene products, a small sink in each toilet cubicle could be valued by female visitors. This provides space for immediate rinsing of feminine hygiene products.
You might like to install a small vending machine providing emergency supplies.
Air fresheners
Unsurprisingly, communal washrooms don’t always smell the best. You can reduce bad smells by regularly cleaning, and emptying every bin. But, there’s another way to stay on top of bad smells.
Communal washrooms should be improved with a scented air freshener. The best are automated air fresheners that spray a scent at regular intervals.
Mirrors
Mirrors are a public toilet essential. Whilst answering the call of duty, most people will seize the opportunity to take a look at their face.
Mirrors are notoriously hard to clean. Most mirrors are covered in streaks after they’ve been wiped over. It’s essential that your washroom supplies include a good glass cleaner, and the right cloths to apply it without leaving lines on your mirrors.
Bins
General waste bins are a valuable addition to any washroom, but are absolutely essential if you’re providing paper towels for hands. Again, these need to be regularly emptied to avoid an unsightly overflow.
Be prepared for your public washroom to need a lot of regular cleaning. Vandalism and graffiti are sadly quite common, and people don’t always look after communal restroom facilities. You’ll need all the right cleaning equipment, and a way to monitor and record cleaning visits.
