Business advice doesn’t typically venture into bathroom talk, but here we are.
And while the public restroom isn’t top of mind for business owners and managers, maybe it’s time to give it a little more attention.
After all, 60% of Americans say they are likely to spend more at businesses with well-maintained bathrooms. Plus, an unclean bathroom can lead to negative reviews, poor customer experience, and lost revenue.
As with many aspects of business, the key to maintaining a consistently clean and customer-ready bathroom is to establish and uphold clear guidelines.
Here we’ll cover how to clean a bathroom and how to use a checklist to make sure it gets done right every time.
Your Ultimate Public Bathroom Cleaning Checklist Template
Daily Public Bathroom Cleaning Tasks
- Empty trash cans
- Restock toilet paper, paper towels, and soap
- Restock vending machines
- Clean sinks and wipe countertops
- Polish faucets
- Wipe and disinfect high-touch areas (faucets, flushers, door handles)
- Clean urinals and toilets
- Sweep and mop the floor
Weekly Public Bathroom Cleaning Tasks
- Dust vents and fixtures
- Polish mirrors and other chrome surfaces
- Disinfect all flat surfaces
- Clean toilets and urinals both in and out
- Scrub and disinfect countertops and sinks
- Sweep and mop the floors
- Wipe down stalls and partitions
- Clean baseboards and other horizontal surfaces not covered in daily cleaning
Deep Cleaning
Most professional cleaners recommend deep cleaning of commercial facilities. How often this happens depends on how much traffic a restroom gets. A deep cleaning is recommended at least once or twice a year.
- Remove any stains from toilet bowls and sinks
- Clean and scrub all grout
- Pressure wash hard surfaces to remove buildup and spots
- Clean and clear up drains
- Scrub walls with disinfectant to remove stains and discoloration
- Detail clean all horizontal and vertical fixtures (ledges, stands, toilet paper holders, etc.)
- Deep scrub the floor
Why Use a Restroom Cleaning Checklist
Every business owner or manager should be concerned about their patrons’ experience on the premises - including in the bathroom. Implementing a comprehensive checklist can impact how people feel about your business. There are a few other key reasons to implement a checklist as well.
Hygiene and Sanitation
As you might imagine, there is lots of bacteria in public bathrooms. While most of it doesn’t pose a real risk to people’s health, bathrooms can transmit viruses like norovirus. This should be a concern not only for a business’s patrons, but its employees.
Compliance with Regulations
In some businesses and jurisdictions, businesses are subject to regulations that include cleanliness standards for their restrooms. This is especially true in businesses that serve food or provide healthcare. For example, many local health codes require the regular inspection of commercial kitchens and restrooms.
Efficiency and Accountability
A restroom cleaning checklist can help cleaning staff do their jobs more efficiently, saving time and effort. It also serves as a record of completed tasks, which can improve accountability and quality control.
Steps to Cleaning a Public Bathroom
How a public bathroom gets cleaned is just as important as when it gets cleaned. Here are the steps to take to make sure it is properly cleaned every time.Put Up
1. Set Up Signs
Let patrons know that the restroom is being cleaned by putting up cautionary signs at the entrance. This alerts people that there is an attendant inside and also lets them know that the floor could be slippery.
2. Sweep and Empty the Trash
Dust fixtures and vents, then sweep the floors and empty the trash cans.
3. Refill Soap, Paper Towels, and Toilet Paper
Ensure all items are restocked
4. Pre-Treat Toilet and Urinals
Pretreat toilet bowls and urinals with cleaner then move on Step 5.
5. Clean Sinks, Mirrors, and Countertops
Polish mirrors, then clean sinks and countertops thoroughly. Polish them so that they are dry, clean, and don’t have any marks and water stains. Make sure the taps and the space around and behind them is clean and the taps have been polished.
6. Clean Toilets and Urinals
Now that the cleaning solution has had time to set in, clean toilets inside and out.
7. Clean Walls and Fixtures
Wipe down the walls. If they are tile, make sure they are dried and polished so that they don’t show streaks or spots. Wipe off doors, knobs, and bathroom partitions with disinfectant.
8. Mop the Floor
Work your way from the back of the restroom toward the door. Ensure that you clean under sinks and behind toilets as well.
Key Reasons for Dirty Bathrooms
A survey by Bradley Corporation found that 68% of people reported a particularly unpleasant experience in a public restroom. So why are so many public bathrooms so poorly maintained? Here are a few key reasons.
Poor Cleaning
When cleaning isn’t done to a high enough standard, a bathroom will never truly be clean. And that means it’s going to get dirtier over time. Properly trained staff and a good cleaning protocol for them to follow can help. Most professional cleaners use a color coded system for cleaning tools, to ensure there is no cross-contamination. For example, tools used to clean toilets are not used to clean sinks and faucets.
Cleaning Isn’t Done Often Enough
How often should public restrooms be cleaned? Professional cleaners unanimously agree that a public bathroom should be cleaned at least once per day. But it should always be cleaned before it is noticeably dirty. That means it may need to be cleaned a lot more often depending on how much traffic it gets.
Bad Design
Unfortunately, some public restrooms are dirtier by design. They may not have enough trash cans, or have trash cans in inconvenient places. They may have sinks that splash water on the counters or soap dispensers that seem to believe that more is always better. Or maybe the space just isn’t well designed for cleaning in terms of its shape and materials.
When it comes to keeping a public bathroom clean, details matter. That’s why we designed Step ‘n Wash to take up minimal floor space and retract when it’s not in use. This makes it easy to clean around. Because it helps kids and people of short stature reach the sink, it also helps prevent water from splashing on the floor.
Broken Fixtures
A puddle on a public restroom floor is a real turn-off - and a slippery reminder that maintenance is overdue. The same goes for broken faucets, which can leave puddles on the counter, or broken soap dispensers, which can leave a sticky mess behind.
Broken or Lack of Ventilation
A bathroom that smells bad is always an unwelcome surprise and can turn a quick visit into a hurried escape. Properly functioning ventilation can help with this by circulating air and reducing humidity.
Lack of Oversight/Inspection
A public bathroom should be regularly inspected to ensure that whoever is cleaning it - checklist or not - is meeting the mark.
What does a clean bathroom look like?
Not everyone views cleanliness the same way - and not all cleaners take the same care in their duties. Plus, it’s easy for busy employees to overlook key details that stand out to customers.
According to a poll of more than 3,000 adults conducted by Cintas Corporation, respondents pointed out which issues were most likely to lead them to call a public bathroom “dirty.” They include:
- Unflushed toilets - 90%
- Odor - 89%
- Overflowing trash cans - 88%
- Paper towels or toilet paper on the floor - 80%
- Empty soap dispensers - 55%
- Water around the sink - 42%
- Old or outdated soap dispensers - 29%
What this shows us is that bathrooms need to be attended to very regularly to be perceived by the public as clean. It also shows the value of a checklist. It can help ensure that whoever is cleaning those bathrooms is taking care of each item each and every time they clean.
Keeping It Clean, Keeping Customers Happy
A bathroom cleaning checklist can help ensure that your business’s bathrooms are always ready to give visitors the best impression.
At Step ‘n Wash, we care about the little details. Our bathroom step stool helps make bathrooms more accessible for children and people of short stature. It also helps keep bathrooms cleaner by reducing the amount of water that gets on the floor. Plus, it retracts when it’s not in use, so it’s easy to clean around. We even designed the side support legs to be wide enough for most commercial mops!
FAQs About Cleaning Public Bathrooms
How to professionally clean a public bathroom?
The key to cleaning a public bathroom well is to have a system and checklist for cleaning it thoroughly and a log to ensure every item is completed. Having proper equipment is also key.
What is the most important item to clean in a commercial bathroom?
Public bathrooms should be cleaned fully on a regular basis but one item that often gets overlooked is high-touch fixtures such as faucets, door handles, and toilet flushers.
How often should public restrooms be cleaned?
Public restrooms should be cleaned at least daily, but maybe more often depending on the traffic. This public bathroom in Colorado Springs cleans itself after every 30 minutes of continuous use!
