Modes of Services

Washroom hygiene services are any services that promote a safe and clean restroom facility. Typically, organizations that offer washroom hygiene services primarily deal with restocking supplies and ensuring that technology is up to date rather than actually cleaning the restroom. Some companies take care of all hygiene services themselves, but others outsource maintenance of the washroom facilities to companies that deal only with hygiene. Having a clean washroom is particularly important when part of a customer’s experience often involves the use of a restroom, so restaurants and stores with bathrooms frequently make use of these services to better serve the customer. In large companies with many employees, maintenance of the restroom may be conveniently and economically outsourced to other companies as well.

Some of the most common types of washroom hygiene services involve restocking restroom supplies and fixing broken hygiene fixtures. Items such as toilets are usually outside the expertise of washroom hygiene companies, but the components of the toilets that reduce odours are part of hygiene. Special dispensers for soap and towels may be part of washroom hygiene services as well, and these items must be restocked frequently. While some companies restock these fixtures themselves, others only sell the compatible parts.

The basic items that promote hygiene, such as soap and paper towels, are not the extent of the services offered by most hygiene companies. Washroom hygiene can also include vending machines for feminine supplies, changing tables, and trash services. Different companies have divergent philosophies on which combination of hygienic products results in the most usable workplace, but typically the same company will supply all of a business’s hygiene products. When choosing a washroom hygiene company, it is a good idea to see evidence of their competence at other businesses first.

Hygiene is a subjective experience in that some areas that will not result in sickness can still be perceived as dirty by humans. Smells, unpleasant images, and even colours can result in a room feeling unhygienic. Part of the job of a washroom hygiene Services Company is making sure that not only is the restroom actually clean but that it will also appear clean to users. This is often accomplished by toilets that flush automatically, odour-reducing strategies, and well-designed fixtures.

All these different hygiene services can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Some companies emphasize cutting edge technology, while others strive for environmental friendliness. Restroom hygiene is a highly varied and complex topic when shown an appropriate amount of attention, and the number of different services continues to grow as standards of cleanliness improve.

Stringent deadlines leading to ‘hygiene shortcuts’

HOTEL cleaners are taking hygiene shortcuts to meet deadlines to fix rooms in 15 minutes, for work that takes about 45 minutes to do properly, a union representing many of the industry’s workers have said.

Contract cleaners, who are also now being employed by major hotel chains, is a major concern globally. Recently, Jess Walsh from union United Voice, which has run campaigns targeting hotels for not treating their cleaning staff properly, has said it takes 45 minutes for a cleaner to properly maintain a hotel room. But hotel bosses are demanding the job be done in as little as 15 minutes.

But the chief executive of Accommodation Association of Australia, Richard Munro, argued most hotels gave cleaners enough time to do rooms properly. Those that did not quickly lost business. “First and foremost, the product has to be first-rate, so we as an industry don’t compromise standards,’’ he said. “Consumers will tell [hotels] very quickly if their product is not up to speed. If someone is not giving cleaners enough time to clean their rooms, their consumers will tell them.’’

And the managing director of Tourism Accommodation Australia, Rodger Powell, said in many cases 15 minutes would be ample time to clean a room well.

He said that while hotels faced a daily challenge to ensure all rooms were cleaned and presentable in time for guests, cleaners were generally provided with appropriate time and materials to ensure high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

The time constraints had become worse over the two decades in the industry, as agencies cut back on cleaning supplies and cram more tasks into supposed 7½-hour shifts.

Fairfax Media obtained a roster from a senior room attendant who worked in a four-star hotel. The roster required her to clean 13 rooms, including two suites, in 7½ hours, as well as stocking cleaning carts, maintaining laundry and overseeing other cleaners. An instruction sheet released by national housekeeping contractor Australian Hospitality Services details the 22 steps to a well-cleaned room, including stripping the bed, cleaning the bathroom and cleaning all the glass surfaces.

In 2010-2011, a national cleaning services campaign revealed that 40% of audited cleaning companies had breached the law. Last month, it launched its campaign to look at 1000 contract-cleaning businesses.