Keeping toilet cubicles looking and smelling clean and fresh can be a challenge at the best of times. During warm summer months though, the task gets even harder.
No one wants to use hot, smelly toilets. Not only is it unpleasant but it leaves users with a lasting (and negative) impression of your facilities. Poor for staff morale – and definitely bad for business!
But as temperatures rise, so do the odours. So, what can you do about it?
Here M&P Cubicle and Hardware Supplies, share their top tips on how to keep toilets smelling sweet this summer.
Why are smells worse in summer?
A combination of heat and humidity speeds up bacteria growth. In turn, this increases enzyme activity. So, when warmer temperatures hit, smells become more powerful.
Worse still, the humid air traps odour molecules – resulting in more pungent smells that linger for longer.
Bad news all around.
How to avoid the pong
· Ventilate
If you only do one thing to try and combat smells this summer, let this be it!
Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate. Nothing will improve the air in your toilets quite like opening up a window and letting the fresh air in.
If no windows are available, consider propping the main door into the washrooms ajar (provided it’s not a fire door) to stop the temperatures from building up and smells stagnating.
If users aren’t keen for the main door to be propped open, you could do so overnight. Not as effective but at least the air gets some chance to circulate.
· Avoid damp towels
Noticed that towels start to smell quickly in the summer? That’s due to the increased moisture in the air – and the fact any radiators are likely to be turned off – which stops the towels from drying out properly. This encourages mildew and results in your hand towels developing that tell-tale musty smell.
If constantly replacing towels isn’t practical, consider switching to an alternative drying method.
Hand dryers are great but will only serve to push the mercury reading even higher. Your best option? Good old paper towels, which can be thrown away after each use.
· Up the cleaning rota
You’ve hopefully got a pretty tight cleaning rota in place already to ensure your toilets are kept as hygienic and presentable as possible. But to keep on top of smells during summer, it’s worth squeezing in an additional clean to the schedule.
Emptying bins, ensuring toilet bowls are kept clean, and replacing damp towels are all quick fixes to help stay on top of smells.
· Check the drains
Whatever the season, do you sometimes get a whiff drifting from the drains? Don’t ignore it.
Plants and trees grow significantly during the summer and their roots can easily cause blockages – or aggravate existing issues. Add in the summer heat, which will intensify smells, and you’ve got a pretty grim problem on your hands.
Our advice? If your drains are prone to problems, don’t put off dealing with them. Get a professional out to assess the situation – and fix it – as it’s only likely to get worse during the summer.
· Add a scent
Our final tip for more heavenly scented toilets? Air freshener.
Whether you opt for an automatic air freshener, which will dispense favourable smells at regular intervals, provide DIY aerosols for users to spritz or keep things natural with a posy of fresh scented flowers, adding in an additional pleasant smell will enhance the room and create a more user-friendly environment.
Speak to the toilet cubicle experts
What’s worse than pongy toilets? Toilets that look nearly as bad as they smell!
Sometimes even the cleanest of toilets can start to stink – and if they look unpleasant too, users will automatically presume it’s because they’re unsanitary.
If locks need replacing, hinges are rusty and cubicle panels are worn or damaged, it all adds to the feeling that your toilets are a place to avoid.
Take a fresh look at things and breathe new life into the area by investing in new cubicles or hardware.
What’s even better, is that making these changes doesn’t need to cost a fortune! Shop our range of toilet cubicles or toilet cubicle hardware now or for more advice on how to make improvements to your toilets talk to the team.