Don’t underestimate the impact of a washroom on customers’ perceptions! A poorly presented washroom will undermine your business’s reputation just as quickly as poor customer service or low quality products will.
If there is a bad smell drifting from your washroom, customers will notice it. In the washroom, bacteria in the air and on the surfaces build up to create unpleasant odours. Each time a toilet is flushed, these bacteria rocket into the air, similar to a sneeze effect. In addition, when the urinal is used, urine “splash back” can gather on surfaces. Obviously, the build up of smells and bacteria can become more problematic in washrooms that have a lot of visitors, such as in shopping centres, hotels, airports and conference rooms.
Consider the effect that a bad washroom odour will have on your business. For example, 30% of customers say they would avoid a business if its washroom created a bad first impression. Don’t forget how powerfully evocative the sense of smell is. Smells trigger instant feelings and memories. According to Avery Gilbert, Sensory Pychologist at Monell University, smell affects three-quarters of the emotions we experience each day.
So what do you want people to think and feel when they smell your washroom? If your washroom smells clean, people will be assured that you care about the important details in your business. They are then likely to have more confidence in you and your products or services.
So how can you ensure that your washroom smells clean? First of all, consider the size of your washroom. The larger and busier your washroom, the greater your battle against bad odours will be. If your washroom has windows, be sure to open them regularly. And of course keep your washroom clean and tidy.
Here are some other tips to ensure your washroom creates a good impression on your customers.
How do you protect standard washrooms?
Fans
Not all washrooms have windows, so bad smells may linger in the stagnant air. You might consider using extractor fans to channel the bad smells out of the room. Be aware that this can be a costly operation, however.
Screens and blocks
Most bad smells in washrooms are caused, not surprisingly, by the build up of urine. Male urinals pose an even more acute problem. Odour screens and urine blocks can help to neutralise the uric acid and prevent foul odours gathering. They also contain perfumes to combat any lingering stench.
Air fresheners
Although air fresheners do not prevent bad odours, they can mask them. They are a simple and cheap, but effective way of ensuring that customers are greeted with a clean, welcoming scent when they use your washrooms. Signature air fresheners have been developed specifically for washroom odours.
What about large washrooms?
If you have a large washroom that experiences high volumes of traffic, you may need to consider more advanced odour techniques.
Neutralisers
AirQ® technology is particularly effective in large washrooms. It neutralises bad smells in the air and replaces them with pleasant fragrances. Study the image to see how the AirQ method ensures excellent coverage in large washrooms. Traditional washroom automatic spray devices have uneven distribution of fragrance which is always strongest at the source point. But, the AirQ technology of GENIE Air Treatment enables fragrance to evenly disperse across the room with coverage up to 425m.
Filtration
The air in a washroom can become polluted and stale. By removing, or filtering, debris from the air, you can fill the room with fresh, clean air again. Filtration systems suck the stale air in through dust filters to remove dust and other airborne particles. They then use carbon filters to remove the foul smells. Perfumed wicks then fragrance the filtered air before it is pumped back into the room. ECOBreeze is a unique triple-action air hygiene system which filters, cleans and fragrances the air.
Deep cleaning
One of the most effective ways of preventing bad smells gathering is to ensure your washroom is kept in pristine condition. Having a regular cleaning schedule complemented with frequent deep cleans will ensure that debris and liquid do not build up on the washroom surfaces. However, where this is a high volume of users, cleaning alone is unlikely to prevent bad smells.
The best plan of action depends on your own particular circumstances. Take into account your business sector, your budget, the size of your washroom and the volume of use. And then select the most effective strategy to meet your needs. Hopefully customers will have not reason to raise a stink whenever they ask to use your washroom!
If you wish to improve your washroom experience, please contact us to book your free washroom survey
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