When you see a dirty restroom, you think the kitchen is dirty. The same applies to seeing a dirty bathroom. If an establishment is not putting in the effort to sanitize the restrooms, what else are they not doing? What is the importance of clean restrooms in a restaurant?
When you own or manage a restaurant, one of the most important things to do is to ensure cleanliness! From the front of the house and the kitchen to the restrooms, being clean is essential for your business’s success. The consumer doesn’t want to eat in an unclean area, or that came from an unsanitary kitchen.
An unclean establishment will be subject to many bad reviews, and you might find it hard to generate repeat customers.
How to spot a dirty restaurant bathroom:
- Wet floors
- Bad odors
- Clogged toilets
- Dirty soap
- Full trash bins
Bathroom Germs
It is a known fact that a bathroom carries a host of germs – even more in a public restroom.
- Gastrointestinal viruses: Including the Norovirus, they cause awful stomach problems and live on a surface for a week.
- Enteric Pathogens: They get spread by food, such as E.coli and Salmonella, which can cause severe diarrhea and kidney failure. In 1993, four children died after catching E. coli at a restaurant in California.
- Staphylococcus aureus: These skin and respiratory illnesses include MRSA, can also be found on bathroom surfaces.
- Residual fungi: Mildew in the bathroom can cause an exasperation of allergies and asthma.
Impacts of Not Cleaning the Restroom
One of the most significant problem areas in a restaurant is the restrooms. It is the number one complaint by the consumer whether they get expressed or not.
A dirty restroom can have the following impacts on your establishment:
- Loss of reputation: Social media can make or break your reputation. The consumer will leave bad reviews and make social media posts discouraging friends and family from visiting your restaurant. You might even notice more visits from the health department from your reviews.
- Employees can get sick: Having a dirty restaurant can cause your employees to get sick because of germs – especially during the flu season.
- Legal implications: Not having a clean and safe working environment can mean you are breaching workplace WorkSafe requirements. Don’t subject yourself to legal and financial implications.
Don’t let the quality of your brand get affected by a dirty bathroom. Your patrons will never forget it!
How to Keep Your Restrooms Clean
Have an organized approach to a clean restroom. Create a checklist for your employees:
Daily Tasks
- Sweep and mop the floors after every shift
- Scrub and sanitize the sinks, toilets, and urinals
- Clean the mirrors
- Sanitize all touchpoints such as the doorknob, sink sandals, and stall locks
- Refill the sanitizer and soap dispensers, toilet paper, and paper towels
- Empty all the trash
Weekly Tasks
- Clean the windows sills, tracks, and all hardware such as the hand soap dispensers
- Dust the surfaces, including the light bulbs
- Check for any mold and leaks
Monthly Tasks
- Wash all the walls from top to bottom
- Scrub the floor tiles and remove grout
- Clean window frames, ceiling trim, and door tops
See my blog on establishing a guideline for a continuous improvement program!
Employee Training – Importance of Clean Restrooms
One of the most important aspects of keeping a clean bathroom is employee training. If the employee is not aware of using the products and the best cleaning methods, your efforts will be fruitless.
- Proper chemical use: Make a guideline of how to use each chemical and where to use them. Educate employees on the ‘dwell or kill’ time of the disinfectant. Contact me for the best chemicals for your restrooms!
- Cross-contamination: Employees must understand the importance of minimizing cross-contamination. A cloth to clean the urinal or toilet seat must not get used on the doorknob or sink handles.
- Not a once-a-day task: Make sure your bathrooms get checked multiple times a day. Designate a few times a day to empty the trash, clean the toilets, and whatever else looks necessary to clean.
Have weekly check-ins with your employees to ensure everyone is doing their part and they understand the importance of clean restrooms. As the manager or owner, you need to ensure everyone is keeping the standard high for clean restrooms and if it is not – retrain your employees!
How to Rebuild Your Reputation
Firstly, go to social media! Let your followers know that you have made some changes. If there are any influences in your area, ask them to visit and make a promotional post on their social media.
Invite an entertainment writer from your local community paper for a meal and drinks so they can do a positive review on the quality and cleanliness of your establishment.
Host an event and invite prominent people within your community, including your regular customers. Have everyone talking about your restaurant in a positive way. Shift the negative word-of-mouth reviews to a positive experience.
It is worth the investment to getting feet in your store to shine a light on your establishment’s cleanliness.
Take Action – Importance of Clean Restrooms
If your reputation and revenue are suffering because of not keeping a clean house, it is time to start evaluating your processes. Create a cleaning checklist and evaluate your strategies. Understand the importance of clean restrooms in a restaurant.
Your employees must be aware of the importance of a clean restroom and that it is for their health too. Have weekly meetings and get everyone on the same page. Ensure everyone understands the right way to mix chemicals and the right places to use them.
Get your reputation back and restore faith in your patrons!
If you have any questions on the BEST chemicals to use in your restaurant and the process to establish – contact me!
