With the official start of summer fast approaching, many Americans are planning family vacations to exciting destinations. Airplanes, cruise ships, hotels, restaurants and even shopping centers can expect to see an increase in traffic. To impress travelers, businesses need to manage the image they present, including the state of their restrooms. To ensure customer reviews won’t negatively impact revenue, consider the following restroom cleanliness tips.

1. Carefully select paper products. Purchasing durable and absorbent restroom paper products so that they don’t fall apart or encourage overuse. Products should also be soft so that they don’t irritate skin. Finally, look for paper products that sanitize pipes and sumps and break down quickly when they’re flushed to reduce expensive blockages.

2. Stock the essentials. According to the 2016 Healthy Hand Washing Survey, Americans list regular stocking of materials, especially paper towels even if hand dryers are present, as top wishes for public restrooms.¹ Make sure that soap, paper towels and toilet paper are always readily available so that customers and employees always have access to hygiene essentials.

3. Develop a cleaning schedule. Set a cleaning schedule so that employees regularly check restrooms to ensure they are well stocked, void of foul odors and clean. Keep a record of when cleaning and maintenance occurs, ideally every couple of hours, and take quick action with any complaints you receive (i.e. the soap dispenser is broken).

4. Clean from top to bottom. Floors are often the first thing that customers notice when entering a room. Toss all trash that has collected inside and outside of receptacles and use a mop to remove visible dirt. However, don’t forget to clean mirrors, wipe sinks and counters and scrub all areas in and around toilets.

5. Limit the spread of germs. According to a recent study from the University of Arizona ², about 25 percent of public restroom dispensers are contaminated with fecal bacteria. Consider installing touchless faucets and soap and paper towel dispenser to ensure a hygienic restroom and limit the opportunity for germs to spread.

To minimize restroom disasters, it’s crucial to maintain their cleanliness by conducting regular maintenance checks, keeping essentials well stocked and providing high-quality products. Paying attention to these details and your customers’ needs will increase the likelihood of a five-star rating, protecting your brand’s reputation and the bottom line.

¹ https://www.bradleycorp.com/handwashing
² http://aem.asm.org/content/77/9/2898.full