Restroom Cleanliness Does Not Meet Workplace Standards

Restrooms are the dirtiest facility environment, according to a new report on workplace cleanliness. RamClean, a commercial cleaning company, surveyed 1,000 full-time U.S. employees to determine how occupants feel about their building's hygiene. The results reveal strengths and areas of growth for cleaning systems, and how cleaning directly impacts worker well-being.

Although 91 percent of occupants say their workplace is clean—with 54 percent describing their environment as “very clean” and 37 percent as “somewhat clean”—66 percent have avoided shared spaces, brought in their own cleaning supplies, or engaged in another cleaning act because the environment felt dirty. These actions underscore the shift in cleaning needs. According to a CleanLink monthly poll, 38 percent of cleaning industry members say there is now an emphasis on proving a facility’s cleanliness rather than creating a perception of environmental cleanliness.

Of all the spaces in their workplace, 29 percent of employees identified restrooms as the dirtiest location. Restroom cleanliness is a major preoccupation for most occupants, as affirmed by 74 percent of respondents who avoided their workplace restroom at least once because it wasn’t clean. In the healthcare sector, 81 percent of staff opted out of restroom use because of its state compared to 73 percent of office workers. These numbers are concerning, as using the restroom is necessary for individual health and hygiene.

However, these findings align with other restroom care research. According to a global survey by Excel Dryer, 100 percent of those surveyed agree that a dirty restroom reflects poorly on an establishment, with 80 percent insisting they would not or might not return to a business with an unhygienic restroom. Similarly, in an annual Healthy Handwashing Survey by Bradley Company, a cleaner restroom facility was one of three improvements the public would like to see. From toilet plumes to malodors, restrooms require frequent attention and can consume up to 60 percent of cleaning supplies. Yet attention to this environment is essential to mitigating cross-contamination and ensuring every employee can relieve themselves in comfort.

Another trend highlighted in RamClean’s report is the importance of frontline staff and cleaning operation visibility. More than four in 10 employees say they do not trust their building cleaning crew. As a result, some occupants changed their habits—43 percent cleaned their personal desk or workspace, and 35 percent ate at their desk instead of a common area—while some changed their work routine altogether—5 percent opted to work from home instead of in-office, and 3 percent called in sick.

Instilling trust in frontline staff is critical to a cleaning operation’s success. Around 22 percent of CleanLink leaders share how placing frontline staff in direct contact with building occupants is effective in enhancing operational visibility. When cleaning crews establish connections, demonstrate on-the-job tasks, and immediately address occupant concerns, trust can be built. These relationships are important, especially as under half of building occupants (48 percent) say that their workplace is cleaned daily by a cleaning staff, with confidence changing depending on facility type—63 percent reported by healthcare employees, 56 percent by education employees, 47 percent by office employees, and 40 percent by store, restaurant, and hotel employees.

As flu season begins, workplace cleanliness remains a top concern for commercial cleaning executives. Although influenza activity remains low, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infection prevention remains a core outcome of cleaning programs. On the other hand, unhygienic workplaces can promote absenteeism. In fact, 24 percent of RamClean respondents think a dirty workplace has made them sick, with one in four believing it was the primary cause of an illness at some point.

To address these perceptions, professional cleaning enterprises can optimize cleaning systems by addressing high-touch points, increasing cleaning frequencies in high-traffic environments, and tailoring operations by facility type to reduce cross-contamination and build occupant trust.

Access the full report by clicking here.