Serviceman repairing toilet with hand plunger. Clogged toilet.


Toilet clogs can be more than a routine maintenance issue for educational facilities, creating additional work for custodial teams and disrupting daily operations. Not only does poor toilet hygiene impact routine cleaning needs, but it's also a barrier to school toilet use, according to the Journal of Public Health. To better understand the issue, Sofidel conducted a survey of school custodians about the frequency, causes, and impact of toilet clogs in schools and universities.



Sofidel found that 30 percent of custodial professionals deal with toilet clogs multiple times per day, while another 20 percent encounter them several times per week. In some facilities, responding to these issues can take significant time, with respondents reporting 21 to 40 hours per month spent addressing toilet clogs.

"Custodial teams already have a long list of responsibilities, and repeatedly responding to toilet clogs can take valuable time away from other areas of the facility," says Tahnie Gilliland, Marketing Specialist, Sofidel America. "These findings give us a closer look at the frequency of clogs in educational facilities and the challenge they create."

The results identified the areas where clogs are most likely to present a challenge. Residence halls, stadiums and arenas, and athletic facilities were the largest problem areas, highlighting the potential impact on high-traffic environments on restroom maintenance.

When asked about the causes of toilet clogs, 54 percent of respondents identified excessive toilet paper use as a contributing factor, while 52 percent cited paper towels as a common cause. The findings underscore the importance of considering how restroom paper products are used and disposed of, particularly in high-traffic facilities.

In its annual #FlushSmart campaign, the Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) identifies a lack of education as the foundation of this particular potty problem. Building occupants often do not know which items they can and cannot flush, leading to more than $440 million spent on compromised wastewater treatment equipment nationwide.

The impact of clogs can extend beyond custodial workloads and maintenance challenges. Forty-three percent of respondents share how toilet clogs contribute to event disruptions and slip-and-fall concerns, demonstrating how maintenance issues can create broader challenges for educational facilities.

Cleaning managers can tackle toilet clogs through innovative technology. For example, Internet of Things (IoT) tools can provide updates on restroom needs that custodial teams can address immediately. Data attained from sensors in stalls or smart partitions offer real-time visibility into restroom care demands, especially in high-traffic environments. Moreover, providing clear signage on what can and cannot be flushed can help prevent operations from clogging up.