Address Building Odor Problems

Key Takeaways:
• Jan/san distributors should train frontline cleaning crews on measures to reduce the over-concentration of cleaning chemical concentrates.
• Commercial cleaning industry success relies on strict adherence to manufacturer label instructions, particularly maintaining the required disinfectant dwell times.
• Cleaning managers must implement structured standard operating protocols, consistent team training, and routine process verification to prevent recurring restroom odors and avoid costly restorative work.

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When odors are strong, frontline workers may assume that adding more chemical concentrate will improve performance, but that’s often not the case. As most distributors know, using too much product can leave residue, attract additional soil, create overpowering fragrances, increase costs, and potentially damage surfaces. The same principle applies to how products are used. Correct dilution means little if employees fail to follow other label directions, including required dwell times.

“Disinfectants, if they’re mixed incorrectly or are not left on surfaces long enough, will not work the way that customers sometimes think they’re going to work,” Craddock says.

He points to a disinfectant requiring three minutes of wet contact as an example. The product must be mixed correctly, and the surface must remain wet for the full three minutes before the solution is removed. In fact, Craddock says that when customers report that a treatment failed, the problem is often execution because “people have cut corners.”

That makes recurring odors a cue for jan/san distributors to examine the customer’s cleaning process before recommending another product. Are their employees using the correct dilution? Are they applying enough solution? Are they allowing the required dwell time? Are they following the procedure consistently?

This is where Franke says distributors can provide valuable training on proper dilution and controlled dispensing systems.

“The objective should always be to use the right chemical at the right dilution for the right application,” he says.

Schneringer suggests distributors help customers build procedures for odor-prone areas into their standard operating protocols, including grout lines, drains, fixtures, urinals, toilets, and sinks.

Cleaning frequency should also reflect traffic and facility conditions. This includes weekly drain maintenance, so soil does not accumulate to the point that restorative work becomes necessary.

Jan/san distributors can help customers establish those frequencies, select the appropriate tools and products, and document exactly how to complete each task. But even a well-designed program only works when customers understand and consistently follow it.

Frontline teams need to know which product to use, where to use it, how much to apply, how long it must remain on the surface, and when a problem should be escalated. Just as importantly, they must understand why those procedures matter. Knowing that porous grout can hold odor-producing soils, or that improper chemical dilution can undermine performance, gives employees a reason to follow the process.

Verification closes the loop. When an odor returns, distributors may need to observe the customer’s cleaning process firsthand, check chemical mixing and dwell times, and inspect areas that routine cleaning may be missing.

Sometimes that investigation will reveal that cleaning isn’t the problem at all. Schneringer has encountered restrooms where negative air pressure affected water levels in floor-drain P-traps, allowing sewer odors to return despite repeated drain maintenance. Situations like these reinforce the importance of looking beyond chemistry when a seemingly sound cleaning program fails.

“Documentation, documentation, documentation. Train, train, train. Follow up, follow up, follow up,” Craddock stresses.

Taking a problem-solving approach to odor complaints is more than a product sale. Jan/san distributors can use the problem to guide customers to identify, fix, train, and prevent odor issues.

Ronnie Wendt is a freelance writer and owner of In Good Company Communications in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

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Solving Common Facility Odor Issues