A Guide to Washroom Services

- Posted by Author: Cathedral Hygiene in Category: Washroom Services | 9 min read
Photo of public washroom sinks with soap dispenser.

Washroom services are something that every business owner needs to provide, however, it may be something that you haven’t given too much thought to. If you’ve ever been unsure about the correct terminology when searching for washroom services, don’t worry, you are not alone! We’ve heard a whole range of terms used – sani bin, lady bin, female bin, tampon bin, just to name a few!

Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed by the jargon when you are searching, or maybe you are unsure exactly what you need for your washroom – either way this quick guide to washroom services will be able to help.

Sanitary Disposal

Feminine Hygiene / Women’s Hygiene

The key phrase used to describe sanitary products (sanitary pads, tampons etc.) or the use of sanitary products during menstruation.

Sanitary Bin

A specialist bin designed to be used in toilet cubicles as a safe and hygienic method of disposing of sanitary waste. The waste is ultimately disposed of via safe incineration at a local licensed site.

Cathedral Hygiene offers a range of sanitary bins to ensure your waste is disposed of correctly, reducing the risk of infection and blockages to your drains. Our bins are available in two sizes (standard and mini), and in foot or sensor operated models. Both options avoid hand contact with the bin, ensuring they are safe and hygienic to use. They also feature a reversible lid and different colourways to suit your washroom.

Feminine Hygiene Products / Period Products / Menstruation Products

Any products used during menstruation to catch menstrual flow. These include, but are not limited to sanitary pads, tampons, menstrual cups, pantyliners, period underwear and reusable pads.

A lot of these products are disposable, and with women having an average of 456 periods in their life, it leads to a substantial amount of sanitary waste. A ‘conventional’ menstrual pad is 90% plastic and does not break down easily, therefore it is important that they are disposed of correctly to reduce environmental impact.

Vending Machine

In a washroom setting, this machine dispenses essential feminine hygiene products. 86% of women have started their periods unexpectedly without the products that they need. Having a vending machine in your washroom means that your customers and staff never have to go without these essentials.

An infographic showing statistics about menstrual hygiene. 11,000 disposable menstrual products are used in an average woman's lifetime. 90% of the materials that make up a 'convential' menstrual pad are plastic. 1.5 - 2 billion menstrual products get flushed down toilets every year. Women have an average of 456 periods in their lifetime, which equates to about 7 years.
Source: https://www.wastemanaged.co.uk/our-news/sanitary-waste/sanitary-waste-guide/ /// https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/fast-facts-nine-things-you-didnt-know-about-menstruation

Types of Waste

Sanitary Waste / Personal Hygiene Waste

Waste that originates solely from humans including feminine hygiene waste (any menstruation products), incontinence and nappy waste, and personal hygiene waste such as tissues and wipes.

Non-hazardous Waste / General Waste

Any waste that doesn’t pose any health or environmental risks.

Hazardous waste

Any waste that poses a risk to health or the environment. For example, waste that is infectious, toxic, flammable, explosive or radioactive.

Offensive waste

Waste that may cause offence due to recognisable healthcare waste items or bodily fluids. This waste is not infectious or hazardous.

Medical waste / Clinical Waste / Healthcare Waste

Waste produced by medical activities such as swabs, plasters, used bandages, samples from tests and chemicals used in treatments or tests. This waste can be hazardous or non-hazardous.

It does not include needles, sharps or pharmaceutical waste such as medicine and tablets.

Sharps waste

Waste that consists of sharp objects which pose a risk of causing injury through cutting or puncturing skin. Examples include blades, broken glass, knives, needles, scalpels and syringes.

Inforgraphic showing the different colours of medical waste disposal bins, Yellow is for infectious medical waste, contimated with medicine or chemicals. Orange is for infectious medical waste with no additional hazardous properties. Purple is for cytotoxic or cytostatic waste, for example, chemotherapy drugs. Blue is for non-hazardous medical waste including pharmeceutical waste such as medicine.
Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/b2159iii-health-technical-memorandum-07-01.pdf

Air Care

Air Care

Using products such as air fresheners and air purifiers to keep your air smelling fresh. Studies show that odours can influence mood and work performance, so it is important to pay attention to the quality of air in your workplace.

Air Freshener

A device designed to make the air smell fresh. There are several different types including:

  • Aerosol Dispensers
    • These are the most popular type of air freshener. They spray into the air, creating a mist of liquid particles.
  • Air Purifiers
    • These remove harmful pollutants from the air and are used to help maintain the air quality.
  • Essential Oil Diffusers
    • These dispense essential oils into the air. They are most commonly used in aromatherapy.

Airoma

This is an aerosol air freshener that we offer. It is a battery operated and fully programmable so it can be adjusted to suit your needs. This is a wall mounted air freshener that our engineers will professionally install for you.

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Vibe Pro

A non-aerosol air freshener that we offer, more suited to larger areas. The Vibe converts fragrance oil into a fine mist using vibrating mesh technology. This creates a layered fragrance which lasts longer.

As with our Airoma air freshener, it is a battery operated, wall mounted unit that our engineers will install in your business.

Find out more

Two air fresheners. On the left is a vibe pro air freshener. On the right is an airoma air freshener.

V-Air

Cathedral Hygiene’s environmentally friendly air freshener which works without the use of batteries or aerosols. It passively disperses fragrances into the air by allowing natural airflow to move freely through the vents.

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2 V-Air Fresheners, one is white, one is chrome.

Prozone

A mains operated air and surface sanitiser which produces ozone gas. Whereas an air freshener masks a smell, the Prozone removes the smell. As well as eliminating strong odours, it kills bacteria and viruses and neutralises pollen – perfect for hay fever sufferers.

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A prozone air purifier.

Hand Washing

Hand Hygiene

The practice of cleaning your hands with soap and water or hand sanitiser. Hand hygiene is essential for reducing the spread of germs. As basic guidance, the CDC recommends that workplaces provide sinks, soap, water and a way for employees to dry their hands.

An infographic showing statistics about hand washing. 43% of adults always use soap. 42% of adults occasionally or sometimes use soap. 15% of adults never use soap. One thousand times more germs are spread by damp hands than dry ones. Most high-speed hand dryers' dry hands in about 10 - 14 seconds. Germs can stay alive on our hands for 3 days.
Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/pmc2813169/ /// https://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/hand-hygiene-eblast-.pdf /// https://trellis.net/article/more-hot-air-which-hand-dryers-save-energy-dry-fast/

Soap Dispensers

An essential unit to provide soap for handwashing. Our soap dispensers are wall mounted and push dispense for easy use.

Hand Sanitiser

A gel that kills viruses and bacteria. It is a good alternative to soap when a sink is not available. Cathedral Hygiene’s hand sanitiser consists of a non-sticky alcohol gel which completely evaporates, leaving no alcohol smell residue on the hands.

At Cathedral Hygiene, we offer automatic and manual dispensers:

  • Automatic Hand Sanitiser
    • This is a touch-free option which uses a sensor. It reduces the risk of germ transmission between users, making it ideal for high-traffic areas.
  • Manual Hand Sanitiser
    • A traditional push-to-dispense mechanism. These units are simple and reliable. They do not require batteries and generally require low maintenance.

Hand Drying

Removing all moisture from hands after washing them. Hand drying is an important part of hand hygiene because poorly dried hands can increase the spread of germs and microorganisms. There are a variety of products that you can offer at your business to facilitate hand drying, including electronic air dryers and paper towels.

Cathedral Hygiene's hand dryers.

Fast Dryer

Cathedral Hygiene’s hand drying option is one of the fastest and most eco-friendly hand dryers in the marketplace. Our fast dryer is a modern high output / low energy hand dryer. It completely dries hands in just 8 – 10 seconds, and 200 drys costs only 10p!

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Gents Washroom Services

Urinal Maintenance

The upkeep and management of urinals, specifically keeping them clean, smelling fresh and free from blockages.

Urinal Sanitiser

A wall mounted device that is designed to clean and deodorise urinal systems. These sanitisers work by releasing a cleaning solution into the urinal which flushes through the bowl and the pipes, removing bacteria and limescale.

Quadrasan Sanitiser

This is the 3 in 1 urinal sanitiser that Cathedral Hygiene offers. It cleans, deodorises and prevents build-up in your urinals. This fully programmable system kills bacteria and prevents staining on your urinals by producing a concentrated liquid gel on every flush, or at other times depending on your chosen setting. This covers the bowl and passes through the u-bend, ensuring cleanliness and freshness between cleanings.

Find out more

A white quadrasan urinal sanitiser and a blue urinal screen.

Urinal Screen / Screen Mat / Urinal Mat / Urinal Shield

These mats are placed over the drain in your urinal to catch debris, trap unpleasant odours and reduce splashback. They release a pleasant smell, keeping your washroom smelling clean and fresh.

V-Screen

Cathedral Hygiene offers this rubber mat with a scented core that is a simple and effective urinal screen. The mat acts as a net when placed over the drain, catching debris such as chewing gum and toilet paper, and therefore preventing blockages. It also features a unique anti-slip web design that helps to prevent splash-back and keeps the screen in the optimal position.

Find out more

Water Management System

Reduces the amount of water that your urinal system uses by only letting water through when the toilet is being used. It uses a valve and infra-red sensor system to control the water, meaning that, if no one is detected, the valve remains closed.

Without a water management system, urinals usually flush regardless of use which wastes a lot of water. A water management system conserves water, cuts costs spent on water and complies with 1999 Water Regulations.

Additional Washroom Essentials

An infographic showing statistics about washroom hygiene. 66% of people would not return to a retail store that has dirty bathrooms. UK government guidance states that employers must ensure that there is toilet paper available in every cubicle. 88.9% of women prefer not to sit on a public toilet, showing distrust in the hygiene levels of public washrooms. 93% of adults would not return to a retailer if they experienced any issues related to the facilities.
Source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160503005647/en/study-reveals-that-93-percent-of-u.s.-adults-would-avoid-a-store-with-facility-flaws /// https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities/preventing-and-controlling-infections

Toilet Seat Sanitiser / Toilet Seat Disinfectant

A high-quality sanitising solution for the user to spray on toilet roll and then apply to the toilet seat, killing germs and bacteria. Most women prefer not to sit on public toilets, so this product is designed to eliminate that fear by keeping it hygienic with a simple spray and wipe.

Surface Sanitiser / Disinfectant / Cleaning Sanitiser

A cleaning spray that can be used to clean and disinfect any surface. A wall mounted surface sanitiser is convenient for public bathrooms because it can be used by customers to wipe down surfaces such as baby change units, giving them more confidence when using your washroom.

Toilet Roll Holder / Toilet Paper Holder / Toilet Roll Dispenser

A wall mounted unit that dispenses toilet paper. They are essential for public washrooms to help keep toilet paper clean, ensure a tidy washroom and provide easy access for the user. One of the most common complaints in public bathrooms is a lack of toilet paper, highlighting how important it is to your customers. At Cathedral Hygiene, we offer a variety of toilet roll dispensers:

  • Standard Toilet Roll Dispenser
    • A smaller model which holds 2 standard rolls of toilet paper. Conveniently designed so that when the first roll is finished, the second roll can be dispensed.
  • Jumbo Roll Dispenser
    • A larger dispenser that holds jumbo toilet rolls, which are equivalent to 20 standard toilet rolls. This makes it cost-efficient and convenient for high traffic locations that require frequent replacements.
  • Mini Jumbo Dispenser
    • This holds 1 mini jumbo toilet roll, which is equivalent to 10 standard toilet rolls. It is a cost-efficient option for areas with medium footfall.
  • Bulk Pack Dispenser
    • A toilet roll holder designed to hold individual sheets of toilet tissue rather than a roll. These dispensers fit well in compact spaces due to the type of tissue dispensed.

Expert Knowledge on all Washroom Services

There are so many different products to consider when looking at your washroom and finding the right solution can sometimes be difficult. At Cathedral Hygiene we are happy to talk you through it – whether you know the terminology or not, we are always happy to help!

Contact us today to find out more, get a quote or make an enquiry.