What could be stinking up my bathroom?

You get good smells, you get bad ones … and then you get the downright nasty ones, like foul smelling bathrooms. Here are a few reasons why some bathrooms continuously have malodour and how to remove that foul smell from your bathroom.

Wouldn’t you agree that a bad smelling bathroom is one of the worst smells ever. I recently joined a colleague to do a bathroom survey at a customer’s premises, It was probably the worst smelling bathroom I have ever come across. My colleague, a consultant who surveys bathrooms every day and is quite used to bathroom odours, said that even pulling his polo neck over his nose couldn’t save him from the bad odour emanating from that bathroom.

So what is it that causes that constant malodour?

We list a few of the reasons that could be stinking up your bathroom and a few of our own solutions:

The constant smell of Urine

This is probably the most common source of malodour in the bathroom, but … how to get rid of the urine smell in the bathroom? Everyone has heard of the ‘sneeze effect’ and ‘splashback’ where urine splashes out of the toilet bowl during flushing and lands on the surfaces in the bathroom. Continuous deposits, if not cleaned, build up and allows bacteria to grow and cause that lingering malodour.

While daily cleaning helps, it only gets to the surface and the places your cleaner can reach. Areas like recess fittings are hard to reach and scale build-up in these areas, if not cleaned, can lead to a continuous bad odour. 

Uric acid and scale build-up also accumulate in the pipework of toilets and urinals and without the use of proper cleaning agents will also lead to a smelly bathroom.

So what’s the solution?:

1. Deep cleaning bathroom treatment by Initial
   • Since uric scale builds up over time, your daily cleaners’ products aren’t equipped to eliminate tough scale and acids. A solution to this is implementing regular deep cleaning treatments to thoroughly eliminate harmful bacteria from bathroom fixtures.
   • An intensive bathroom clean that sanitises toilets, surfaces, flushing rims, fittings and surrounding areas of each of your toilet cubicles. These areas are exposed to continuous deposits of faecal matter and other harmful bacteria.
   • Chemical cleaning agents are harsh on your equipment and do not kill bacteria and yeasts, and provide only short-term relief from smells.
   • Our patented bio-enzyme preparations are 100% environmentally friendly and remove the buildup of scale, dirt and faecal deposits.
   • Deep cleaning also has a residual efficacy which means there is no immediate buildup of deposits to cause odour.
   • Our team of experts have the correct tools and PPE to reach those areas your daily cleaner can’t.
   • We will also provide you with free pine-fresh cleaner to use daily in between our treatments making sure that your bathroom stays smelling clean and hygienic. 
   • Added to this service is a disinfection fogging service. The fog is applied after the bathroom has been deep cleaned and disinfects the entire bathroom including under counters, doors, walls, and any surface within the space.
     
2. Toilet and/or urinal sanitising solution
   • This unit is fixed to the wall above the cistern or urinal and is plumbed into the water supply.
   • It contains bio-enzymes which are released into the water with each flush.
   • It ensures that the water in the toilet bowl is sanitised with every flush and in between flushes.
   • The bio-enzymes break down scale and acids keeping your pipework clean from odour causing build-up.

To help you in getting rid of foul smells in your bathroom, read:Bathroom deep cleaning: your checklist

There’s a rotten smell coming from the sanitary waste bin

Ladies need a proper receptacle to dispose of used pads and tampons. Does your company have to provide sanitary waste bins? 

Because bacteria thrive in environments that have high humidity, moisture levels and temperatures, when it mixes with menstrual blood and is not immediately treated, could give off a rotten smell. It is also really unpleasant and hazardous for your daily cleaner to empty and dispose of this hazardous waste. They could come into contact with a host of bacteria and infections. 

So what’s the solution:

1. A feminine hygiene unit, that makes disposal of sanitary waste discreet and hygienic for the user.
   • The contents of the waste bin are constantly disinfected using our Sanigreen formulation and scented bin liners.
   • Sanitary waste is removed from your premises regularly and discreetly by trained technicians, and the waste is disposed of according to legislation. This means your cleaners won’t have to be exposed to harmful pathogens and bacteria.
   • The units are sanitised at each service, giving the user peace of mind that the unit is hygienic to use. 
   • Costly toilet blockages are entirely preventable by providing an easy unit for the disposal of sanitary waste products.

The Urinal – they say is a source of the worst smells

Unfortunately, urinals have a reputation of their own and are directly associated with bad smells in the male bathroom. It really doesn’t have to be that way.

The build-up of uric acid, salt and scale in the urinal is the source of malodour. In order to get rid of the smell, you need to get rid of the build-up, which in turn will reduce the bacteria count and eliminate the bad smell. Chemical cleaners sometimes mask the odours for a while, but don’t actually get to the root cause of the problem.

So what’s the solution:

1. An Eco Cap by Initial for urinals
   • The patented eco-cap fitted with either prongs or a suction sits snugly into the urinal outlet and won’t shift during use.
   • It is designed to reduce the dreaded splashback or sneeze effect we spoke about earlier on.
   • The patented odour lock design traps odours below the water line of the urinal, stopping them from entering the bathroom.
   • It is fitted with a bio-enzyme block that breaks down the scale and bacteria and neutralises the unpleasant odours in your bathroom.
   • The design of the unit means it won’t shift like pee-mats and it reduces blockages, by preventing foreign objects from getting washed down the pipework.
   • A free eco-spray solution is left behind for your cleaner to use in between services, making sure that only friendly bio-enzyme cleaning products are used.

Are your cleaning supplies, clean?

Cleaning supplies – such as brooms, mops, brushes and rags – can also lead to the spread of bad smells, and because these are usually damp, they are the ideal spot for germs to multiply.

Does your cleaner use the same supplies to clean other areas too? They could just be spreading or transferring bacteria from one area to another, yuk!

So what’s the solution:

• Mops, cloths and sponges should be washed and thoroughly rinsed after each use. They should also be allowed to dry properly and not left in a damp area or left to stand in water.
• ideally, there should be separate cleaning supplies for different areas to prevent cross-contamination.
• Using colour-coded cleaning supplies will help to prevent cross-contamination providing your staff are properly trained to do this.
• Chemical cleaning solutions are also very damaging to your bathroom equipment and may cause discolouration or scratches on the bathroom fixtures. Some just mask odours for a short while, but rarely get to the source of malodour
• Initial’s range of bio-enzyme preparations are environmentally friendly and uses good bacteria to combat the build-up of bacteria and grime.

Adding good smells:

Once your bathroom has had a thorough clean, and persistent odours have been tackled, it is always great to add a fragrancing option to your bathroom.

So what’s the solution:

• Strategically placed air fresheners are best used in low traffic environments.
• They provide a simple and effective air care solution which treats transient bathroom odours, helping to create a welcoming and fresh smelling environment.

Take a look at our video on How to Avoid Malodour in your Bathroom:

Contact us to book your hygiene survey today, and let the specialists provide more helpful hygiene tips to keep your office bathroom free from harmful germs and bacteria and smelling hygienically fresh.