While your washroom's range of functions might not be all that pleasant, it should still be a pleasant place to visit and reflect well on your business. This is especially true if you operate a restaurant, bar, cafe or retail outlet with a regular public clientele, as that clientele may decide not to do business with you based on your personal hygiene.
But even if the only people using your bathroom facilities are staff, they will be regular visitors to the smallest room in your building, so make those visits as pleasant as you can. Here then are some products and tips to get your washroom shipshape.
Wash (your) room
Before you begin the beautification process, let's deal with the sanitation side of things. Determine how often your bathroom is used. If you run a bar, the answer will be a lot.
Any high traffic washroom is a high risk for bacteria and disease and can only be dealt with by hammering it with high quality industrial strength cleaning chemicals on a daily basis. If you run a small business, domestic chemicals may suffice.
Small space or large space?
The size of your bathroom will determine the nature of any makeover. Small space bathrooms can be enhanced with pedestal basins providing plenty of leg and foot room. Big or small, go large on mirrors.
Mirrors create the illusion of space in small areas and make large areas feel even more open and welcoming. If space is at a premium, favour urinals over cubicles in your men's room as they are far more space efficient and keep washroom visits short.
Accessorise for the right accent
What do you want your bathroom to say about your business? Carry the outside personality in with compatible tones and fittings.
Provide ample practical washroom accessories such as automatic hand dryers or paper towel dispensers, hand soaps, auto air fresheners, sanitary napkin disposal bins, and also a generous supply of toilet paper, which is one item that should never run out.
Don't skimp on taps and basins; the right design combination can make a real impact and lift your bathroom out of the ordinary.
Create a positive mood
For hospitality this is especially important and you can carry a sense of entertainment into your washroom with great effect. Pipe music in from your bar or restaurant. Play music videos on washroom screens. Sports bars can build considerable goodwill with patrons by installing washroom televisions so they don't miss a minute of the big game.
Any business where clients will count for a reasonable percentage of their washroom usage can gain mileage by viewing their washrooms as a marketing tool. Loop promotional videos on wall-mounted monitors. Frame ads or relevant information and place it on cubicle doors and above urinals.
People in washrooms spend a lot of time twiddling their thumbs, so to speak. Give them something to look at and chances are they will.