::::::: kitchen & bath :::::::
clean design By Robert Kravitz
B
uilding owners, architects, designers, and contractors often spend months — or even years — going over every little detail for a new building. Much time is spent on decisions ranging from what light fixtures to install, to what colour of floor coverings to choose, and on and on. Yet there is one aspect of building planning and construction that is often overlooked, and it relates to an issue that can prove to be as important — if not more important — as any other aspect of building design: how will the building be cleaned? More precisely, many facilities are simply not constructed with cleaning in mind. Common examples are ceiling lights that are virtually impossible to change without scaffolding; soap dispensers that drip on walls and floors; paper dispensers that are hard to reach or find; and wall or floor coverings that are selected more for their appearance than for how well they will function or resist soiling. Fortunately, this problem can easily be rectified. Everyone involved in the planning stages for new construction must simply pay more attention to how a building will be cleaned and maintained once it is in use. This will both help maintain the location more effectively and keep operating costs down. Those involved in the planning stages for building construction and design should be sure to keep these key considerations in mind:
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DESIGN QUARTERLY | Spring 2013
Countertop colours. Light-coloured countertops tend to camouflage soiling and water stains better than dark ones. While the ideal situation would be to keep counters hygienically clean at all times, they do inevitably become soiled during the course of the workday. Light-coloured materials make this less noticeable. Countertop materials. Smooth or lessporous countertops resist soils, and waterimpervious surfaces tend to be easier to keep clean. Hand dryers. While some users do not like these machines, electric hand dryers are less costly over time than paper towels, and can help reduce cleaning times and labour expenses. Many of these systems are now also touch free, further reducing cleaning needs and helping to prevent cross contamination. Paper towel dispensers. Select systems that automatically dispense a prescribed amount of paper so there is no need for users to pull and tear off pieces. Again, such systems are more cost effective and help keep restrooms cleaner. Trash receptacles. More and more people today are using paper towels to open restroom doors while exiting so as not to resoil their hands after washing. For this reason, consider installing trash receptacles both near sinks and near exit doors. This will encourage users not to toss used paper towels on the floor.
Toilets. Although they can be difficult to source, toilets with lids that close help prevent the dissemination of microbes onto partitions, walls, and floors during flushing. This will keep restrooms more hygienically clean. Floor drains. More than one floor drain should be installed, especially in larger restrooms. Having multiple floor drains makes cleanup much easier should a urinal or toilet overflow. Outlets. Power outlets should be installed high enough on the wall to prevent moisture infiltration and to keep the equipment cords off the floor. Bathroom flooring materials. If tile and grout floors are to be installed in restrooms, a medium to dark gray colour is preferable. Light-coloured floors typically show more soiling and wear-and-tear over time. Further, epoxy or urethane-based grout should be selected because it is usually easier to keep clean. Floor Concerns. Floors are of particular importance in restrooms. This is an area in which concerns about appearance often trump practicality. Although no one wants an ugly floor, the first consideration when choosing any flooring material must be safety factors. Always select flooring materials that are considered nonslip. Tile and grout are often selected as flooring materials because they are generally the safest type of flooring for a restroom setting. However, grout is difficult to keep clean in general and tile can easily become soiled because of its porous nature. Of course, if tile and grout is used, there are things cleaning professionals can do to make maintenance easier. Spray-and-vac (no-touch) or dispenseand-vac cleaning systems are a useful alternative when it comes to cleaning tile and grout. These systems tend to be less dependent on potentially dangerous chemicals. Embedded soils are removed either by pressure washing the floor or brushing. Moisture and soils are then vacuumed up. The entire process is also faster than traditional cleaning methods, reducing cleaning times and labour costs. DQ Robert Kravitz is a former building service contractor and now a frequent writer on cleaning related issues. He may be reached at rkravitz@alturasolutions.com