We know that hand driers can spread germs, but what about the simple act of flushing a urinal? Recent studies have found that COVID-19 is present in an infected person’s urine. This urine can potentially spread COVID-19. While toilets have been found to spread viruses when contaminated urine becomes aerosolized and inhaled, urinals are at a much higher risk due to the “splashback” effect when flushing.
Luckily, there are a few ways you can minimize or prevent the dreaded “splashback” and protect the health of urinal users.
Increased cleaning
Increase the cleaning frequency for the urinals and disinfect surfaces near urinals on a regular basis. This has the bonus of eliminating public restroom smells. EcoSource is proud to provide these disinfecting services to our customers.
Make room
Just as social distancing works in public, it works in restrooms too. Block off every two urinals so there is more distance between urinal users. To foster social distancing while waiting on facilities, distance markers can be placed on the floor behind the urinals.
Reduce water flow
Reducing the water flow rates for urinals will reduce the pressure of the flush and eliminate some of the “splashback” effect.
Educate
Posters can be made to help educate urinal users on safe practices. Some of these include:
- Urinating towards the base of the urinal causes the most “splashback” and aerosolization. Encourage urinal users to urinate at a 90-degree angle to the urinal.
- Suggest using the toilet rather than the urinal and sit rather than stand to urinate can reduce the stream speed and amount of splash.
- Flushing the urinal with a paper towel rather than a bare hand. EcoSource recommends providing paper towels for hand drying.
Change the Facilities
Simply placing a mat under a urinal can help absorb splatter (but these need to be changed frequently). An even more extreme solution is to replace the urinals with waterless urinals. The lack of flush means almost no aerosolization.Most of all, you can help keep your facility clean by hiring a scheduled facility cleaner like EcoSource. We offer disinfection services that can disinfect some surfaces or all surfaces. Contact us today to get started.
