How long can you hold your breath for?
 Darryl | Hygiene Advisor

Google told us it was 30 seconds for most people. That seemed a bit too short so we had a quick competition around the office, and most people got between 1 minute and 1 minute 30. It wasn’t comfortable though, and there were some anxious moments as faces got redder and blood vessels bulged out further.

But with the average toilet trip taking 2 minutes and 48 seconds, it’s clear none of us would be able to go for a quick one without inhaling a few times. We know how desperately smelly they can become, so here’s the top four ways you can keep on top of your washroom odours.

Keep the floor clean and dry

The floor is the number one source of washroom smells, which isn’t really surprising considering how much urine, water and other liquids can quickly build up around toilets, basins and urinals. Floors don’t tend to be cleaned as thoroughly as other surfaces, so there is more chance for bacteria to grow and spread their odours.

Best solution: Use a bactericidal floor cleaner to kill the germs. Also, consider equipment such as the RovaWash to provide a deeper clean without taking up extra time.

Use a strong and scented toilet cleaner

Toilet bowls can also give off strong odours if fecal matter isn’t removed regularly. Bleach-based products are a very commonly used product for cleaning toilet bowls. Although they’re effective, they do leave a strong chlorine smell in the room, which is unpleasant and hard to get rid of.

Best solution: A strong acid cleaner with a fresh fragrance is both more effective and leaves a better odour.

Remove airborne bacteria

Toilet flushing, electric hand driers and water evaporation all lead to a fine mist of bacteria being suspended in the air in a washroom. These bacteria are what we actually smell when we enter a washroom, so getting rid of these makes the most noticeable difference.

Best solution: Probiotic, regularly dispensing air freshener systems which kill the bacteria and remove smells at source.

Maintain good airflow

Stale air accumulating in a confined environment will always make odours hard to restrain. A good extraction system and supply of fresh air is very important to maintain a fresh atmosphere.

Best solution: keep windows open and extraction systems turned on as much as possible.