October 25th, 2016 by Josh Hulme

I hope the chef didn't do that.. It's your anniversary meal, the flowers are on the table, the wine is flowing and your scallop starter has just arrived.

Don't let your toilets ruin your customers perception of your restaurant

Picture perfect scene. "I'm just heading to the toilet darling...." As you walk into the toilet you are hit with a disgusting stench that shatters the perfect illusion you felt moments ago.  As you head back to the table, the scallops now seem to be moving on the plate, the fillet steak now a turgid piece of flesh. And the whole evening is tarnished with that foul smell you just can't seem to forget. As a restaurateur, you may provide the finest fillet steak, the finest French wine and the freshest scallops around. However, a dirty, smelly and unhygienic bathroom completely shatters any perception of perfection for your valued customers. Does the kitchen smell like this? Pictures of rotting meat and foul fish replace the serenity of your fillet steak and scallops. Has the chef washed their hands? Anniversary meal ruined. These are all the immediate thoughts of your prized customers. Show your customers how amazing you are throughout the business - food, hygiene, drinks, service are all equally important according to customers. The majority of restaurants, eateries and hotels take, as they should, the utmost care and concern with our every need at the table: from fine quality food through to fantastic service and the freshest ingredients. So, why as soon as customers head into the bathroom are they (more often than not) drastically let down? The toilet cleanliness and hygiene levels of a bathroom are absolutely essential for a positive client experience. According to Big Hospitality.co.uk, 90% of customers would question the overall cleanliness of an establishment based on the state of the toilets. Let's not lose 90% of our customers for smelly toilets. How to combat these toilet odours?

Aerosol air freshener dispensers

Commercial air freshener dispensers are absolutely essential and depending on the size of the bathroom, you may need several. Not to worry – these aren't too costly. (Below £20 each for holding onto 90% of your custom? Yes please) Aerosol air freshener dispensers can be sited high on a wall (you may not even notice them unless you happen to be there whilst they spray) and programmed to dispense a fragrance of your choosing at intervals you see fit. Heavy use washrooms require dispensing frequently to eliminate the odours caused by frequent toilet usage. Do not allow your dispenser to run out of refill. This is one of the cardinal sins allowing malodours to persist. Some of the most popular air freshener dispensers are the Professional Air Freshener dispenser and the LCD Air freshener Dispenser which have flexible programming settings and are discreet.

The LCD programmable dispenser is a popular choice for hotels and restaurants

Non aerosol air freshener dispensers

Alternatively, there are dispensers where the fresh aroma is continuously emitted throughout the day. These are known as non aerosol air freshener dispensers and are a little less potent than aerosol can be if you happen to walk right into a spray. These commercial dispensers will tackle the main odours and there are also smaller accessories that can freshen your bathroom too.

Urinal mats

Gents toilets with urinals can use urinal mats to combat the smell of the urinals and urine itself; especially useful if you do not have automatic waterless urinal systems in place.

Urinal mats in gents toilets are very popular

Hand held air fresheners

A popular new feature is to include hand held air fresheners in cubicles and near to the sinks to encourage customers to help keep the bathroom smelling fresh, welcoming and pleasant. We strongly encourage business owners to consider their toilets and air freshening options as we understand the importance of providing your customers with the best, overall experience possible. Hygiene Supplies Direct stock leading ranges of both aerosol and non aerosol dispensers with a wide array of fragrances for you to choose from. If you have any questions or need any recommendations for your particular toilets, please do not hesitate to call us on 0800 0913171 or 01977 552000 or drop us an email at sales@hsdonline.co.uk