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05 Oct 2022 by Britex
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Good hygiene is important in every space, but is particularly crucial in damp, enclosed bathroom environments, which provide ideal conditions for bacterial growth and the spread of germs and diseases. Dirty bathroom floors are the perfect breeding ground for e-coli, while poorly maintained toilets and urinals allow salmonella to flourish. Both bacteria may cause a number of symptoms ranging from mild stomach cramps and headaches to more severe diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting.
In commercial bathrooms and public toilets, the presence of bacteria and easy spread of germs is exacerbated by the high number and frequency of users, all of whom introduce their own germs into the space. Thankfully, advances in technology have made it possible to maintain good hygiene via bathroom products that are both functional and stylish.
When designing for busy commercial toilets, designers often seek for bathroom warehouse solutions that fit the “style” of the rest of the project. Increasingly, however, many products compromise on functionality in favour of a streamlined, minimalist aesthetic.
Below, we outline the key considerations that designers must take into account to find the middle ground between practicality and aesthetics.
Preventing odours
Pod urinals, which are favoured for their minimalist style and compact frame, often cause urine to drip onto the floor, where it seeps into the grout and concrete. Even with regular cleaning, it is impossible to entirely eliminate stains and odours.
Urine drips may adhere to the soles of users’ shoes, which subsequently track the liquid throughout the bathroom and sometimes even into the rest of the building.
To combat this, urinals should be designed to catch drips and prevent spillage onto the floor. Ideally, the top of the urinal should spread water evenly, covering the entire body of the urinal and thoroughly rinsing out the base to clean out all waste.
A floor grate to stand on should keep feet far from contamination and allow all drops and messes to fall directly into the gutter of the urinal, thus reducing the spread of urine and minimising the transfer of bacteria and odours.
Flushing power
Practicality should not come at the expense of performance. Urinals typically flush in one of three ways.
Waterless urinals are designed to remove the need for flushing after each use, but still need to be cleared for hygiene purposes, with regularity of cleaning depending on frequency of use. There are two different types of waterless urinals.
The first, an oil-based cartridge, introduces a layer of oil into the urinal trap to create a seal above the urine and prevent smells.
The effectiveness of this type of cartridge is dependent on regular maintenance, which may be an issue in certain contexts. The second type is a silicone diaphragm system that opens under pressure from urine or water and automatically closes once the stream of liquid – and therefore pressure – has stopped.
Waterless urinals are favoured for their water savings, and typically adopt a pod style. However, pod style urinals can allow waste to drip onto the floor and allow odours to develop throughout the bathroom area. Often, waterless urinals are subject to inadequate or irregular maintenance, which exacerbates hygiene issues.
Manual activation cisterns release stored water from a tank – which is typically made from porcelain, plastic or stainless steel – into a urinal via the flush-pipe. This type of cistern can be installed either externally or in-wall, and releases the full preset amount of water with each activation. As their name implies, manual activation cisterns rely on the user to activate the system after use.
Advantages include low costs and maintenance requirements, in addition to fast water release and suitability for low water pressure settings. Disadvantages include the risk of cross-contamination between users and activations and a high susceptibility to vandalism. Wall mounted styles are also generally considered aesthetically unappealing within a contemporary context.
Direct mains water flushes are the most hygienic
activation systems. Incorporating a sensor unit, these flushes are automatically triggered once someone has approached and walked away from the urinal or the urinal has not been used for a specified period of time- whichever occurs first. Direct mains water flushes are advantageous as they are hygienic, vandal resistant, and discreet.
Some products offer maximum water savings with every flush, since they have the ability to count uses before flushing. The main disadvantages of this type of flush are its requirement of a power supply and higher initial cost. These are known as smart flush units.
Vandal resistance
This is particularly critical for ensuring peace of mind when the bathroom is in a high traffic environment such as entertainment venues, stadiums, hotels, pubs or clubs. Urinals in these environments should be fabricated from heavy, durable materials and should use a design that is as enclosed as possible, with minimal – if any – accessible seams or removable components.
Contemporary aesthetics
Products should have a clean, contemporary look that will not date quickly, and recessing or concealment should be considered wherever possible. Urinals should be constructed from a durable material such as stainless steel for better aesthetic appearance, but more importantly easier cleaning and maximum overall hygiene.
Versatility
A wide range of urinal styles is available, with each style having its own unique features and benefits. Working on the bathroom requirements of any project, a solution can be found to suit aesthetics, water efficiencies, value management, frequency of use, maintenance regimes, and installation environments.
Stainless Steel Urinals have the advantage of flexibility, as they can be custom made to ensure fitness for purpose.
Ease of cleaning
Cleanliness is a matter of both hygiene and appearance.
As such, it is imperative that urinals are easy to clean, with few corners or other areas that are difficult to access. Stainless steel urinals that are clean, shiny, and well maintained are highly aesthetically appealing and can greatly enhance the appearance of a bathroom.
Design-based hygiene solutions
Responding to the demand for hygienic, practical bathroom products that balance practicality and aesthetics, the plumbing industry has developed an innovative suite of new technologies and products.
Learn more about Britex Stainless Steel Urinals here www.britex.com.au