School is Out – how to keep families safe this summer

The travel hygiene guide for facility managers from Kimberly-Clark Professional

It’s been a hectic summer already with thousands gathering for major sports events and concerts. But now that kids are out for the summer holidays, Kimberly-Clark Professional explains how our facilities managers and cleaning teams can keep families safe and healthy this summer.

The increased number of people on roads, at airports, at stations, at attractions, and in accommodation can be challenging for those who are tasked with providing and maintaining hygienic, clean and well-stocked washrooms and other public areas.

“Whether by car, bus, plane, or train, holiday makers will be setting off this summer to embark on new adventures to make precious memories. As international summer tourism is projected to increase by 15 per cent in 2024, which would exceed pre-pandemic levels¹, Kimberly-Clark Professional is focused on how our industry can help to keep travellers safe this holiday season,” says Craig Bowman, General Manager UK & Ireland.

The hygiene challenges of airports and stations

With millions of people passing through airports and bus and train stations this summer, we still expect travellers to be concerned about germs and cleanliness. The cleanliness and hygiene of the public washroom in transit stations has been cited as key to passenger experience. In the Airports Council International blog, Steve Mayers, Customer Experience Director at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, stated that passengers equate the overall cleanliness of the airport with the cleanliness of the washrooms. In addition, clean washrooms encourage passengers to linger in the airport and spend money in restaurants and shops.²

Controlled and high-capacity dispensing systems from the Scott® Control™ Washroom Solutions range provide enclosed consumables with single sheet and dose dispensing to reduce costs and waste in the bathroom. Kimberly-Clark Professional provides 100 per cent enclosed cassettes for soap dispensers, offering health hygiene benefits with the Scott® Control™ Soap and Sanitiser dispensers.

The Scott® Control™ Twin Centrefeed Toilet Tissue System from Kimberly-Clark Professional is the highest capacity twin roll design with 1,666 sheets per fully loaded dispenser.³ The single sheet dispensing feature of the system also reduces usage which in turn limits the risk of blockage.

Keeping high standards in hospitality  

The lodging industry relies heavily on first impressions and consistency. From the moment a guest enters a lobby, they take and form impressions by what they see and smell. If the lobby or reception isn’t clean, they will worry that their rooms aren’t clean either. Cleanliness communicates caring to guests and provides a sensory cue that the hotel, B&B or event campsite facilities prioritises their well-being and comfort.⁴ Cleanliness is often a hot topic in hotel reviews as well, serving as a “make or break” feature when it comes to bookings and repeat business.⁵

The WypAll® Reach PLUS™ centrefeed wiping dispenser saves customers money, through controlled single-sheet dispensing – which enables using less product, therefore reducing waste. The wiping system is designed to provide flexible, single-sheet wiping, ideal for versatile, efficient and sustainable table and surface wiping in public areas.

A cheer for cleanliness at sporting and concert venues

Arenas, stadiums, theatres and busy attractions such as theme parks and museums can put even the most effective cleaning crew to the test. Washrooms require frequent, if not constant, attention to maintain cleanliness and germ control standards. High-touch surfaces such as door handles and taps should be disinfected frequently.⁶ Issues such as toilet clogs must also be handled quickly and hygienically to keep washroom traffic moving.

A well-maintained, user-friendly washroom ensures efficient movement of a large number of visitors, enabling them to return quickly to the main attractions, food courts, bars and retail counters.

Cardiff’s Principality Stadium installed Kimberly-Clark Professional™ ICON™ Electronic Rolled Hand Towel dispensers in 2023 to ensure clean, safe and hygienic washroom facilities to the hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

The ICON™ dispenser collection makes use of digital innovation to bring game-changing hygiene opportunities, with electronic dispensing and touchless features for hand towels and skincare dispensers to reduce waste and mess in washrooms.

The ICON™ Electronic Rolled Hand Towel dispenser is designed with touchless technology to reduce the risk of spreading germs with contactless dispensing. The dispenser is high capacity with the ability to hold 380m of product that reduces refill times by delivering up to three times the number of hand dries per fully loaded dispenser than the leading folded hand towel.³

Hand hygiene still the priority

As wet hands spread more germs than dry hands, it is important to dry them thoroughly.⁷ Kimberly-Clark Professional has an easy-to-understand guide on the whys of hand hygiene to support staff training efforts,⁹ as well as other guides on illnesses such as norovirus⁸ and the “tripledemic” (the commonality of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV)¹⁰ to bolster confidence and knowledge in helping to prevent the spread of these illnesses.

“Kimberly-Clark Professional has a wide array of hand hygiene and skincare products, including hand towels, soap and hand sanitiser, designed to meet the varied needs of travelling safely all year round,” adds Bowman.

Sources:

• Jorden R, “Ask Skift: What Are Summer Travel Trends for 2024?” https://skift.com/2024/04/12/ask-skift-what-are-summer-travel-trends-for-2024/#:~:text=Direct%20bookings%2C%20especially%20for%20hotels,recovery%20for%20the%20travel%20industry.
• https://airportscouncil.org/2019/07/30/restroom-cleanliness-is-key-to-passenger-experience/
• Results of Hall Tests conducted by Sapio agency. July 2021
• https://jan-pro.com/nyc/why-are-hotel-cleaning-services-key-to-guest-satisfaction/#:~:text=When%20guests%20enter%20a%20clean,their%20health%20and%20comfort%20seriously.
• https://medium.com/@kbtcleaning.au/how-to-create-a-lasting-first-impression-in-the-hotel-industry-a74b308edfba
• https://medium.com/@SCS_Group/stadium-cleaning-the-importance-of-keeping-sports-venues-clean-and-sanitized-8263eeba01f2
• https://www.kcprofessional.com/en-us/workplace-insights/health-and-safety/norovirus-faq
• Findon DRP, Miller TE, “Residual moisture determines the level of touch-contact-associated bacterial transfer following hand washing,” Infect., 1997, Volume 119: 319-325.
• https://www.kcprofessional.com/en-us/workplace-insights/health-and-safety/hand-hygiene-basics-white-paper
• https://www.kcprofessional.com/en-us/workplace-insights/productivity-and-efficiency/tripledemic-faq