Urinal Deep Cleaning: Vital for Hygiene or Just Clever Marketing?

Despite the persistent marketing efforts of hygiene companies, urinal deep cleaning is often an unnecessary service. As a professional plumber with over 40 years of experience, I’ve come to this conclusion. The term’ urinal deep cleaning’ which was unfamiliar to me until a few years ago, and upon investigation, I found it to be a clever made-up marketing ploy for selling additional services.

If you ask any hygiene company about the details of a urinal deep clean, they will use a mixture of jargon and feel-good statements. 

This is a perfect example of what they say: “provides a thorough cleansing and de-scaling of urinals, focusing on eliminating odours, bacteria, and germs to enhance the washroom experience significantly. Unlike regular surface cleaning, our approach delves beneath the surface to effectively remove stubborn scale deposits and mineral build-up from drains, fittings, outlets, and urinal steps.”

Reading all that says what? Essentially, the statement promotes a cleaning service that only cleans invisible surfaces so no one sees anything. There are no before-and-after videos, no before-and-after bacterial count, just feel-good hype about improved hygiene.

Understanding that urinal deep cleaning is often unnecessary can empower businesses to make informed decisions, rather than falling for a ploy to spend more on services they don’t need. 

Let’s delve into why this service is often overhyped and why plumbing expertise is critical for proper urinal maintenance. This understanding can help you make more discerning decisions about your facility’s cleaning needs.

Companies like JJ’s Waste & Recycling, Advantage Hygiene, OziFresh, Essential Hygiene, Iconic Cleaning, and many others offer “urinal deep cleaning” as a specialised service. Naturally, this comes as an added cost.

This typically involves using strong chemicals to remove scale deposits, eliminate bacteria, and neutralise odours. The “specialised service” is often positioned as a step above regular cleaning, claiming to target the root causes of unpleasant odours and plumbing issues carried out by “highly trained technicians.”

The issue with these services is the lack of transparency in the training of the so-called “highly trained technicians.” Hygiene companies cannot provide details about the specific training courses these technicians have undertaken, let alone whether these courses are accredited. In reality, these are just marketing statements for an add-on service, which is simply another profit centre.

One of the main issues with these services is the need for proper qualifications. Most hygiene companies are not licensed plumbers, meaning they lack the necessary expertise to handle complex plumbing systems. Moreover, they are not legally allowed to work on the urinal drainage system.

For building owners and property managers, there are multiple risks associated with allowing unlicensed persons to work on plumbing fixtures. Using unlicensed persons to undertake plumbing works can null and void your insurance protection plus create various workplace health and safety issues.

Urinals, like all plumbing fixtures, require more than just superficial cleaning; they need professional maintenance to ensure they function correctly and compliantly. Hygiene companies often use aggressive chemicals that can damage plumbing over time, leading to costly repairs that a qualified plumber could have avoided with proper care.

Hygiene companies frequently rely on powerful, often toxic chemicals to achieve their cleaning results. These substances may temporarily solve surface-level problems, such as odours or scale build-up, but they can also significantly harm the plumbing infrastructure. 

Acids and other corrosive agents can erode pipes and fixtures, leading to leaks, blockages, and other serious issues. Additionally, these chemicals can be hazardous to the environment and the health of the people exposed, raising ethical concerns about their widespread use.

Apart from multiple marketing adjectives, no hygiene company clearly explains what their version of deep cleaning a urinal actually entails.

The deep cleaning these companies offer often does little more than address superficial issues. While a urinal might appear cleaner and fresher immediately after the service, the underlying problems—such as poor drainage or persistent odours—are often left unresolved. 

This can lead to recurring issues that require continuous expenditure on additional services. Instead of addressing the symptoms, a licensed plumber can diagnose and fix the root causes, ensuring a more permanent solution.

Regular, thorough cleaning by trained cleaning staff and scheduled maintenance inspections by licensed plumbers can maintain urinal hygiene without the need for ‘deep cleaning’ services. This approach, which you may already be implementing, is more sustainable and cost-effective in the long run, reassuring you about the effectiveness of your current practices. 

This approach, which you may already be implementing, is more sustainable and cost-effective in the long run. It should reassure you about the effectiveness of your current practices and the unnecessary nature of deep cleaning services.

Promoting urinal deep cleaning as a necessary service is primarily driven by marketing rather than genuine needs.

Hygiene companies capitalise on the fear of poor sanitation, which is often associated with unpleasant odours and visible dirt, and the desire for pristine facilities to sell these services at a premium. 

However, most businesses do not need such intensive cleaning if they already maintain good daily hygiene practices and rely on professional plumbing services when needed.

Another critical concern is the environmental impact of the chemicals used in deep cleaning services. Many of these substances harm the environment, contributing to pollution when they enter the water supply or soil. 

Moreover, the health risks associated with exposure to these chemicals—both for cleaning staff and the general public—can not be overlooked. By avoiding these deep cleaning services, businesses can move towards more sustainable and responsible practices.

In conclusion, while urinal deep cleaning services might seem appealing, they are often unnecessary and can do more harm than good. Regular, effective cleaning and proper plumbing maintenance are the keys to clean, odour-free urinals.

 Licensed plumbers have the expertise to address any underlying issues affecting your urinals, ensuring they function correctly and hygienically. Instead of falling for marketing gimmicks, invest in qualified plumbing services and a consistent cleaning routine to keep your public toilet facilities in top shape.

By understanding the limitations and risks of these deep cleaning services, businesses can make more informed decisions about how best to maintain their public toilet facilities. They can focus on long-term solutions rather than quick fixes that don’t address the real problems.