Ben Walker is a well-known cleaning consultant. He and his company, ManageMen, Inc., work with large facilities and contract cleaning companies, helping them streamline cleaning operations, improve efficiencies, and reduce cleaning-related costs.

In 2006, his company was hired to help simplify cleaning operations for a new, large, state-of-the-art building in San Diego, CA.  As he was touring the facility for the first time, he noticed something in the restrooms he had never seen before: waterless urinals.

He was told they were installed because they can help reduce water consumption dramatically, as much as 35,000 gallons (about 132,489 L) of water per year, per urinal. In thirsty California, as well as many other western states, waterless urinals are now commonplace. In 2006, not so much.

Walker says that as far as cleaning and maintenance in the new building, everything was going perfectly – at least initially. The client was happy as were the building’s tenants. But by the third month, problems developed. The waterless urinals that the building proudly installed were releasing pungent odors that could sometimes be sniffed in the facility area.

“This was a problem I had never faced before,” says Walker. And it was not just Walker. “I found…the custodial crew members [were also] struggling to keep up with the new waterless urinals, but a very pungent odor was beginning to overtake the facility.” 

What Walker later found out was that while waterless urinals offer “huge benefits,” as he called them, allowing organizations to meet their sustainably needs, they have their own cleaning requirements, which differ somewhat from the ways traditional, water using urinals are cared for.

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"While the cleaning procedure for waterless urinals is pretty much the same as for flushed ones, they have additional process that managers need to be aware of.” 

Among the suggestions Walker shares with managers and cleaning professionals are the following:

Read the cleaning instructions. Manufacturers provide cleaning instructions with their waterless urinals. All too often, no one reads those instructions until a problem arises. Those troubles usually can be eliminated if the instructions are read before any cleaning is performed.

Make sure the staff is using the proper cleaning solutions recommended by the manufacturer. Some brands may require specific cleaning solutions. However, fortunately, most waterless urinals can be cleaned using traditional cleaning solutions such as all-purpose cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants.

Use manufacturer specific cleaners. The cartridge and sealing liquid serves an especially important function. It helps prevent sewer odors – such as those this building in San Diego was having – from escaping into the building. Some manufacturers require specific cleaning solutions so as not to reduce the sealing liquid effectiveness. To prevent this from happening, remove the cartridge when cleaning. (NOTE: This is Walker’s advice. This may not be necessary with all waterless urinals). Other manufacturers have cleaning solutions that work with their sealing liquids.

Wipe the urinal cleaning from the top down. Also, use a cotton cloth or microfiber towel. Some cleaning professionals use paper towels. Paper towels are good for drying hands but not effective in cleaning, including cleaning waterless urinals.

Take note as to when the cartridge was installed. Some cartridges have a noticeably short lifespan, two or three months. Interestingly, these are often the more expensive cartridges. The cartridges installed in urinals manufactured by Waterless Co. Inc, are inexpensive and can last as long as six months. Further, waterless urinals from Waterless Co., come with a unique key that can be used to quickly remove the press fit cartridge when it needs to be changed.

Don’t forget cleaning around the urinal. Splatter is an issue around urinals.  The situation is worse when water-using urinals are installed.  To help promote safety, health, and eliminate odors, custodial workers should wipe down walls around the urinal as well as floor areas on a regular basis.

Finally, and very importantly, we would like to add one more tip. Make sure that the sealing liquid, such as our BlueSeal sealing liquid, used in the cylinder is always on hand and that the cylinder is refilled when needed. In 90 percent of the cases where one notices urine odors, it is the sealing liquid that is missing. It simply needs to be replenished-added into the cartridge.

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, Vista, Calif., Waterless Co., Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency.  Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.  He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com

Waterless Co. – Pioneers in Advancing Water Efficiency